Tag Archives: nature

Apr 24

I’m becoming a bit of a bird watcher, an activity I remember my great-grandmother and grandmother enjoying, and my mom too. The idea of getting feeders for my house stems from watching the birds at mom’s feeders. This is the view from my office window; I have three feeders now, but I’m particularly taken with the finches that land on the thistle sock. As I write this, I can hear the call of the Red-winged Blackbird that is on the ground under the feeders. His is a shrill, distinctive cry.
officebirds

Nov 27

While my mom and husband were slaving away in the kitchen, cooking the Thanksgiving dinner, I was busy stalking a hawk(?) perched on the shed outside our house. I wanted a shot of it flying away, with its wings spread, but I only got talons loosening their grip. Good enough for me.
hawk,

Oct 31

Because I needed it

I bought a new digital camera today. I can’t really afford it, but I couldn’t afford to be without it either (or so I keep telling myself). The very inexpensive digital camera I’ve been using for the past year has not been pulling its weight. I decided to replace it after I downloaded some pics of me, my mom and step-dad, only to see that the pics were not in focus. Since I’ll be in Chicago on Tuesday for Obama’s election party (did I mention I have my ticket confirmation already!), I wanted to take a camera that I knew would be top notch. So I splurged on a Canon powershot. Here are a couple of pictures I took in Washington Park, after I bought my new toy:

Aug 26

lovely

Last night the sky was clear and the stars were breathtaking. It was hard to tear myself away from them and go inside. Right now I’m sitting on my brother-in-law’s deck. I’ve locked myself out of the house, but I have my book, my notebook, and my coffee, so I’m fine until DS returns. The weather is lovely. Sunny, breezy, cool. The house is tucked away in a lot surrounded by trees–I hear some construction work going on in the distance, but I have to really listen to hear it. For the most part there is no traffic, no voices, no sounds at all except birds, bugs, and wind in the tree branches.