Our youngest son's junior prom - Not your ordinary prom!
Some of the many amazing props at the homeschool prom
sitting down to a nice dinner
What projects have YOU been working on?
Javamom
26 April, 2012
What I've been sewing
Another prom has come and gone, but this is what I was sewing up exactly one week ago!
Guitar buttons,for that extra touch!
Also whipped up a pocket square and a bowtie! (easiest bowtie I've ever made, and I've made a handful. Finally, a decent, simple pattern and instructions for one! Can't say that the vest instructions were great, though. In fact, they were bad.)
Ds trying on his new accessories
Our youngest son's junior prom - Not your ordinary prom!
This photo is from one of our Metro newspapers!
Some of the many amazing props at the homeschool prom
sitting down to a nice dinner
Knights of the Round Table
Mirror image
What projects have YOU been working on?
Javamom
Our youngest son's junior prom - Not your ordinary prom!
Some of the many amazing props at the homeschool prom
sitting down to a nice dinner
What projects have YOU been working on?
Javamom
24 April, 2012
Missing My 'Regulars'
Since the Great Backyard Bird Count, Spring migration has begun and some of my regulars with it :-(.
The good thing is that I am not partially obsessed by photographing birds everyday. I also don't need to buy as many bags of seed either. Some of the regulars are just nesting, I am guessing. But the American Goldfinches are among those that have moved on for now.
Our Cedar Waxwings have stayed around! This has been quite the year for them in our yard. They love hanging out in the large trees that we have.
I've observed the feather changes in our sparrows and house finches over the past month. Some of them look so funny.
My current desire is to photograph a scissor-tailed flycatcher. This is not easy to do, as they don't come into the yard much, since they just snatch at bugs in the air. I have seen them about a mile from the house, but it is more rare for them to land on our own yard/power lines. I've seen that happen only once this year, and was not quick enough to grab my camera.
Two Cedar Waxwings chasing each other back to the tree
I did spot a new bird probably migrating, just passing through, and happened to have my camera in my hand. I was spying on the Cedar Waxwings at the time. After some digging around, I finally identified it! It is a ~
The good thing is that I am not partially obsessed by photographing birds everyday. I also don't need to buy as many bags of seed either. Some of the regulars are just nesting, I am guessing. But the American Goldfinches are among those that have moved on for now.
Our Cedar Waxwings have stayed around! This has been quite the year for them in our yard. They love hanging out in the large trees that we have.
I've observed the feather changes in our sparrows and house finches over the past month. Some of them look so funny.
My current desire is to photograph a scissor-tailed flycatcher. This is not easy to do, as they don't come into the yard much, since they just snatch at bugs in the air. I have seen them about a mile from the house, but it is more rare for them to land on our own yard/power lines. I've seen that happen only once this year, and was not quick enough to grab my camera.
Two Cedar Waxwings chasing each other back to the tree
I did spot a new bird probably migrating, just passing through, and happened to have my camera in my hand. I was spying on the Cedar Waxwings at the time. After some digging around, I finally identified it! It is a ~
Summer Tanager
Hey what are you lookin' at down there?
What an amazingly pretty bird. My two favorite colors, as well. I have never, ever seen (noticed) one before this. I think they are rare for our part of the country.
Seen any new bird species in your own yard just passing through this spring?
Javamom
21 March, 2012
The Birder Goes Camping
Since the Great Backyard Bird Count, I have seen a decline in the frequency of our regular yard birds. The March Migration may be one reason, but also Spring means more nesting, thus fewer birds visiting the feeders, I'm guessing, from my observances over the last few years. So it was nice to visit a different part of the country and observe the birds in a Missouri State Park for a change.
These are a few of what we saw and heard:
Dark eyed Juncos kept visiting the campsite next to us (as long as it was empty) for scraps and things in the dirt. They liked retreating to the reeds, which were right beside our site and our tents and hammock.
There was a kingfisher couple around our tent area, and they would cross the river and come back again in the evenings. This bird was a conversational point with some of our camping neighbors, when they wondered what I was looking at and "did I have a camera attached to that thing?" (Tripod and long lens, which they thought was some type of telescope ;-) Because of these friendly conversations, I missed shooting both birds, and only got this one. They make funny, laughing sounds when they call each other.
There are ravens galore at this park, enjoying the fish left by fishermen at the river (which is more like a large stream, imho).
They also make incredibly loud, fun sounds which I am not used to hearing on a regular basis. It is something like "Eeeeh" and "Eeee Errrrr" (which Hubby quipped that they were mocking him at his inability to catch any trout).
More of the ravens in flight ! This is off to the east.
Just a few robins about:
And a cute sparrow, slightly different from ours at home, with the golden touch between his eye and beak:
And happily, we were visited by my favorite bird at the moment, Cedar Waxwings:
These were just above our tent and hammock, making their incredibly high-pitched whistles!
On Day two (our first full-day at the campsite), DD, youngest son, and I hiked the Eagle Ridge trail.
Halfway through the steep climb, there was a meadow in which to rest and snack. Then it was on to the cliffs and ridges...where we finally saw this:
Can you make it out from the tree branches? I was told it is a bald eagle, but since it is still so brown, it has to be a juvenile. Either that or a golden.
On Friday, it was coasting above the ridge, just to the north of our campsite, so I shot more photos. It has such a huge wingspan! Very notable when it flies right over ones head.
