Dear Camera Crazy readers, we have got a lot to cover so let's get right to it but not before I thank you for your devotion to this space on the World Wide Web that is nearing it's 20th anniversary!! Perhaps I don't know when to quit ,or better yet, I still have lots to say?
Bluebirds....
Is there anyone who does not like bluebirds, one has to wonder? My guess is they are nearly as beloved as Northern Cardinals, wouldn't you think? Bruce and I were taking a Sunday afternoon walk in the glorious weather and I spotted this little one on a branch down below. With the aid of a zoom lens I was able to bring him quite close and I'm thinking he is young? So delicate looking and cooperative I might add.
The truth is, finding birds of late has been somewhat difficult, but if this is any indication of what comes next. I am in for some birding fun. Blue Jays, while prevalent are hard to photograph which is why I was delighted to spot this one out in the open.
I cannot resist birds on a feeder, however, it does feel pretty darn good to find them unexpectedly which is how I felt when I photographed this adorable bird while walking on the riverwalk.
It was a foggy walk, with little light ,so getting any shot was a win, but getting my first shot ever, actually first glimpse ever of a Scarlet Tanager, was so exciting. Before you go what the heck, this bird is not scarlet in anyone's imagination and that is because it is a female. Commonly, females look nothing like their male counterparts, as is the case with a host of other birds. One day I will get the male, or so I hope!
I was in front of Sandy's house and I heard the familiar call of a hawk. Turning around to begin my search, it landed in a tree across the street. See if you can spot the friend in the tree. Actually, that bird was probably trying to shoo the hawk away as is also a common characteristic of birds.
This would be a red-tailed hawk unlike the red-shouldered hawks that I am more familiar with.
Wasn't that fun to get back to birds? Perhaps you do not share my enthusiasm which is why I had success as a photographer because I specialize in nothing. In part, because I can, but mostly because I like most everything. I'm pretty sure when I began taking photographs, flowers were a favorite because they usually don't move, as well as being beautiful and varied. Lots of women for sure love flowers, so over the years, I have sold hundreds of shots of flowers. These days, of course, I take a different approach in that I never think twice about anything. Before I would wonder, is this something someone would buy? Now, it's what the heck....let's go!
This is exciting because it is the largest rose I've had on this new bush, very fragrant ,and likely the last of the season.
So let us check in on our showstopper of a tree. Not much to see yet, but just you wait.
While we are still visiting Campbell Street, unexpectedly, Monday morning it was very cold so I said no to pickleball and yes to some work around the house. One task was gathering things to take to the thrift store; we still had a few things from the Vespasians that, while lovely, were not needed, so when Bruce returned from pickleball, we loaded up the goods and took them to Reach, a thrift store for battered and abused women. We have had some luck there with our needs, but on that day we left empty-handed. Along that same highway there are about four thrift stores so we pick and choose. Bruce decided to stop at the one for the homeless shelter although the two of us agreed our treasures from there have been few and far between. And that is what we were finding on that day until we ran into some friends and while talking I spotted something I thought would be a good fit for us. Not priced yet, the clerk came over and said we could have it for $30. SOLD! Fortunately Samantha and Robert were still there and helped get it into the Subaru. It was a little messy so after devising a way to get it from the car to the house, we cleaned it up a bit with soap and water on the front porch and cleaned the glass doors as well. Inside I was moving what we already had in that space.
We bought that at the downtown antique store and while it has been serviceable it has not been ideal because all of those glasses are exposed to dust! Another spot was just right for storage.
It fit perfectly and even a little better because it is narrower. What a find!
So what is this about building beds you are beginning to wonder. Will she ever get there?
Well, yes she will! Hayesville here we come.
That view never gets old!
Heading to the Hinton Center, this one was pretty sweet too.
You might note the sky is not Carolina Blue and nor was it ever during our three hours doing something we had never done before.
The SHP on the trailer stands for sleep in heavenly peace. How great is that?
As we arrived Bruce was asking the team leader what were the jobs that needed doing?
And that is how I ended up using a POWER TOOL for the first time in my life, albeit not a scary one! Sanding, they needed lots of people to use an electric palm sander and sand the lumber before it became a bed. It was so well organized and in the end there were plenty of volunteers of all ages.
This fellow was using the big mitre saw and I think he was showing me he had all of his fingers, but don't quote me on that.
Cobby and Diane were there.
Perhaps you are noticing folks in jackets and we wished that we were amongst them. Alas, we thought the sun was going to come out and warm us up, but this was a day when 45 felt like 45! I was wearing shorts, a short-sleeved shirt, and light jacket. You can imagine that I wished things were different.
Something else you can probably imagine is that Bruce's talents were wasted on sanding and eventually he was moved to the big saw.
Freely admitting that I was not as enthusiastic about going as one would hope, this turned out to be one of the most rewarding volunteer projects that I can remember.
Speaking of volunteering, Grayson has moved, taking Bruce's role as a Big Brother with him. It's a long story but suffice it to say, we are sad.
On a more positive note, the drive home was so lovely. We spend so much time in town it is easy to forget how beautiful it is living here.
We stopped by the TVA recreation spot on Lake Chatuge and it was so pretty. Imagine in two weeks what this will look like!
The lake has been lowered for winter already, but it is still a wonderful place to visit.
Wouldn't you just hate to do a jigsaw puzzle of the above image ?
Because it was so chilly we did not stay long at the roadside flowers but I thought you might enjoy seeing the setting and not just a flower with a grasshopper perched on top as was the case in my last post.
Green beans are still producing and this batch is one that I blanched and froze for later use.
Those geraniums just keep on coming as well.
I imagine, though, for not too much longer. We were meant to have the first frost of the season and Bruce covered my garden, especially the herbs. But as is so often the case, it did not materialize in town but it was close. Good grief I nearly left out the hydrangeas that are so beautiful!! Why they waited so long to bloom is a mystery to me. I was beginning to be sad thinking they would never come, having been prolific in June typically but bloom they have and I dare to say with aplomb!
And if you were hoping for some leaf photographs, hang on, it should not be much longer!!
your friend,
Gail
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