Utter Loonacy

Montezuma redux

noreply@blogger.com (Susannah) — Sun, 18 Sep 2011 17:54:00 +0000

Great Blue Heron

Trumpeter Swan

Great Egret

This year's eaglets. No sign of mom and dad

PUFFINS!

noreply@blogger.com (Susannah) — Thu, 01 Sep 2011 20:35:00 +0000

There Once Was a Puffin

Oh, there once was a Puffin
Just the shape of a muffin,
And he lived on an island
In the bright blue sea!

He ate little fishes,
That were most delicious,
And he had them for supper
And he had them for tea.

But this poor little Puffin,
He couldn't play nothin',
For he hadn't anybody
To play with at all.

So he sat on his island,
And he cried for awhile, and
He felt very lonely,
And he felt very small.

Then along came the fishes,
And they said, "If you wishes,
You can have us for playmates,
Instead of for tea!"

So they now play together,
In all sorts of weather,
And the Puffin eats pancakes,
Like you and like me.

by Florence Page Jaques

That's the poem my dad used to read to us kids when we were little - one of my all-time favorites. At long last I got a first-hand look at puffins during our trip to Acadia National Park in Maine. Yeah, yeah, yeah, the trip was three weeks ago, but late is better than never, right? A rotator cuff injury and ensuing surgery has kept me occupied but I'm back to typing (don't tell my dr.) and it's about time I shared my Acadia photos.

Deer feeding in front yard

Bald Eagle, just down the road from our cottage

It was a great week for the most part. Two rainy days - but that just gave us permission to be lazy, and a day's postponement on our whale/puffin watch due to fog. We took a bike trip on Acadia's Carriage Trails - although the route was a loop, I swear there was much more uphill than down. It was only about 10 miles but plenty for my taste.

On Thursday we drive up Route 1 along the coast to the Moosehorn Wildlife Refuge in Calais. I have to day it was very disappointing. All the staff were "in the field" and nothing was marked clearly so we had no idea where to hike. On top of that we saw very little. I did however learn the proper pronunciation of several of the towns: Calais (cal'-ass), Ellsworth (ales-worth), Machias (ma-kye'-us), and Lebec (le-bec': OMG something that's pronounced the way it looks!)

At the end we agreed it was an enjoyable trip with beautiful scenery but one we might not do again for awhile: there's just too much traffic and tourism for our taste.

The trip up took 2-1/2 hours more than planned due to 30 mph traffic on the INTERSTATE for gosh sakes! For the return we decided to go west through Maine, New Hampshire, and Vermont, entering New York State at Crown Point. It was just as long time-wise but oh so much more enjoyable!

(P.S. Blogger has changed their composing interface - making it incredibly difficult to place pictures uniformly...GRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR!)

Jordan Pond, Acadia National Park

Mount Washington, New Hampshire

double-crested cormorant

What are you lookin' at?

Surf's up!

Sunset on Cadillac Mountain

Just before sunset on Cadillac Mountain

Young great blue heron - having a bad hair day

Quoddy Head Light - easternmost point in the US

View of Porcupine Islands and Frenchman's Bay from Cadillac Mt. Summit

Sand Beach at Acadia National Park

Someday I want to write....

noreply@blogger.com (Susannah) — Fri, 29 Jul 2011 17:15:00 +0000

...and a few years ago I started trying. They were mostly short stories, some poetry, an few attempts at longer works, mostly unfinished. I've been thinking about dusting off one of my more complete attempts and trying to make it into a polished novel. Can I do it?
I think I've never wanted to commit to the work a really good novel would take, but now I'm seriously thinking about it. Going through my warehouse of ideas and starts, I found two versions of this story. Apparently I had started writing in first person, but at some point decided to change to a 3rd person telling. Now I wonder why. I like the crusty old lady in this version. I feel the writing bug's bite.

In the Arms of God
By
Susannah Willey

Introduction
“It’s not the life God gives you that’s important,” says the handmade sampler that hangs on the wall. “It’s how you live it that matters.”

