Their beautiful details make me swoon.
Monday, November 30, 2009
Confession of a Shop-a-holic
Ok so seriously I cannot go into Anthropologie without going absolutely nuts. I wanted a dress for the holidays and because they are evil they have sales and a clearance rack. I ended up with my wallet a lot lighter but with so many wonderful new things I cannot help but be happy!
Their beautiful details make me swoon.
Their beautiful details make me swoon.
Nerdy Birdy: Newport Back Bay
Since I had to get up early anyway to drive a friend at 4:30am to the airport I decided to make the best of my early day and head over to the Newport Back Bay which I had heard has excellent birding. I was not disappointed because within a few minutes of getting to the bay I spotted an owl and then a special little four legged friend.
I ended up with five more birds to cross off the bird list.
281.BARN OWL
281.BARN OWL
249.BLACK SKIMMER
374.YELLOW THROATED VIREO
422.MARSH WREN
Here are some birds that I have already crossed off the list but I wanted to show you.
68.WESTERN GREBE
finally got a shot of my first bird with a fish in its mouth. I ended up sitting by the water where this guy was fishing for over an hour and I was finally rewarded when the light, composition, bird and fish were all in the perfect place.
318.ALLENS HUMMINGBIRD
117.NORTHERN HARRIER
19.BLUE WING TEAL
163.LESSER YELLOWLEGS
169.SPOTTED SANDPIPER
94.GREAT BLUE HERON
This guy is not on my list for sure but I was pretty shocked when trying to find the barn owl who had passed around a bend I ran into a coyote. And he even stayed for a moment just in time for me to snap a few shots before trotting off what a good boy. That is what I love about being out in nature, you never know what you are going to run into.
COYOTE
COYOTE
I ended up with five more birds to cross off the bird list.
281.BARN OWL
281.BARN OWL
249.BLACK SKIMMER
374.YELLOW THROATED VIREO
422.MARSH WREN
Here are some birds that I have already crossed off the list but I wanted to show you.
68.WESTERN GREBE
finally got a shot of my first bird with a fish in its mouth. I ended up sitting by the water where this guy was fishing for over an hour and I was finally rewarded when the light, composition, bird and fish were all in the perfect place.
318.ALLENS HUMMINGBIRD
117.NORTHERN HARRIER
19.BLUE WING TEAL
163.LESSER YELLOWLEGS
169.SPOTTED SANDPIPER
94.GREAT BLUE HERON
This guy is not on my list for sure but I was pretty shocked when trying to find the barn owl who had passed around a bend I ran into a coyote. And he even stayed for a moment just in time for me to snap a few shots before trotting off what a good boy. That is what I love about being out in nature, you never know what you are going to run into.
COYOTE
COYOTE
Baby Brain: What a Little Curiosity Will Do
Today I found out that Mrs. Bulldog is three months PREGNANT! I knew she had been trying but to hear that they are is so exciting. Mr. Rogue and I are going to start trying in March and it makes me happy that a friend will also be having a baby around the same time. Out of curiosity I wanted to know how big a three month old fetus was so of course I Googled it. I ended up on this adorable baby site Baby Center where I found all kinds of information about how large the fetus is.
So at the end of the video the player automatically pushed into other months and because I was interested I watched, after 20 minutes it moved onto giving an epidural. Since I had not seen one being given and since I am going to have to deal with getting pregnant and dealing with the inevitable birth I took a deep breath and watched. And let me tell you when they took out that needle I almost passed out and I was watching SOMEONE ELSE get a shot. Even though I was not feeling so well once the video was over I was SO PROUD of myself for getting through it.
So I was feeling a bit brave, a little daring even, so I decided to watch the next video, a video of a woman giving birth. And GOD KNOWS WHY I thought that was a good idea, but I got through that too. So I moved onto the next video, a video of a woman giving birth naturally at home. I think I lost my damn mind.
I am officially traumatised. This is why you DO NOT go poking around websites and watching baby birthing videos until AFTER you are pregnant.
So at the end of the video the player automatically pushed into other months and because I was interested I watched, after 20 minutes it moved onto giving an epidural. Since I had not seen one being given and since I am going to have to deal with getting pregnant and dealing with the inevitable birth I took a deep breath and watched. And let me tell you when they took out that needle I almost passed out and I was watching SOMEONE ELSE get a shot. Even though I was not feeling so well once the video was over I was SO PROUD of myself for getting through it.
So I was feeling a bit brave, a little daring even, so I decided to watch the next video, a video of a woman giving birth. And GOD KNOWS WHY I thought that was a good idea, but I got through that too. So I moved onto the next video, a video of a woman giving birth naturally at home. I think I lost my damn mind.
