Carol's Queendom

9:36pm: territorial fit
For whatever reason, the windows must have been showing Iki her reflection tonight. She began attacking the window, flying up and down it, as though to drive away that 'other bird'. I turned out the lights inside and hoped for the best. When the little male Anna's did this last nesting season he spent the night roosting on the window ledge, and indeed she seems to be doing the same thing. Her egg will get cold, but that may not matter as the actual incubation does not start til the second egg is laid and the mom stays on the nest unless eating.

12:16pm: Feb 7 first egg laid

Sorry for picture quality. Iki does not like the flash, so I used it only once, and can only position the camera about a foot above the nest because of its position tucked up under the rafters.

I refilled her feeder, and Iki was landing on it to drink as I was re hanging it. She sees me as pesky but necessary hired help, I think.

1:56pm: Iki's new nest
Here is Iki, building her third annual nest in my yard. This one is back on the clothesline, safe from predators. She worked on it for 6 days and is now setting, preparing to lay eggs. She has always raised two babies, and I have read that that is typical for Anna's hummers.



Here she is a blur of motion, stamping things into place, and tucking spider web around the dryer fuzz to bolster the sides of the nest.

Here she is using her chest to shape the nest, bouncing and pushing it into place.

SO now she is sitting, darting out to try to drive away the hapless goldfinches who just want to eat some niger seed, and then returning to her nest after having some nectar at 'her' feeder. Have not seen the male this year much...but suspect he will be around eventually.

8:47pm: Over zealous
Had such a fine walk in the fitness walking class that I reallllly stretched out afterwards. Lots. In fact too much.
Awoke Wednesday morning a cripple...with spectacular back muscle spasms. Oh my....worst pain of my life. Will cheerfully birth triplets instead...

SO ...Flexeril has been my friend the past two days and I am on the mend. Will do only gentle stretches for a shorter time, and will keep my muscles warm after I work out so that they don't get so grouchmuffin-y.

Hugs to all as we listen to yet more rain fall

9:16pm: new bird pics

a sound straight from my childhood that I never tire of...meadowlarks


alert hawk shopping for mice






Iki building a new nest on the clothesline again..YAY!!

8:37pm: Volunteering
Since I began volunteering at LPC in 2002, I have focused much of my time there. I still went on some mission trips with the youth group, doing Habitat for Humanity work. For years I volunteered both locally and state wide for homeschooling, and still get calls for help with special needs homeschoolers. But the opportunity came up to join a group I admire but only knew from the 'consumer' side: Livermore's Friends of the Library. My buddy John, from Granada High school class of 1970, called me up after we had been chatting on FB. The secretary of the group is leaving, and they need to find someone to step in. The Livermore library is my favorite building in town, purely from an architectural standpoint, and also from a treasure trove of goodness standpoint. I have spent thousands of hours perusing books, and music, and occasionally videos or DVDs. I have paid my share of fines...in fact I probably deserve a plaque somewhere for subsidizing a wing, at the very least.Suffice it to say I love the place.

To make a long story short, in June I will become the new secretary for the group. Will meet some new folks, catch up with John, who has always been brilliant AND hilarious, and generally try a different volunteering direction. Wish me luck.

And as a completely random sidelight...my broccoli plants have little broccolis on them~woot!

7:34pm: newby juicer
The huge imposing Breville monster juicer is being used daily, experimenting with every fruit and veggie that might be juiceable.
Ideas, experiences, and cautionary tales welcome. So far it has all been delicious if a bit foamy...

8:45pm: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EeMfNqQKH-Y
our lovely funnel cloud, for the enjoyment of all my Midwestern buddies, especially. It was really pretty because it never touched down and got all...dirty.

8:36am: Myanmar sport...that is new to me
http://www.mysticball-themovie.com/trailerclips.html

something beautiful that I had never seen or heard of...
dance meets hackysack meets martial arts...

wow.

8:37pm: best meal in SF?
I am curious to poll anyone who wishes to chime in about a great meal in SF. We are planning a foray in the near future to an SF restaurant...
suggestions welcome.
If you know anything about the chef, the owner, the history of the place etc please share.

4:15pm: birds and storms.

Our doleful black crowned night heron, in the wildly tossing redwood.

Robins in the sun


Robins and cedar waxwings together



Tornado warning today for our area...not a common thing. Caught flocks of both Robins and Cedar waxwings in the birch tree...huddled together in a way I had not seen before. Picked up about 20 branches that came off our redwood. I can only imagine if we had NOT trimmed it.
Another storm series coming in...this is really reminding me of previous El Nino winters here...wet wet wet. Neighbor lost his beautiful 25 foot sweet gum last night...two thirds of the tree is in his yard, being chain sawed up as I write. It was one of the Northern Flicker's favorite perches. I will miss seeing the jaunty birds there.