Horseshit. The life you get makes all the difference, and God has a nasty sense of humor.

Eighty-seven years ago He started me out struggling; no one thought I’d survive the night. I’ve struggled every day since. It has been a long and troublesome life; I have fought God for every day He gave me. And if there’s anything I’ve learned, one constant throughout, it’s this: the only thing sure about life is dying. The rest is left to God and chance.

My life has never been my own. I belonged first to my father and then my husband, was victim to God’s fancies, inherited the prejudices of my people and was blinded by their narrow ways. Now I see that my children have learned nothing from it, that they too have fallen victim to the whims of the Almighty and the cruelties of their ancestors. Of the children God saw fit to give me, only two remain. Both are deformed – one in body, the other in spirit. Both have disappointed and abandoned me. Neither have become what they should.

Now my ordeal is nearly ended; I lie helpless in this bed that is not my own, my body ravaged by the disease that consumes me, and the certainty of death is all that remains.
There is one more thing to do before God takes me. It is my dying wish to put to paper a telling of my days. I wish those who follow me to know the wretchedness that was my life: My parents gave me away, my husband enslaved me, my children dishonored me, God toyed with me… perhaps my grandchildren will do better.

I have been many people in my lifetime: an innocent child and loving daughter, a God-fearing Christian and dutiful wife, a joy-filled mother and grief-stricken parent, and now at last a miserable old woman. But as I lie on my deathbed in this darkened room, as I close my eyes and think on the past, the person I see first is the bride-child, a tender young girl barely thirteen years old who stood before God in an act of faith and pledged her life to a man who did not deserve her. This is where I start my story...

Cape Cod Crusin'

noreply@blogger.com (Susannah) — Wed, 13 Jul 2011 22:28:00 +0000

The first of two planned summer trips: this one in Cape Cod. Charlie has been there many times but this was my first visit. Here's a recap:

Provincetown - Whale Watch
Besides the whale I saw a few new birds including shearwaters and eiders (see below). P-town is a very interesting place. Would have been fun to do some people watching - I think it would have been an eye-opener!

Monomoy Wildlife Refuge - A boat trip from Harwich Port to see the gray seals (and several lighthouses). As you can see they were very friendly.

Wellfleet Audubon Sanctuary. This hike was mostly disappointing. Lots of little crabs. Otherwise the willet and the Baltimore oriole were about all we saw. Perhaps they were all avoiding the heat.

One highlight came just as we were on the return trail. There was a great squawking sound coming from the treetops. We finally found the source: a very upset green heron. I've never seen one up in a tree but this one was at the very top, fluffing out his neck feathers and causing a ruckus. It seems that this young red-tail hawk was interested in heron babies for his breakfast. Even though the heron and a couple of blackbirds tried their darndest, the hawk would not be driven away. After a long standoff the hawk dove behind the trees and came up with something in his talons. Although we couldn't see what he had, it's likely he'd snagged a baby or two. I have never seen a heron put on such a display and you couldn't help but feel devastated that the hawk won.

We didn't bring the bikes along due to a bike rack malfunction, but we did rent bikes one day and rode part of the Cape Cod Rail Trail from Orleans to Nickerson State Park. It was a great ride!

The one small downside of the week was a crazy sixty-something lady who decided to weave her way from a very wide shoulder onto the busy highway and run into my newly leased (less than a week) SUV. It was truly scary until I found out she only suffered minor scrapes and the police officer said to me, "She does this a lot." hmmmm.....gotta wonder.

Almost every day we spent a few hours on the beach. This one is called "Head of the Meadow" in North Truro where our cottage was located. It was awesome to get several pictures of this piping plover and her chick - an endangered species. The least tern was also a lifer for me.

Here are a few more photos of the area. It was a great week. Next stop: Acadia National Park!