I am officially traumatised. This is why you DO NOT go poking around websites and watching baby birthing videos until AFTER you are pregnant.
Sunday, November 29, 2009
Ab-a-licious
Today the girls met up for a little vampire movie. I love the series of book and this movie, New Moon, was just as good if not better than the last. This storyline really appeals to me but the abs and boy candy really made it over the top. Does that make me a cougar. Ahh to be 18 and full of hormones again.
BBBS 22 – Christmas Shopping
Because Ms. Little does not have much I asked her mother what she could use for her Christmas present. Her mother suggested clothes so I did something my mother used to do, I gave her some money and took her to the store of her choice and she had to weigh what she wanted and the cost of it all. I got such a kick out of seeing her eyes grow as big as saucers as I handed her the money. Her joy is so addicting and the littlest of things she is so thankful for.
We had such a wonderful time picking out all the clothes and then watching her try everything on. She has a pretty funky style and has a solid opinion about what she likes and what she does not like. One of the best parts was all the laughing and giggling we did in the dressing room, how she turned to me for advice and the antics and faces she pulled.
I love this kid and am so glad I am volunteering. She has helped me heal in so many ways and brings a unique joy to my life.
We had such a wonderful time picking out all the clothes and then watching her try everything on. She has a pretty funky style and has a solid opinion about what she likes and what she does not like. One of the best parts was all the laughing and giggling we did in the dressing room, how she turned to me for advice and the antics and faces she pulled.
I love this kid and am so glad I am volunteering. She has helped me heal in so many ways and brings a unique joy to my life.
Saturday, November 28, 2009
Ease dropping
Today I overheard two teenage kids complaining about how their cell phones don’t connect to the internet fast enough and I was filled with such indignity that I almost morphed into a gigantic spider who had bitten their heads off delighted at the carnage before me. Damn fertile imagination again.
Anyways I wanted to whip around and give them a piece of my mind. Didn’t they know that when I was a kid we had to walk ten miles uphill both ways in the snow just to get to the library to look up what a desert biome was. Didn’t they understand that they were holding in THE PALM OF THEIR HAND a device that will allow them to be connected to the world, the knowledge of the internet! Shouldn’t they stop complaining about if it takes a second longer to get onto facebook and just get down on their knees and thank the GOOD LORD that they have this technology.
These kids and my reaction, they made me feel old.
Anyways I wanted to whip around and give them a piece of my mind. Didn’t they know that when I was a kid we had to walk ten miles uphill both ways in the snow just to get to the library to look up what a desert biome was. Didn’t they understand that they were holding in THE PALM OF THEIR HAND a device that will allow them to be connected to the world, the knowledge of the internet! Shouldn’t they stop complaining about if it takes a second longer to get onto facebook and just get down on their knees and thank the GOOD LORD that they have this technology.
These kids and my reaction, they made me feel old.
Nerdy Birdy: The Salton Sea
We took a three and a half hour drive (left at 6am) to the Salton Sea today. Although the trip was fun it was not really what I was expecting it to be. We ended up visiting a bunch of sites that I had researched on the internet only to find that you could not SEE anything through the reeds. We got our car stuck in the mud which ended up needing a tow truck and two hours to get us out and because the sun sets so early the light was gone by four oclock. With all this drama there was actually only about four hours of birding, minus the time it took us to drive to the locations we visited. Thankfully we had a great time despite the troubles and I managed to get some new birds and a better understanding of the area for when I visit again.
I ended up with five more birds to cross off the bird list.
464.AMERICAN PIPIT
520.ABERTS TOWHEE
274.COMMON GROUND DOVE
279.GREATER ROADRUNNER
279.GREATER ROADRUNNER
228.YELLOW FOOTED GULL
Here are some birds that I have already crossed off the list but I wanted to show you.
288.BURROWING OWL
58.GAMBLES QUAIL
113.OSPREY
370.NORTHERN SHRIKE
127.RED TAILED HAWK
117.NORTHERN HARRIER (JUVENILE)
102.BLACK CROWNED NIGHT HERON (JUVENILE)
Birds that are not on my list.
YELLOW RUMPED WARBLER
LESSER FLAMINGO
I am not really sure which gulls these were but I liked how this shot looks.
GULLS
I ended up with five more birds to cross off the bird list.
464.AMERICAN PIPIT
520.ABERTS TOWHEE
274.COMMON GROUND DOVE
279.GREATER ROADRUNNER
279.GREATER ROADRUNNER
228.YELLOW FOOTED GULL
Here are some birds that I have already crossed off the list but I wanted to show you.
