Missed the best photos but still managed to get a few . . .

Red-winged Blackbird

Beautiful Eastern Bluebird but the sun was too bright. Still I like the shot.

Blue Jay

Fledgling Female Cardinal 

 

 This has been one of the most beautiful days ever - dry, breezy, sunny, a few puffy clouds. I walked in the afternoon because I went to Mass this morning. I didn't even get too hot and miserable! It is so amazing and almost strange here in Louisiana when we don't have muggy weather. You could just stay outside all day.

 I must have picked about 40 little tomatoes today. They are surprisingly delicious. We can never seem to find a slicing tomato that comes even close to the taste of the tomatoes my Pépère grew in our garden on Highland St. Extension. The little patio tomatoes are the closest we've come to getting some real flavorful, tasty fruit. My Marketmore Cucumbers are inching along beautifully. That is what we grew in Moosup.  I hope they will be sweet and crunchy. If I can pick them when they're little we'll be happy campers! The vines are going crazy-wild climbing up the fence. PD&C's Pop stapled some twine on the fence. It looks as if our neighbor shall get to pick cucumbers too at the rate the vines are climbing the twine!

I'm still not used to not going to the cemeteries on Memorial Day. We've now missed 6 years of not putting flowers on the family graves. My cousins do place beautiful pots of flowers they arrange themselves for my parents, little sister and my mother's parents and my great-grandparents but I miss my visits to the cemeteries. I used to bring the kids for walks in the cemetery that was not too far from our home. I've always found cemeteries to be peaceful, grace-filled places to listen to quiet nature as she comforts us who have been left behind. For some reason I feel I should be praying Vespers. 

Quote:  The human race is in the best condition when it has the greatest degree of liberty.  ___Dante

Quote:  The true danger is, when liberty is nibbled away, for expedients, and by parts.  ____Burke

Haven't been taking too many photos . . .

First Monarch that allowed me more than two seconds to grab a photo.

Day Lilies

Blue Sky Vine - finally!

 

 

 

 

 

It looks like we're in for a storm. There's a bit of thunder in the distance and darkening skies. Poor Puppy, she's afraid but we'll protect her! Not much we can do but talk to her and hold her tight. It's been a heavy day so far; I guess it's time for the air to be cleared. Hope it doesn't bring a deluge. The lawn and flowers are finally looking good - a little rain will be fine.

Had to break for supper. It's still stormy but not outrageously stormy. Time to call it a night.

Quote:  Where judgement has wit to express it, there is the best orator.    ___Penn

Quote:  Truth is the foundation of all knowledge and the cement of all societies.   ___Dryden

Visiting My Mississippi and the Birdman . . .

Construction equipment going South

Fishing near the entrance to Bayou Sara

Libellule

Not sure if the Sheriff was testing the motor. He stayed close to our area.

Fishing on My Old Man River

Mississippi overflow to the right.

& Music

PD&C Pop sitting at our usual spot.

There is  much to please the senses.

Birdman Cafe Books & Music

You can see that PD&C's Pop is waiting for me through the window on the left!

I never get tired of trips to the Mississippi. I will never  tire of crossing the bridges over the Mississippi.  We have many more to cross so we'd better get driving. 

There is something old, yet modern and sparkly, comforting and  delicious about The Birdman. That is because the owner and the people who work there are real, honest and friendly. Change doesn't seem to phase them a bit. They keep a quirky, homey place for the denizens of St. Francisville in West Feliciana Parish. They are welcoming to all and sundry. I will forever be grateful to A for introducing me to this excellent breakfast place. 

Quote:  Nothing is more reasonable and cheap than good manners.   ____Anon

Quote:  Accurate knowledge is the basis of correct opinions; the want of it makes the opinions of most people of little value.   ___C. Simmons

I forgot the video of what seems to be a unique fishing style.

I must get to work . . .

House Finches not frightened by the Scare Squirrel

Not sure but I like it and am too lazy to look it up.

Geranium

Gardenia

Zinnia

 We decided  to visit Old Muddy this morning after breakfast. It was supposed to be very windy today and PD&C's Pop decided it was not a good day for Control Line Flying. By the way the P stands for Puppy, the D stands for Dante (a coon cat) and C stands for Charlie (a Vizsla dog) so you are now enlightened about the PD&C acronym. These are only a few  of the grand-animals; we don't have any pets except for the creatures running around our yard. It was a quiet visit but I must work on the photos I took to see if any of them should be kept for posterity or summarily deleted. 

We stopped by the Birdman Cafe before coming home and it was magnificently open. It was wonderful to be able to sit at the counter and watch the goings on. I'm starting to feel 10 years younger once again. Life is a pleasure when you are free. Yes Sir Ree Bob!

Quote:  When wealth is lost, nothing is lost; when health is lost, something is lost; when character is lost, all is lost.   ____German Motto

Quote: The greatest happiness of life is the conviction that we are loved, loved for ourselves, or rather loved in spite of ourselves.   ___Victor Hugo

Unmasked at last . . .