Here's to Lifers!

noreply@blogger.com (Susannah) — Fri, 01 Apr 2011 22:58:00 +0000

Finally, my first trip to Montezuma this spring! The eagles were on the nest and I managed to catch them together - not an easy thing to do since usually one is in the nest and the other is out hunting or just taking a break. The canal was dotted with various waterfowl, mostly migrating to their summer homes. Had it not been for the other bird-watchers I would never have realized that I was seeing several "lifers." To a bird-watcher, a lifer is a species he hasn't seen before. I added four lifers to my list on Sunday. Although the photos are grainy, they're shown below as follows: ruddy duck, green-winged teal, American wigeon, and northern shoveler. Also shown is a hooded merganser - not a lifer but neat to see. A bird enthusiast also pointed out a Eurasian green-winged teal - a subspecies so not truly a "lifer." Unfortunately I couldn't get a good photo of him.

On one of the small ponds just inside the refuge, a flock of buffleheads were playing tag, perhaps showing off in a mating dance. They were having a ball, and I had a ball watching them. It was a great day for an outing. Here's to lifers!

Gaines, PA

noreply@blogger.com (Susannah) — Thu, 05 Aug 2010 12:41:00 +0000

Last weekend was the annual Crary Camp in Gaines, Pa. The group was small this year, but we had great fun. It's a little scary to find a crew as crazy as my native clan, but nice to feel so comfortable being with them. We biked the rail trail along a meandering stream and stumbled on what I believe is a timber rattlesnake, sunning just at the edge of the trail. A few minutes later we saw these three deer splashing and playing in the stream. The butterfly - a red admiral - didn't want to open his wings long enough for me to capture his beautiful orange-red markings, but I got a decent picture anyway. The cascade across the river from camp was so intriguing I had to include it as well. Looking forward to camp next year - and our trip to Michigan next week!

Adding to the next generation

noreply@blogger.com (Susannah) — Thu, 05 Aug 2010 12:34:00 +0000

About a month ago I promised photos of my new granddaughter. I have no excuse for being so delayed in posting but in the meantime, I have another newborn to add: My grand-niece was born on Monday. So the next generation is all girls for now...methinks someone needs to get a move on and produce a boy! Fortunately there are a number of prospects still available. In the meantime, here are the newest additions: In photo one, granddaughter Mackenzie Kathryn with big sister Kelsey. Photo two is grand-niece Clarissa Anne. Ain't life grand?

Montezuma 2010

noreply@blogger.com (Susannah) — Mon, 05 Jul 2010 13:28:00 +0000

It's been awhile since I've been to Montezuma and I've been itching to go. Saturday was the day and Charlie agreed to come along. I was disappointed to find that the main drive was blocked off for "repairs" and the eagles were nowhere to be seen at Mud Lock - thought my day might be a bust. But we had a nice walk on the trails and saw a few birds. I especially like the first great blue heron photo - you don't often see them in the trees like this unless they're on or near their nest.

And while we're talking about nests....and nesting....and babies....my new granddaughter should arrive tomorrow. Stay tuned for lots of proud granny photos.

What you get is not always what you see

noreply@blogger.com (Susannah) — Thu, 17 Jun 2010 14:04:00 +0000

When you shot the picture it seemed like an interesting scene. Then you look at it on the computer and it's just kind of ho-hum. But wait! Turn it - sideways, upside down, backwards - and see what you get. It might surprise you.

The graduations hang on the wall

noreply@blogger.com (Susannah) — Thu, 03 Jun 2010 15:51:00 +0000

Busy weekend for graduations: May 21 Ben had his pinning ceremony for his RN. Sunday the 23rd Charlie's daughter Elaina received her BA in Fine Arts from SUNY New Paltz. Upward and onward!

