mrc’s Neighborhood

2009 329

There were supposed to be 10 of us in Washington, NC, but unfortunately one roommate was not up to travelling when the time came. We missed Larry and Ruth, but had a great time regardless.

Front row: Tom, Scott, me, Nan

Back row:  Kari, Tony, Bill, Peter

Or:  Tom and me

Bill and Scott

Tony and Nan

Peter and Kari

DSC_0011

It has been coming to me that I have apparently been totally oblivious about all the birds, plants, and animals around me that could not exactly have been that hard to spot - particularly birds. I can identify obvious things like robins and blue jays, but not much else.

At one point when Michael's school took him to a nature preserve and he therefore requested binoculars, I was very startled to realize that catbirds are one of the most common birds around the lake. I had spent at least 25 summers on that lake and didn't even know what the bird looked like. But now that I know to look for them, I see them everywhere.

Anyway, now that I have more time on my hands, I've been noticing birds everywhere and getting annoyed that I have no clue what they are. Unfortunately, even using binoculars it's not that easy to identify birds. There are so many little details you have to know to tell one little brown bird from another, and unless you just happen to have a bird book with you, and the bird stays put for long enough...

So I have a new toy - camera binoculars. Unfortunately, camera binoculars are a bit more temperamental than I would like. After a great many tries, this seagull picture is the best I have managed. Even so, the seagulls were supposed to be in the middle of the photo, not at the bottom of the frame. Apparently with the magnification of the binoculars, just pressing down the camera shutter is enough to depress the back end of the binoculars downward. - I have taken a lot of pictures of the sky.

DSC_0003

This photo has been a lot more typical of my better efforts. I was unsuccessful in holding the binoculars steady in Hurricane Danny's winds, and somewhere below the bottom of this picture should be a dark greenish dot that would be Tom waving up at me from the beach.

Anyway, there is a remote shutter cord and a tripod socket. This doesn't seem like a very mobile setup though. What do people photographing birds do? sit for hours waiting for some bird to land exactly where they've focused their camera? Ah well, just because I wouldn't do it...

It turns out that there are no all white sea gulls in NE. Their wings are all grey or black on top. More stunning revelations about birds will hopefully follow.

DSCN0604

Just before I left for the camp, a house painter came by and asked if I wanted the house painted. The house was in pretty bad shape, so I WAS interested.

I have no idea why this guy is not swamped with work unless he just works too fast. He and one other guy washed the house down with bleach to kill the mildew growing in shady spots, scraped everything down, re-glazed the windows on the front porch, primed everything, painted the trim, painted the doors, painted the shutters, and sealed the back deck - all in a little over two weeks! and that was with a couple days delay because of rain.

This is not the greatest photo, but until the leaves fall off the trees it's the best I can do.

I'll probably have this guy do some of the inside, but first I've got to dig some paths through the rubble.

So help me, I am slowly becoming obsessed with Twilight. What does that say about me??

Case in point: earlier, I was sitting at my desk trying to will something wonderful into existence. Unfortunately, this is the only thing I managed to achieve:

edward om nom

I admit it, I'm holding the Twilight DVD in my hand right now.

Seen today at the Seattle Central Library:

which fantasy series is better?