04-MAY-2018
Portrait of Mr Peabody
I shot this photo of Peabody for Carol. He can be a nuisance, as Mike and Angie will testify. During the spring he is calling, sometimes day and night, evidently for a mate. And he wants to fight the reflection he sees in Angie's new car, thinking it is a rival. Angie now keeps the car covered. :) But Carol still loves him and watches for him to put on a display for the chickens, or looking for food. So she takes food out to him. He has become quite an interesting addition to the menagerie, and helps keep life interesting.
06-MAY-2018
Down the Road a Piece
I pass by this power line every day. It is down the road a piece from our place, maybe a half mile away. I shot the picture on a walk along the road. It's not the safest place to walk, as there is no shoulder to speak of. When a car passes I get down off the road on the edge of a ditch. It's not like walks around town where I had sidewalks, but crossing streets there was every bit as dangerous as walking along the road here. Anyway, I liked the tower against the background of clouds.
08-MAY-2018
Great Egret on the Wing
I think egrets are so graceful in flight, while on land they can sometimes look awkward. They are marvels of design for flight, like the heron surprisingly lightweight. Most of them weigh less than 3 lbs. They are built for flying and they do it well, better than any manmade creation. Where did the wisdom in their design come from? Everywhere you look there is wisdom far superior to ours. Humans can only copy what is there, and we claim to be wise.
('Cool Fact' from 'All About Birds' -
http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Great_Egret/overview): "The Great Egret is the symbol of the National Audubon Society, one of the oldest environmental organizations in North America. Audubon was founded to protect birds from being killed for their feathers."
11-MAY-2018
Sailing on Sparkling Waters
The day was sunny, there was a nice breeze and Fern Ridge Lake was full, a good day for sailing. This sailboat was a good distance out in the lake. The water sparkled in the bright sunshine. It made a pretty scene, at least I though so.
13-MAY-2018
Carol and Vern on Our 57th Anniversary
We had a very nice and eventful day on our anniversary day, May 13th. Included was a very nice restaurant meal with our daughter and son-in-law. Then Angie shot some pictures of us at home. This is one of them.
16-MAY-2018
Landing Gear Down
I love watching the Great Blue Heron. They are full of grace and beauty in flight, true poetry in motion. This one is demonstrating its inborn skill in preparing for landing.
17-MAY-2018
It's a Bit Choppy Out There!
There was enough wind blowing at Fern Ridge Lake to cause the water to be pretty choppy, especially for a small sailboat like this one. I watched as the sailor attempted to lower the sail when close to the dock, but the wind carried the boat farther out in the lake and he was forced to sail back, not a day I would want to be out there in that sailboat.
20-MAY-2018
Follow the Dots
It looks like they have traffic lanes in Fern Ridge Lake. I don't know for sure what the line of floats are for but it must have something to do with where they want the boaters to go as there is a sailboat dock just to the lower right of the picture area. Anyway, I liked the way the line of floats curved into the distance.
21-MAY-2018
Old Barn
This old barn is on a side road off of Clear Lake Road west of Eugene. I think it has a lot of character.
22-MAY-2018
Red-tailed Hawk
I am pretty sure this is a Red-tailed Hawk I saw flying over the Fern Ridge Wildlife Area. It is true that they are birds of prey but I still think they are beautiful and graceful in flight.
When I was young, I think we probably called any hawk we saw a "chicken hawk." I didn't realize the official classifications and varieties of hawks. Interestingly, WIKIPEDIA says, "Red-tailed hawk. The red-tailed hawk (Buteo jamaicensis) is a bird of prey, one of three species colloquially known in the United States as the "chickenhawk," though it rarely preys on standard-sized chickens." (
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Red-tailed_Hawk0
24-MAY-2018
Memories of Mother
My thoughts today go to my dear mother who has been gone for way too long. She was 34 when I was born and was only 68 when she died. Even after many years, she is missed by our family. Two of our girls were only 8 and 5 when she died and one hadn't even been born yet. But she made her way into the hearts of the girls and us. She was like a second mom to Carol. Now I am older than she was when she died, but she lives in our hearts and we long to see her again. This scene reminds me of the rural area where I grew up and calls to mind the many joys of youth. I have always loved ferns and these seemed to add to the composition.
25-MAY-018
Carol and Her Buddy, Miko
There is no denying that there is a bond between Carol and our little Pekinese/Chihuahua dog, Miko. He watches her every move and if she goes outside he sits at the window, watching until she comes back inside. If she leaves the room, he has to know where she is. And if she sits on the couch, he goes to the back of the couch, where he settles down above her head. Miko has provided Carol with a lot of companionship, and has been a blessing.