Nat's best hope?

noreply@blogger.com (Susannah) — Thu, 03 Jun 2010 14:26:00 +0000

On Friday, May 7th, what might be the biggest thing to happen to the Syracuse Sky Chiefs and the Washington Nationals stepped onto the mound at Alliance Bank Stadium. His name: Stephen Strasburg. His game: Baseball. His fame: 100+ mpg fast balls. It was a sold out, standing room only crowd who came to see the phenom. 13,000+ fans, some who spent hours in traffic to get there. The boy didn't disappoint. One hit, 5 strike-outs, 2 RBIs, a win for the Chiefs.
Rumor has it that he'll be going to the majors any day now. Although he lost in his last outing against the Scranton-Wilkesbarre Yankees, his short tenure in Syracuse has revitalized the crowd....well, sort of. When Strasburg is pitching we have sell-outs, other days we're lucky to get a couple thousand fans. And it's a shame - Syracuse has an outstanding team this year. Here's hoping the season will see better crowds. And here's hoping Steven Strasburg has a phenomenal career.

Freedom.....that's what it's all about

noreply@blogger.com (Susannah) — Thu, 03 Jun 2010 14:18:00 +0000

(Photo by Laura Bittel)

Susannah tries something different

noreply@blogger.com (Susannah) — Sat, 10 Apr 2010 21:21:00 +0000

Driving through Syracuse a few weeks back I saw this house. Something about it caught my eye and I imagined it with rain running down the horizontal boards. It intrigued me. So later I went back and took a picture of it. After some experimentation working with both Photoshop Elements and Macromedia Fireworks this is what I came up with. I kinda like it. And I like that sometimes the concrete-sequential me can be a little artistic.

Seeing Red(tails)

noreply@blogger.com (Susannah) — Fri, 09 Apr 2010 15:51:00 +0000

A couple of weekends ago Charlie and I traveled to Ithaca where we did lots of hiking and relaxing. On Sunday we stopped at Sapsucker Woods to check out the birds and hike the trails. This red-tailed hawk flew by several times, finally landing in the tree. I managed to get close enough to get good shots and hopefully edited out encroaching branches, etc. well enough so it's not obvious. I think this is the first time I've been close enough to see just how red those tails are!

Mud Lock 2010

noreply@blogger.com (Susannah) — Sun, 07 Mar 2010 20:26:00 +0000

Finally got to see the eagles at Mud Lock this year. We'd visited in mid-February but saw no eagles - the weather was cold and windy so they might have been hiding in the nest. But yesterday - there they were! At first there were none, then I spotted two flying - an adult and a 2-3 year immature. About the same time the adult on the nest popped her head up too. The adult flying disappeared behind the trees but the immature flew in and took his place on the nest while the nesting adult flew into the nearby tree to take a well-deserved break. I was surprised that the immature was the one who flew in to relieve the adult. Don't know if it was male or female. Which would be mating that young? We also saw some mallards, a large flock of snow geese or swans in the distance and what I think was a common goldeneye (too far away to be sure). The tree trunks sticking up out of the water were adorned with what looked like tutus made of ice. Let spring begin!

5000 pieces, 339 days

noreply@blogger.com (Susannah) — Sun, 03 Jan 2010 22:14:00 +0000

It's been nearly a year, but the monster puzzle is finished! ( http://utterloonacy.blogspot.com/2009_01_01_archive.html). It sat idle most of the summer but I've been working with a vengeance for the past few weeks. There was only one missing piece - I thought for sure I'd lost more than that. But here's my New Year's resolution: no more 5000-piece puzzles!

Golden Moments

noreply@blogger.com (Susannah) — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 00:49:00 +0000

Last weekend Charlie and I drove down to Oneonta to the Franklin Mountain Audubon Sanctuary where they hold an annual migratory raptor count. November is prime time for migrating golden eagles. It's such a gamble as to whether you'll actually see goldens. Some days there may be 1 or 2, the next day 25, and the next day maybe none. A record 46 goldens had been recorded the previous day due to favorable winds. This day the winds had shifted to the south - not a good direction for migrating. We arrived at about 11:15 and by noon had seen 6 goldens! I was ecstatic! I know the photos are pretty fuzzy. The golden was not visible to the naked eye and even with the camera it was difficult to tell what kind of bird I was looking at. I'm just excited to have any kind of discernable photo to commemorate my first golden sighting. In between watching the raptors, I captured some visitors to the suet feeder. Sorry we didn't manage to connect, Max. Hope you've had as much luck on your visits to the mountain.

