I awoke to the chickens clucking today. I wonder, since cocks crow, do crows cock? And do hummingbirds really need all of that sugar because they are so hyper, or are they hyper because they keep drinking all of that sugar water?

Belated Pics

from the morning of my birthday, while I sat outside enjoying an espresso....


It flew directly overhead.


Then there was a brief flyby of white doves. (Or are they snow geese? They flew in a triangular formation. Do doves do that?)


Followed by three more balloons.

Yesterday was my first dip of the summer into the pool. Missed attending my high school 25th reunion in Indiana.

Today: church, rock-hounding, attending a vigil for the grandfather who died of one of my staff, and talking by phone with friends.

House is getting a face lift: painted biege with cream trim and new window frames (was white with blue trim), and viga-style porch supports. A mess right now, but will be nice.

Still lots of birds feeding in my yard as hundreds of wildflowers (are they really wild if I deliberately seeded them?) bloom in a small patch by my porch. The morning glories seem particularly healthy.

Had a great birthday yesterday (actually, I've manage to celebrate it over two weeks!). Wanted to post a pic or two, but can't get the time today to download from camera, resize and upload to computer. Maybe I'm too old for these things!

I heard the word "legitimated" on the radio this morning. Drove me nuts! Isn't it supposed to be "legitimize"?

Looked it up in the dictionary. "Legitimate" is an actual word. In fact, to "legitimize" is defined as "to legitimate," and "legitimate" is the word that the dictionary goes on to define.

Ooo, if I was in charge of that English language....

A beautiful, red finch
Inspects an empty feeder.
I fill the feeder
Common sparrows come to feed.

This is not a teaching.
It is what happens.

Why does windshield wiper fluid come in quantities of one gallon when my car only holds 7/8s of one gallon?

The word "entitled" bothers me. It makes it sound like a book is deserving of something, rather than just "titled."

Roses grow behind my house.
Splashes of hot color
on green
on brown.

I can see them through window and screen
bespeckled by water droplets
as I take my morning shower.

If I cut them, arrange them
beautifully in a vase on my table
I will enjoy them more
often as I pass by
throughout the day.

I will miss concentrated moments
of beauty in the morning
in the shower.

Roses grow still behind my house.

yeh. still posting. just quiet these days. actually, i am writing lots in my head. have simply been too busy to get it to the web. please stand by.