Bad Photos of Fun Flying Things

When you're the tag-along on a teaching trip to Mendocino, you have to be able to entertain yourself. Generally in Mendocino, that's not a problem.

But recording the fun time with photos may be more difficult. So trust me, I was happy, even though it was a little chilly and blustery and the photos stink.

The Common egret didn't seem to mind the wind and the blurry female kestrel in the tree could not be distracted from her search for breakfast. I also saw a Common merganser bobbing like a colorful cork in the high surf, but no way was that photo going to turn out with my little camera.

I got lucky with the Wood ducks. Never mind the lousy photo - just seeing them is pretty special. They are generally shy birds, and those two males hiding behind the larger female Mallard duck were no exception. My excuse for the Yellow-faced bumblebee? Those buggers are really fast!

The Mendocino Coast Botanical Gardens  was the site for the art installation of giant dinosaur/bird eggs (concrete?) in an appropriately-scaled nest of branches. If it had been any windier, I might have climbed inside for warmth. It sure would be some photo if they were ever to hatch out and fly away...

Belated Holiday Blooms

Last year, the amaryllis didn't do caca. Maybe two really dinky flower stalks, and no additional summer blooms.

Now this plant has been sharing space here for at least ten years, and probably closer to fifteen (yup, these days, time is delineated in five-year intervals. Anything briefer, unless it is something from last week, is just too hard to measure) and should be paying its way.

So I gave it a talking to, a warning, and a deadline: shape up by next year or it's the compost pile for you. 

And for a teenager, it gave me a very respectable response. Nine flower stalks, all with great shape and size. Now we just need to work on the timing.