GO SU! oh.....SU (sigh)

noreply@blogger.com (Susannah) — Mon, 12 Oct 2009 20:50:00 +0000

Saturday, Syracuse vs. West Virginia, a tough game but we've been doing so much better this season. We had a chance. The team has heart. The team has determination. They are motivated! So excited to be a part of it - not great seats but I was THERE!

Somewhere between the coin toss and the interception during SU's first possession, all that seemed to go right out the window. It was disappointing. It was deja vu from last year....and the year before....and the year before. After reviewing the plays this is my call: aggressiveness. That's what our team lacks. They folded, over and over. Missed receptions, missed tackles, running plays that should have been long passes.

I am an optimist. I believe in SU. We'll win more games this season, I know we will. Not sure who the QB will be but I hope between now and our next game in two weeks our guys find that heart and determination that had us all hoping for that old SU we all love.

36 miles. Uphill. Into the blustery wind.

noreply@blogger.com (Susannah) — Mon, 12 Oct 2009 00:19:00 +0000

A record bike ride for me today. Although we did not initially plan such a long ride we completed 36 miles. We started at Camillus Airport and rode to Weedsport to say hi to Ben, Laura, and Kelsey. Well, geez, after all the route took us to Jordan so what's another few miles? We dressed for the weather and brought water and snacks but did not take note of the cold, strong west wind. The first 18 miles were wicked. Riding into the wind made small uphill inclines feel like mountains and by the time we got to Weedsport Charlie and I agreed it was an unusually tough ride. After a brief visit and a rejuvenating sandwich we headed back - this time with a tailwind and more downhill than up. My legs were spent and I have to admit that I walked up the last couple of hills. But 36 miles is 10 miles farther than my previous best and I am tired but pleased. Walking, running, cycling is challenging when you do it but so satisfying when you've finished.
Update on the shoulder: No tear, just lots of inflammation. Had a cortisone shot which helped very briefly, start PT soon. Ironically I can ride like I did today with no discomfort but getting dressed or trying to roll over in bed hurts like hell!

Apple Pickin' Time

noreply@blogger.com (Susannah) — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 00:05:00 +0000

Weekend before last Charlie and I went apple picking and hiking in the Catskills on a visit with his daughter in New Paltz. It was a great weekend but clumsy Susannah managed to step in a woodchuck hole and further damage an already tender shoulder. Turns out it might be a torn rotator cuff.....MRI was Friday, I see the doctor tomorrow. Oh what fun!

Anyway, here are a few photos of the weekend - BEFORE the fall.

Rolling, rolling, rolling...

noreply@blogger.com (Susannah) — Sat, 12 Sep 2009 21:28:00 +0000

One of the many good things about Charlie is that he gets me off my duff and out doing things. Things I love to do but am too lazy to do alone. We've been biking this summer, and I'm loving it. I didn't have a bike as a kid and have ridden only sporadically since but since June I've made up for lost time. My longest bike was last Sunday - 25 miles! Who'da thunk it? So anyway, we were riding down Lakeshore Road last week and passed by this heron and the ducks sunning nearby. Sir Heron was kind enough to sit for several shots - I'm bummed that when he finally flew I wasn't smart enough to get some in-flight photos as well.

Take Me Out

noreply@blogger.com (Susannah) — Sun, 30 Aug 2009 16:53:00 +0000

The sky threatened but we remained optimistic: A first baseball game for Kelsey couldn't possibly be rained out. We'd chosen an early game - 5:00 - so Kelsey wouldn't be up too much past her bedtime. So there we stood, under the roof at the ball park, watching the drizzling rain. Music played: "Riders on the Storm," "Who'll Stop the Rain," "Don't Rain on my Parade," ...you get the idea. Cute. Finally at about 5:30 the players began warming up and the starting lineups were announced.