288.BURROWING OWL
58.GAMBLES QUAIL
113.OSPREY
370.NORTHERN SHRIKE
127.RED TAILED HAWK
117.NORTHERN HARRIER (JUVENILE)
102.BLACK CROWNED NIGHT HERON (JUVENILE)
Birds that are not on my list.
YELLOW RUMPED WARBLER
LESSER FLAMINGO
I am not really sure which gulls these were but I liked how this shot looks.
GULLS
Friday, November 27, 2009
Photo Phriday: Wide Open Landscapes
This week I decided to take off the telephoto lens, which has been glued to my camera for months, and take the wide angle lens we got a month ago for a test run. This is the PERFECT lens for landscapes and over the past week I have taken some shots on my various hikes. Here are the best ones, I hope you enjoy.
Salton Sea: Crouching Heron, Hidden Mud
Ms. Ivey League and I set out on a little mini day trip, a trip to the Salton Sea where the birding is supposed to be amazing. Don’t worry (myLA is rolling her eyes) this post is not about birds but rather it is about adversity, triumph against evil, and the wonderful friendships.
So it takes three and a half hours to drive to the Salton Sea. We woke up at 5:45am, gasp I know mom I was shocked too, and then were on the road by 6. The drive went by super fast and somehow I managed not to get pulled over but that did not stop the cops from stopping by to see us. You see once we reached the Sea it was so beautiful that we pulled over to take a few photos. As I was setting up my tripod a cop car pulled up behind us. CRAP, $*###*.
All I could think is that this cop clocked me going mock 100 in a 25 mile an hour zone twenty minutes ago and just now finally caught up to me. As I started pulling out and discarding excuses for my speed he got out of the car and I am not kidding he hitched up his cop belt full of various cop parifinillia just like in the movies. He interrupted my excuse sorting as I pictured him clearing his throat and turning his head to spit before sauntering over and opening fire, of course that did not happen and I lost valuable time with my excuse gathering. Damn my fertile imagination.
So then he proceeds to explain that this was a busy day, meaning the day after Thanksgiving, and that people are really speeding, and that perhaps we shouldn’t be parked on the side of the street because we may get hit by one of these speeding turkey stuffed zealots who lost control of their car.
I swear to you Ms. Ivey League looked both to our right and left, we were in the middle of a plain, you could see for miles in each direction and there was not a single car in sight. That coupled with the fact that I was well off the road as in 10 feet from the edge of the road had me swivelling my head back to him wondering if he was crazy or just bored. So we got back in our car and slowly pulled back onto the road, careful to navigate the non-existing traffic. Thank god he was there to save us. Seriously there could have been better things he could have done with his time like chasing down those speeding turkey stuffed zealots (I was just glad it was not me he pulled over) instead of harassing people taking photos.
So we giggled and continued on with our day of wonderful bird watching. I had a map of good birding stops. Unfortunately the first stop ended up being a little lame. The reeds were so high that all we could do was hear the birds taunting us from behind their screen of green. After a few minutes we bailed out to go to the second location.
Driving on the dirt road we started to get a bit worried. The road was getting a little too rough. And it wasn’t super rough but there were some ruts and we were being cautious so we decided to turn around.
And while responsibly abandoning our destination and turning around that is when we got stuck in the mud. Stuck in the middle of no where.
And when I say stuck I don’t mean “Opps I think I got the tires a bit dirty kind of stuck” I mean a “CRAP WHERE DID THE TIRES GO I CAN’T EVEN SEE THEM” kind of stuck.
So we spent the next hour playing in the mud. First we tried to rock the car out of the hole the tires were in, that did not work. Next we tried digging around the tires and placing rocks to get some traction, that really did not work and left us TERRIBLY MUDDY.
Then we tried pushing and shoving and crying all which managed to get the car that much more stuck. That is when I broke down and called AAA. Three calls back and forth between AAA the towing company and myself left me with an operator telling me that she was sorry but my coverage did not cover adventurous off-roading meaning that we were too far away from a paved road. I can now add that to my growing list of capabilities, experience adventurous off-roading. At least she was able to get me the number of a heavy duty towing company. However the woman who answered the phone hymned and hawed at me to the point where I said out of COMPLETE FUSTRATION “I don’t care what it takes or how much it costs just get my car out.”
That statement got a tow truck out to our location within an hour.
This is me before the tow truck came.
And then once he got to where we were I was much happier.
He had to pull us from quite a bit of distance away because he was worried about getting his heavy truck as stuck as we were. He got us out of our hole only to unhook everything so I could drive out to get stuck AGAIN. MOTHER (#$(&#@)$!!!!!!!! I got stuck in the tracks he made.