Any dog lovers...should check out Jon Katz. Wonderful thoughtful books...on life philosophy as much as living with dogs. Full of wisdom.

Hugs to Cindy as she recovers...

Eagerly awaiting the new book about how to use my amazing camera. Even just guessing I have managed to get some good shots. Will be delighted to learn what the rest of the buttons and menus contain.

9:09pm: just yikes
What is with the Supreme Court? We are now going to be a Pepsiocracy, or Dominospizzacracy, or something similar?

Sheesh.

I guess we can dispense with any semblance of democracy anymore...just government by the highest bidder. swell.

Added to the debacle in MA and the best news of the week is all the rain we are getting.
LPC is full of people wearing actual rain boots.

8:51pm: Shades of the winter of 1982 -1983?
This storm series, with its pounding rains, high winds, hail, sucker holes of gorgeous dramatic clouds and sun followed by more downpours...is reminding me of the whompin' winter we had in 82-83. Livermore got 10 inches of rain in a week...and parts of Marin and Santa Cruz got way more than that.
Watching with interest to see if this El Nino pattern will hold, and we will do that Cali thing where we go from drought to floods within a few days.

First day at LPC...fun/busy/nice students/at least 4 have come back who failed previously/kudos to them.

Hugs to Erin...

Time to return to simple majority rule in California. And in the federal government as well. This is ridiculous...

Watched my black crowned night herons clinging precariously to the thrashing branch of the wind-whipped redwood tree...he chose a branch with another only 8 or so inches above it, and kind of wedged himself in. Pretty clever for a 'birdbrain'.

9:37pm: birds at LPC

a beautiful kite, one of a pair that I see frequently



At first I thought this was a young golden eagle, but now I suspect it is a large hawk of some kind. NO red tail...it flew off and has a dark tail...so I am not sure yet.

Crows everywhere...talking and scrounging in the trash...



love kestrels...small but full of 'tude

8:32pm: The new throne
Here is Rick, Rigel and Kona reveling in the luxury of the new comfy recliner chair. All three were surprised and delighted!

3:10pm: this and that


Gorgeous male kestrel behind the college...shopping for mice.

Ruth found a house she likes...it is a lovely duet. Cross fingers that she might actually get it...short sales are always an adventure. It is the nicest thing in her price range by far...

Surprising Rick with a recliner chair...he has never had a new one. A nice neighbor gave us his old one a year ago, and given how much time Rick has spent in its sagging seat...seemed time for a new, non breaking one.

Nice little earthquake today at 10:09 am...first one for our Kentucky raised physics tech, Tom. He thought it was pretty cool!

Missing my girls...but what else is new. Keep Rosie in your thoughts as she is still in the running for a great job at Kaiser, but won't likely hear for a week.

Off to the lawyer to finish all the terms of the trust. Not a jolly thing to do...all that facing your mortality stuff...but really important. Seeing how smoothly my Mom had made the whole experience for us made us want to be sure our girls have the same ease and peace of mind when Rick and I are gone. Not a small thing. Miss you, Mom. Thanks for one last lesson...you lived a wonderful life, and spared us a lot of financial mess. I have seen it in many families...when things are not well thought out and planned...emotional and financial disaster can follow.

9:07pm: year end photos...

Wonderful visit with Becca~


Rigel cuddling with Kona!!



Last meal together before Shauna and Sarah headed off to the airport.

The new year is off to a good start...wish I was sleeping better...but oh well. Mantra remains 'beauty and simplicity'...

Hugs to Erin as she goes through some medical tests...never any fun.

Hugs to Sarah and Shauna as they get back to the chilly east coast...

I bought a surprise for Rick today...will post pics in a few days when it arrives! He is very hard to shop for...and this I know will be a big success!

10:21pm: old yet new
Walking the labyrinth tonight under a huge full moon. Candles and luminaria creating soft shadows, Anonymous 4 playing gently in the background. Picked up a word card, as I sometimes do, when walking the labyrinth. This one said 'Beauty'...not what I expected somehow, but the idea of focusing on beauty in 2010 has some appeal. 2009's word had been courage, and with the illness, and death of my Mom in June, courage was indeed required.Tonight had the feel of a beginning, rather than an ending. Not sure why. Walking in my down coat, hands tucked into my pockets for warmth, beauty and simplicity felt like good themes for the coming year. I want to literally and figuratively do some major cleaning out...20 years of adding stuff has meant that we have much that should be shared - donated and or given away.