Kelsey was nonstop energy. Up the stairs, down the stairs, up the stairs, down the stairs. Dancing in the aisles, rapping her ABCs. "Baseball players!" she squealed as they ran onto the field. "Dancing guy!" she giggled, pointing at the mascot shimmying on the dugout. She wore us out with her enthusiasm but even at the end of the game she had the energy to climb the hill back up to Charlie's house.

"Red!" she'd shout as the light turned. "Green! Go!" as it turned again. "Lellow! verrrry slow!" at every ......single.......light. I'll bet she was asleep before Daddy got the car seat buckled. It was a night to remember.

Piqued by a Peek at the Peaks

noreply@blogger.com (Susannah) — Wed, 19 Aug 2009 16:54:00 +0000

Last Friday through Sunday Charlie and I took a trip to the Adirondack High Peaks Region by way of Cranberry, Tupper, Saranac, and numerous other lakes. On the way we took a short "warm up" hike on Moose Trail which runs adjacent to the Oswegatchie River from Wanakena to Inlet. We saw a group of canoers trying to navigate the very rocky waters, grabbed a sub in Cranberry Lake, and arrived at our destination in Keene Valley about 4:00 Friday afternoon. On Saturday morning, after much research, we decided to hike the Cascade-Porter Mountains trail - the "easiest" of the high peaks hikes, about 4.6 miles round trip and an overall vertical climb of almost 2000 feet. As you can see from the trail photos below, it was no "easy" climb. At times I felt I might not get to the top but we finally made it. The view was astounding - the photo above does not do it justice. While resting at the summit we saw what I think was a juvenile bald eagle lazily soaring above us. Even though we were sitting on rocks I think I could have easily fallen asleep. We returned to the trail head about 5 hours after we started hot, tired, and achy so we returned to the B&B, took a quick swim in the nearby river followed by a warm shower and relaxing in the front porch hammock. Believe it or not neither of us was terribly hungry so we settled for PB&J sandwiches for dinner. And just an "FYI" - The Snow Goose B&B was great. If you are ever in Keene Valley I highly recommend it.

On Sunday we chatted with our hosts and co-guests then headed for Whiteface Mountain. This climb was a "cheat" - we drove most of the way and climbed the last half-mile or so to the summit (hey, gimme a break - we could have taken the elevator).

So we snagged two "high peaks" patches and have started thinking about which peak we will try next. Giant? Dix? Sawteeth? While we might not make all 46 of the high peaks, it'll sure be fun trying.