So he hooked up the towing again and slowly dragged us out of that hole also.
Although the rest of the day was spend birding the day CERTAINLY did not match up to what I originally thought the day would hold. I did however gain a wonderful insight into Ms. Ivey Leagues and my relationship. Even if we have a 7 hour drive, dealing with a bored cop, get stuck, attempting to dig and push a car out of mud, kind of day we still have a great day as long as we are together.
Lens $400.00
Diet Coke: $1.25
Tow Truck $232
Photo of 400 coots priceless
So it takes three and a half hours to drive to the Salton Sea. We woke up at 5:45am, gasp I know mom I was shocked too, and then were on the road by 6. The drive went by super fast and somehow I managed not to get pulled over but that did not stop the cops from stopping by to see us. You see once we reached the Sea it was so beautiful that we pulled over to take a few photos. As I was setting up my tripod a cop car pulled up behind us. CRAP, $*###*.
All I could think is that this cop clocked me going mock 100 in a 25 mile an hour zone twenty minutes ago and just now finally caught up to me. As I started pulling out and discarding excuses for my speed he got out of the car and I am not kidding he hitched up his cop belt full of various cop parifinillia just like in the movies. He interrupted my excuse sorting as I pictured him clearing his throat and turning his head to spit before sauntering over and opening fire, of course that did not happen and I lost valuable time with my excuse gathering. Damn my fertile imagination.
So then he proceeds to explain that this was a busy day, meaning the day after Thanksgiving, and that people are really speeding, and that perhaps we shouldn’t be parked on the side of the street because we may get hit by one of these speeding turkey stuffed zealots who lost control of their car.
I swear to you Ms. Ivey League looked both to our right and left, we were in the middle of a plain, you could see for miles in each direction and there was not a single car in sight. That coupled with the fact that I was well off the road as in 10 feet from the edge of the road had me swivelling my head back to him wondering if he was crazy or just bored. So we got back in our car and slowly pulled back onto the road, careful to navigate the non-existing traffic. Thank god he was there to save us. Seriously there could have been better things he could have done with his time like chasing down those speeding turkey stuffed zealots (I was just glad it was not me he pulled over) instead of harassing people taking photos.
So we giggled and continued on with our day of wonderful bird watching. I had a map of good birding stops. Unfortunately the first stop ended up being a little lame. The reeds were so high that all we could do was hear the birds taunting us from behind their screen of green. After a few minutes we bailed out to go to the second location.
Driving on the dirt road we started to get a bit worried. The road was getting a little too rough. And it wasn’t super rough but there were some ruts and we were being cautious so we decided to turn around.
And while responsibly abandoning our destination and turning around that is when we got stuck in the mud. Stuck in the middle of no where.
And when I say stuck I don’t mean “Opps I think I got the tires a bit dirty kind of stuck” I mean a “CRAP WHERE DID THE TIRES GO I CAN’T EVEN SEE THEM” kind of stuck.
So we spent the next hour playing in the mud. First we tried to rock the car out of the hole the tires were in, that did not work. Next we tried digging around the tires and placing rocks to get some traction, that really did not work and left us TERRIBLY MUDDY.
Then we tried pushing and shoving and crying all which managed to get the car that much more stuck. That is when I broke down and called AAA. Three calls back and forth between AAA the towing company and myself left me with an operator telling me that she was sorry but my coverage did not cover adventurous off-roading meaning that we were too far away from a paved road. I can now add that to my growing list of capabilities, experience adventurous off-roading. At least she was able to get me the number of a heavy duty towing company. However the woman who answered the phone hymned and hawed at me to the point where I said out of COMPLETE FUSTRATION “I don’t care what it takes or how much it costs just get my car out.”
That statement got a tow truck out to our location within an hour.
This is me before the tow truck came.
And then once he got to where we were I was much happier.
He had to pull us from quite a bit of distance away because he was worried about getting his heavy truck as stuck as we were. He got us out of our hole only to unhook everything so I could drive out to get stuck AGAIN. MOTHER (#$(&#@)$!!!!!!!! I got stuck in the tracks he made.
So he hooked up the towing again and slowly dragged us out of that hole also.
Although the rest of the day was spend birding the day CERTAINLY did not match up to what I originally thought the day would hold. I did however gain a wonderful insight into Ms. Ivey Leagues and my relationship. Even if we have a 7 hour drive, dealing with a bored cop, get stuck, attempting to dig and push a car out of mud, kind of day we still have a great day as long as we are together.
Lens $400.00
Diet Coke: $1.25
Tow Truck $232
Photo of 400 coots priceless