The indoor labyrinth is smaller, and softer, walked in socks quietly. The scent of the candles is lovely, and the music fills the space perfectly.

Wishing all a peaceful and mindful start to 2010.

Now to go write the correct date on my next 5 checks so I don't have to correct them.

Farewell to the 'oughts' or naughties or whatever this past decade was...


the little male Anna's hummingbird sipping fresh nectar on New Year's Eve

8:40pm: Tons of fun and some elbow grease too
Shauna and Sarah helped today with cleaning out the linen closet that has also become home to all the wrapping paper and gift bags. Lots. In fact I suspect they have been multiplying in the dark. I also cleaned the sewing room...much neater, much yarn found that I can donate, and several nice projects unearthed and now lined up to be finished.

Had fun looking at the photos of slides from our childhoods...Margie had them put on disk, and I took a trip down memory lane today with the girls. Wish Rosie could have been here as well.

Carol at 3 or so

and now present day peeps


Hugs

10:17pm: Christmas with the fam
A lovely holiday together. Ornament exchange at the Alexanders last weekend which netted me a gorgeous red glass lobster ornament. Shauna and I making cookies... Shauna working on her beaded jewelry gifts and commissioned pieces...Rosie arriving and the dogs go into orbit.
Lively brass choir at the services last night- made the familiar carols really rock. Rick's birthday went well- great food and company. Up this morning, opened presents, ate our traditional orange rolls, lolled about. The dogs loved the whole thing. We then went for a tapas/appetizer supper at Rick's brother Jim's. Great to see the cousins enjoy each other.

A few pics of the festivities-

9:48pm: Cali lags behind Mexico City in inclusiveness...
Say what? Uh, yeah, in Mexico City any two people who wish to be voluntarily joined in marriage may do so. In a very Catholic country. Not sure about lower age limit, but still.

Interesting.


Not a place I think of for lots of forward-looking social policies.

and now because it is fun- I present Shauna the Icing queen at work:

5:25pm: More variables.
LOVE having Shauna home...let me put that right out there.
Love my new computer, and my BlackBerry, and even my old slow computer. Figured out how to get the email working again on both computers and the BB after changing the password and a few settings. Go me- thanks Rosie.
Put up the Christmas tree- it is lovely- see below.

8:47pm: new hardware gets me all giddy
In possession of my shiny new HP killer laptop. My RAM has gone up from 512mb to 6gb.Processor is twice as fast and uses less power. Half a terrabyte hard drive. Tonight all I am doing is activating stuff, and running a full virus scan and setting up my email on Outlook. Will set up printer tomorrow. Researched this for two months and this was the best deal of the day at Best Buy. Package was great- with the color printer, Kaspersky anti virus, and a nice portable back up harddrive (I now have three.)
So cool to have both the desktop and the laptop so you can keep working when one is occupied with installs etc. I love this. Kind of like two fisted drinking, eh?

9:10pm: shawl group and hilarity
TOp of the news tonight- my fabulous big ol' black crowned night heron is back in my redwood tree. Preening and posturing, and sleeping all day. Very happy he/she has returned.

Today was Shawl Ministry and I headed off with the intent to create a new shawl from scratch. Brought some interesting thick variegated yarn that I found. Arrived just as the rain began, noteworthy also because this storm is so much warmer than the last couple.
Two friends from Tracy were visiting our Shawl group because they want to start a similar group at their church. It is fun to have new people come, and great to share ideas, laugh, drink tea, and crochet or knit.
Somehow at one point the conversation turned to a wonderful woman who died right around the time my Mom did. We all marveled at Olivette and the beautiful simple shawls she cranked out, 4 or 5 per month for several years. She used any leftover yarn, and often created lovely combinations using several colors. We were talking about gardening and got off onto the subject of chickens. I told about our backyard hens, and how Amy had lived to be 13- very old for a chicken. Someone else asked how long chickens live, and I explained that 13 was by far the oldest I had heard of. I explained about broilers and fryers, and how laying hens are usually used for meat at the end of their first, and most productive egg laying year. One of the ladies looked puzzled and said, "So a laying hen would become a broiler or fryer at the end of her life?" In unison, three of us said,'NO she would be a stewing hen!" "Just like us" I added. We all cracked up...and it was just a great moment. I suspect you had to be there....but it was fun to find out who else had farming experience and who our strictly city girls were...

8:16pm: more snow and frost pics...