Family

noreply@blogger.com (Susannah) — Mon, 10 Aug 2009 14:57:00 +0000

Last weekend it was a picnic with my sibs, their kids, my kids, and of course the granddaughter. This past weekend it was a family reunion of a different sort: Friend Charlie's annual "Crary Camp." Having been assured that his family is as crazy - if not crazier - than mine, I felt it would be no problem fitting in with the clan. And it was.....crazy and no problem. While many of the relatives stayed in adjacent cabins, Charlie and I and some of the others lodged at local campgrounds. We ate, laughed, looked at pictures, participated in a "memorial" for Uncle Joe, laughed, rode bikes, rafted, told stories, laughed, played Scrabble, debated, laughed, and generally had a great time. I did feel right at home, feeling comfortable enough to let loose with my "Benton humor." They fired straight back at me...how great is that? There are photos and a brief video of the rafters on my Picasa site and, um, Judy.....here are my "test" answers. Back row: Richard (Worzel, spouse of Jacky), Dave (Crary, spouse Joan and children Meg, Ben, and Emily not present), Adrian (spouse of Sandy Worzel), Bill (Worzel, spouse of Lee), Doug (spouse of Judy Crary), Wick (Flagg, spouse of Lorraine), Bunny (Flagg, spouse of Tom), Jim (Flagg), Josh (Flagg, son of Jim), Charlie (Crary, children Shannon, Steve, Jonathan, and Elaina not present), Kit (Worzel, son of Richard and Jacky), Jason (son of Judy and Doug), Kathryn (daughter of Richard and Jacky), Nathan (son of Morgan)
Second row: Sam (son of Bill and Lee), Lee (spouse of Bill), Rachel (daughter of Bill and Lee), Anna (daughter of Bill and Lee), Lorraine (spouse of Wick Flagg), Kristen (daughter of Wick and Lorraine), Morgan (daughter of Bunny and Tom), Sandy (Worzel, spouse of Adrian), Megan (friend of Kit), Jacky (spouse of Richard Worzel), Barb (aka Susannah, friend of Charlie)
Front row: Bridget (daughter of Morgan), Dorothy (Crary Worzel, wife of Joe), Colin (son of Morgan), Judy (Crary, spouse of Doug), Danny (son of Morgan), Kelly (daughter of Judy and Doug), Julia (daughter of Maura), Maura (daughter of Jim).

Finding LA, or how to fly coast-to-coast in 36 hours or less

noreply@blogger.com (Susannah) — Fri, 24 Jul 2009 16:00:00 +0000

The plan was to leave for California to visit my son, Aaron, on Friday, June 26 and come home on Tuesday, July 7 with lots of trips to see the diversity of the state...

So here's the flight story: first flight (6 am Friday) cancelled, second flight (6 pm Friday) delayed to the point I missed my connections, third flight (6 am Saturday) is the charm but includes an 8 hour layover and I finally arrive at LAX at around 7:30 PDT Saturday evening. Thank goodness we'd planned Saturday as a "chill" day.

Other than that one little hiccup, the trip was amazing! Aaron and I headed out on Sunday morning, traveling up the Pacific Coast to Big Sur, San Francisco, and Point Reyes then headed east through Oakland and Merced to Yosemite. After traversing the width of Yosemite we turned south to Mammoth Lakes and Devils Postpile National Monument, then home to LA on Wednesday. Thursday was a quiet day with Aaron going in to work for a few hours and me relaxing and sorting through photos. That evening we went to the Hollywood Bowl (nearly missing the shuttle - THANK YOU bus people for making an extra trip for us) to see the L.A. Philharmonic and John Fogerty (Creedence Clearwater Revival). Imagine the "Phil" and Fogerty together.... perhaps a stretch but let me assure you - "Proud Mary" has never sounded better. And the fireworks were a great cap to an unforgettable evening.

Friday included a trip to the Ballona Wetlands including Del Rey Lagoon and Marina Del Rey Harbor Channel where there were lots of wading birds and pelicans. Between that, the birds at Harkins Slough in Watsonville, Joshua Tree National Desert (went there on Saturday) and various other places I must have added close to 50 birds to my life list. Sunday we took a trip to Topanga Canyon State Park for a bird walk and added even more wildlife to the list on a walk around the Culver City neighborhood on Monday evening.

The weather was strange - sunny and gorgeous every day but temperatures fluctuate wildly depending on where you are. On the coast it was generally in the 60s - maybe low 70s - but always very comfortable. East of the mountains it might jump as much as 30 degrees into the 90s-100s, and in the desert even higher. (The day we went to Joshua Tree it was 111 in Palm Springs).

It's taken me awhile to edit the 2000+ photos from the trip but finally I have a respectable slide show. Quality suffered in places for the sake of getting a close up of wildlife, but that's life. I will happily accept any input on names of geographical landmarks, locations, wildlife, plants, etc. I've tried to identify many of them with little luck. (If you can't view the slide show in the big window below, or want to view a full-screen version, go to my Picasa photo site, click on the slide show you want to see, when you get to that album's page choose "slide show")