warm & sunny

April 24, 04
Grandma & Grandpa's backyard
afternoon
warm, sunny, very light breeze



big amaryllis blooming - an heirloom that once was nurtured by my great-grandmother. Sprinkler running, birds constantly chittering in the trees. Azaleas in full bloom, as are the rhododendrons, potted peonies have large fat bud, nearly ready to burst open, next to the tomatoes planted in rows in the ground. The tomatoes are still short, 12-18" high but already blooming, yellow flowers ready to attract a passing bee. The lawn is green and short, plenty of clover mixed with the grass.

horse trail

April 22, 04
after 4 p.m.
horse trail along creek (Arden Arcade?)
warm, sunny, clear, windy
lots of crickets (or tree frogs?) singing loudly

Walked until I found this great valley oak that had made itself a clearing in the scrub. Plenty of birds here - magpies, robins, and I startled a small flock of blackbirds at one point -




Jays strafe each other, screeching as they fly by - lots of smaller oaks along the trail, fully leafed out but still a brighter green than they will be later in the season. The crickets are a constant chorus in the background, supported by occasional bird calls.

acknowleding

"Let us acknowledge the Lord; let us press on to acknowledge him. As surely as the sun rises, he will appear; he will come to us like the winter rains, like the spring rains that water the earth." Hosea 6:3

April 12, 2004
3ish
Dry Creek in Gibson Ranch, Elverta
warm, 70's, not much wind, sunny

We started out exploring around the creek, but can't seem to kids out of the water when it's warm enough...



We see signs of the water having been much higher than it is now: tufts of water-strewn grassy weeds and leaves cling to plants well over my head. I've spotted a black phoebe at the water's edge, other birds flit and call, too quick for me to identify, but the kids find a robin in the brush almost within reach.



The kids try to catch little fish in a jar in shallows near a fallen tree. Lots of debris has accumulated near the trunk, amazingly its branches are leafing out. Tiny clams popluate the sandy creekbed, my young creature hunters find two live ones and put them into the fish jar.


tried to shade the lens, but had to do without

egg hunting

Sat, April 10, 2004
Aunt Linda & Uncle Butch's
Easter egg hunt with all the little cousins
afternoon
warm, sunny, breeze starting to pick up



Tiny yellow wildflowers form as a top layer on the rolling carpet of green. Small birds call out twee twee between warbles and the wind makes a rushing sound through the leaves of the oaks. Sitting under an oak today has meant tiny green worms falling down on silken cords - landing in hair, on shoulders, in potato salad.



A turkey vulture catches an updraft and soars over the house, the wind seems to follow him.



Deidre found an aligator lizard during the egg hunt - Phillip caught it - a real big guy, maybe ten inches long.

lazy

April 3, 2004
lazy Saturday morning
10:45 a.m.
sipping coffee, reading the paper
looks warm outside, sunny with a light breeze

Watching a pair of doves poke about, preen each other, then themselves, all on the back patio just on the other side of the sliding glass door between the kitchen and backyard. I want to think that this is the same pair of doves I've seen over time but how could I know for sure? Doves all look the same to my untrained eyes.



Next it's a pair of mocking birds that catch my eye, gobbling up old drying grapes that I'd put in the hagning pot whose occupant had long since passed on... The mocking birds are much more skittish than the doves, and seem to contantly stop to assess their surroundings.

I realize that the only birds that I've seen today have been in pairs: earlier it was the resident pair of jays, also interested in the grapes, but also at the seed feeders.

Meanwhile, the skittish mocking birds have moved on, I can hear the male's variable song even through the closed door. I can see him now at the top ot the neighbor's chimney. One of the doves flies across the yard to hide in a large hedge bush.

I open the back door to hear the mocking bird's song better and I can hear a second voice, different but almost sounding as if answering or trying to drown his song out.

At last the mocking bird moves on, taking his song with him.