P&D's Pop put up a Scaresquirrel

Blue Jay

Fledgling Northern Cardinal

I was a bit nervous going to Mass this morning. I haven't been to Mass in person in 14 months and I wasn't sure what to expect. I'd been keeping up with what was going on while going to Mass on line. Our Pastor sends out weekly emails and he said they were ready to go maskless. I am so happy I ventured to Immaculate Conception this morning; not only maskless but the choir is back! Now, that is a blessing. I must admit that I'd been cheating a bit going to Mass on line; rather than go to the online Mass taking place at my church I was watching a Mass offered by the Diocese of Toronto. It was streamlined into a half hour program; the sermons were short, concise, well prepared and the music was one person singing the responses. I love a choir singing; it is an important part of my Sunday worship. I join in the singing, softly because I'm an alto and not a very good one! When I was a student at PCA I sang in the choir; as long as I was surrounded by other altos I was fine - I had a lot of trouble on my own. I'm sure Sister Charles knew exactly where to put me! Thinking of Sr. Charles reminds me of cheating her out of my piano lesson money. I used to keep it and quit going to lessons. Of course I eventually told my parents and they understood that I was not a budding musical star. All of us kids took piano lessons; my two oldest siblings did very well and the two younger ones were fine. I am glad that I took them; I can still read music and play on my keyboard once in a while but only for myself. I will not play for anyone. That's why I quit taking lessons - playing in concerts made me so nervous I would get sick. My parents knew that about me and I suppose they hoped that I would get over it. I never have. My crowd limit is about 3 people! And that does not include me in any kind of performance except waitressing. I could always have a good time when I was waitressing and earning money for school.

Wow, I guess I digressed but when I think about it - I didn't digress - this must be stream of consciousness! What the heck!

Quote:  I never wonder to see men wicked, but I often wonder to see them not ashamed.    _____Swift

Quote: Mortifications are often more painful than real calamities.   ___Goldsmith

Most excellent day . . . the sun is out . . .

Brown Thrashers

Eastern Bluebird

Red-bellied Woodpecker and friends

The Red-bellied is wrapped around the feeder!

 

 Unbelievably I was up and out walking at 6:15 this morning. W. was already walking and was shocked to see me out so early. I think it's the earliest I've walked in over 5 years in the neighborhood. I've cut out one pill and I'm not quite used to being without it yet so I was up very early. I definitely feel much peppier but I must admit I'm tired in the evening - a good tired. 

These photos are from a few days ago. The two with our delightful Red-bellied Woodpecker were taken  in our back yard. The others are from South Park. The Little Blue Heron was running around like a crazy bird. It was cloudy and difficult to get any good shots. I think the video shows what a pain in the derriere it was  following Little Blue's wandering ways. I am clearly not smooth and National Geographic worthy! Nature specials are quite magnificent. It must take years to put together a presentation for television. My complaint is usually that the the narrator speaks of the creatures as if they were human animals and gives them human traits rather than explaining the creature's instinct is working.  I can put the sound down and enjoy the beauty of this marvelous planet Earth and its non-human inhabitants. I swear at times some narrators sound like left wing university teachers! But that is for another day or most likely never. The blog is for fun - my fun - not thinking too much. Getting worked into a hissy fit over a television program is ridiculous.

Quote:  Do not anticipate trouble, or worry about what may never happen.  Keep in the sunlight. ___Franklin

Quote: The world is governed more by appearances than by realities, so that it is fully as necessary to seem to know something as to know it.   ____Daniel Webster

And the rain is still coming down . . .

Female Wood Duck

Male Wood Duck

Blue Heron (I think it is a Little not a Great Blue Heron)

 

                               

                                                      Snapping Turtle on the move at South Park.

 Quite a few calls coming in from Connecticut making sure that we have not sailed out of Denham Springs with the rains that have been falling on and off for four days. Hoping it will finally end tomorrow as they say it will.  It was supposed to end today! I dressed up in P&D's Pop's military rain gear  to take  pictures in our neighbors' side yards this morning. There is an amazing amount of water but it does  go away fairly quickly when the rain lets up. I took the video of the turtle yesterday at South Park. I was able to walk for quite a while and it was dry! That felt very good. I walked in the house today and that just doesn't work out very well.

Not sure why I'm tired but I don't feel like thinking now so I'll drop these photos here and call it a day. What the heck; we never got to St. Francisville for breakfast this week. 

Quote: How beautiful is the rain! After the dust and heat, in the broad and fiery street, and in the narrow lane; how beautiful is the rain! ___Longfellow (What was Henry Wadsworth thinking? Certainly not of a deluge.)

Quote: Rainbow - The arc of light, born of the shower and colored by the sun, which spans the heavens!  _____J. C. Prince

We had a good day at South Park . . .

Red-headed Woodpecker

 I had amazingly good luck with the crazy clouds vs sun today. And even more amazing I was able to capture this beautiful bird pretty well. I am rarely that fortunate. We did hear bad news though. My friend C's parents's home flooded yesterday in Baton Rouge. That is really shocking. There isn't much we can do to help but I did contact C to let her know our concern for them and to offer some assistance in the best way we can. I never thought the rains we are having almost daily would become a nightmare for many people. I should know better than that by now. The Wood Ducks were back in our neighbor's backyard. That is the only plus from all the wet weather. 

Time to make some supper. Hell's Bells. Not my favorite job - as a matter of fact I don't think I have any favorite jobs. I wish to choose my jobs but life doesn't work that way. Time has a way of insisting you do your chores well and responsibly. That can be a pain in the derrière but being a Goody Two-Shoes I will do what must be done. Perhaps we should go out to eat tomorrow! That way P&D's Pop can be a Goody Two-Shoes! Now, that's a 'bonne idee.'

Quote:  What a chimera is man! what a confused chaos! what a subject of contradiction! a professed judge of all things, and yet a feeble worm of the earth! the great depository and guardian of truth, and yet a mere huddle of uncertainty! the glory and the scandal of the universe! ______Pascal     

Quote:  The literature of an age is but the mirror of its prevalent tendencies._____Nation

Good day in spite of the terrible rains . . .

Northern Cardinal

House Finch

Young Northern Cardinal

Blue Jay

Red-bellied Woodpecker

 

 

It has been such a miserable day weather wise but I kept my date with my 5 year old student. It is so good for me to be able to work with a Kiddo once again. We have a good time working together but I'm sure he is always happy to see me leave. He wanted to have a stuffed animal on his desk as we worked today but I told him I would put his little puppy behind his chair where the little animal wouldn't distract him. That was fine. When he left our classroom, I call it our classroom, it's his grandmother's office, I told him he could take his puppy friend with him. But I teased him telling him that maybe the stuffed puppy should stay for class. Little Kiddo said, "He doesn't like school. I'll take him out now." He it quite a fine character. We played cards for money today and he beat me. My Little Kiddo behaves well for me but we have to work hard and both of us need all the patience we can muster.We played our very own game of cards today and he won $.37. He plays seriously and explained that he likes money. 

I returned home for a late lunch before sitting on the back porch to watch the rains pouring down and the birds out getting their fill of sunflower seeds. The photos aren't too great but I was in need of color to brighten the day. I just noticed that the sun has come out so I shall see if I can capture a sunset! Yay!

Le coucher de soleil - Bonsoir, les amis.

Quote:  More joyful eyes look at the setting, than at the rising sun. --Burdens are laid down by the poor, whom the sun consoles more than the rich. --I yearn towards him when he sets, not when he rises.  ____Richter

Quote:  Sunsets in themselves are generally superior to sunrises; and with the sunset we appreciate images drawn from departed peace, and faded glory.   ____Hillard

Having a good time at home and at South Park . . .

Granddaughter's fanciest cake yet - delicious too!

Ruby-throated Hummingbird

Red-winged Blackbird calling for black oil sun flower seeds.

The always beautiful Eastern Bluebird.

Female Northern Cardinal on the new birdbath I don't like.

 It's been a busy week but still had time for the birds and most important of all seeing our granddaughter's beautiful birthday creation. This Pineapple Flavored Birthday Cake is only the beginning of her talents. She is in a constant quest to find new cakes, flavors, decorations, and shapes. I feel certain B will bake and design unique  cakes and flavors. She's only just begun and it is exciting to see, taste and enjoy what emerges from her kitchen. Her business is starting to grow. It must be rewarding but difficult to juggle her passion for baking with the care of her two young boys and a job! I'm so glad that her Mom and Dad can help her out.

I have included a video from this Sunday morning at South Park when two Northern Mockingbirds were interrupted in their courtship dance by the neighbor's chickens. I should take the time to really work on my camera skills which are severely lacking but I do not wish to spend my time studying my camera or the books and videos that go along with it. It annoys me no end. I feel like I did when I had finally received my MA from UCONN with a Major in French and a Minor in Latin. I did not want to read another book in my life. I was exhausted, wiped out. It took me a long time to appreciate how wonderful it was to pick the books I wanted to read for pleasure and not study. My gosh, that's over 56 years ago and I still don't like to buckle down to anything that taxes my brain! I must work too hard to let new ideas sink into this thick skull. I shall continue to meander through life and enjoy each moment as it presents itself. I will not shirk responsibilities but I will definitely attempt to enjoy day to day living without taxing my brain too much. Swinging my life away on the back porch is my ideal pastime. I even get upset with creatures of all sizes, shapes and colors who sometimes seem to demand that I do something for them. I just want them to exist for moi! I fear I am demanding, at times, in these quirky late 70's. Que sera sera. 

Quote:  You ask if we shall know our friends in heaven. --Do you suppose we are greater fools there than here? ____Emmons

Quote:  That same face of yours looks like the title-page to a whole volume of roguery.  ___Cibber