Maybe one of the many vultures we saw:
These are a few of what we saw and heard:
Dark eyed Juncos kept visiting the campsite next to us (as long as it was empty) for scraps and things in the dirt. They liked retreating to the reeds, which were right beside our site and our tents and hammock.
There was a kingfisher couple around our tent area, and they would cross the river and come back again in the evenings. This bird was a conversational point with some of our camping neighbors, when they wondered what I was looking at and "did I have a camera attached to that thing?" (Tripod and long lens, which they thought was some type of telescope ;-) Because of these friendly conversations, I missed shooting both birds, and only got this one. They make funny, laughing sounds when they call each other.
There are ravens galore at this park, enjoying the fish left by fishermen at the river (which is more like a large stream, imho).
They also make incredibly loud, fun sounds which I am not used to hearing on a regular basis. It is something like "Eeeeh" and "Eeee Errrrr" (which Hubby quipped that they were mocking him at his inability to catch any trout).
And a cute sparrow, slightly different from ours at home, with the golden touch between his eye and beak:
And happily, we were visited by my favorite bird at the moment, Cedar Waxwings:
On Day two (our first full-day at the campsite), DD, youngest son, and I hiked the Eagle Ridge trail.
Halfway through the steep climb, there was a meadow in which to rest and snack. Then it was on to the cliffs and ridges...where we finally saw this:
Can you make it out from the tree branches? I was told it is a bald eagle, but since it is still so brown, it has to be a juvenile. Either that or a golden.
On Friday, it was coasting above the ridge, just to the north of our campsite, so I shot more photos. It has such a huge wingspan! Very notable when it flies right over ones head.
Maybe one of the many vultures we saw:
We also saw hundreds of greater grackles. They seemed to own the park, then I realized the bird feeders were set up at the nature center (but, of course they are! That's typical!) The nature center was up the hill and due east of our campsite. Since grackles are not my favorite bird, by any stretch, I did not photograph them.
I could hear the red-bellied woodpeckers and the chickadees, but did not ever see any close enough to photograph. The woodpeckers seemed to stay up in the hills to our east, from the sound of it.
I also observed one lone male cardinal, which, I confess, I did not photograph, as I was always busy at something when I'd see him. He's also so common...though beautiful.
I loved the chance to spend some time in another state, living outdoors for a week and using the skills and observational notes that I've learned birding here at home. It was a treat, really, because our married kids joined us for the adventure. What a treasure of memories to share with them.
How did your spring break shape up, readers?
From the confessions of a backyard birder,
Javamom
24 February, 2012
The Heavens Declare His Handiwork...
Jupiter, Venus, and The Moon
What a gorgeous finish to a very good week.
I hope you had a clear sky and took time to take it in the beauty!
Javamom
17 February, 2012
First Day of GBBC - Cedar Waxwings!
This has been the winter of Cedar Waxwings here at the cottage.
There was not better day for them to show up to be counted!
It is day one of The Great Backyard Bird Count.
And this was about 1/5th of the group that visited today. They drank together
and even seemed to wait 'patiently' in line for a second turn at the bird bath.
I don't mind that they left quite a mess behind. It will rain and wash it all away tomorrow.
We have enjoyed these interesting birds. I had no visual idea of how small they actually are. I thought they would be the size of a blue jay, but they are more the size of a female cardinal.
Are any of you participating in the GBBC this year??
Let me know!
Javamom
12 February, 2012
Northern Flicker
I have never noticed
a Northern Flicker in our neighborhood or yard before.
This morning, I spotted a large bird moving about in the neighbor's yard, so I grabbed the telephoto lens to check it out. Imagine my surprise and joy upon seeing this Flicker!
This morning, I spotted a large bird moving about in the neighbor's yard, so I grabbed the telephoto lens to check it out. Imagine my surprise and joy upon seeing this Flicker!
More exciting is that the Annual Great Backyard Bird Count begins soon! Check it out and count the birds in your yard.
Javamom
07 February, 2012
03 February, 2012
Befores and Afters
It feels like Spring. What happens when Spring arrives? That unrelenting desire arrives...you know the one. That urge to beat the dust off the furniture, open up the house, give everything a good washing, and throw away the winter clutter. The problem (if you could call it that) is that it is mid-winter, and NOT a Bleak Midwinter, at that!
The grass is even turning green and lush again, and the tulip bulbs are shooting up stems. The cottonwood trees at the back of our yard are blossoming, as well. Yes, it is far too soon, and I'm guessing that they will get frozen back within the month.
And yet! While it is so lovely outside, I've done a little rearranging of a few "stations" in the house. Since I can't get into some huge project a la Pinterest just yet, this will suffice!
Before -->
I used to use the small table to grade and do simple lesson planning while at the computer. I don't do that anymore, so it needed to go!
After -->
Organized, but not very pretty.
and after -->
Now I failed to take photos of these two stations. They were flip-flopped and the toaster oven area was a catch-all for everything from bowls of miscellany, to bread, to napkins and pot holders. The bread and the pot holders are back in their drawers on the right, and I put all the coffee things here instead. I also dropped the side-bar down for more walking space in the cottage kitchen. Note the coffee and espresso accessories on the shelf above, from the french press, Italian espresso maker, Italian coffee cups, antique coffee mill, beans tin, and the creamer whipper. I also switched out our older water dispenser for this glass carafe that had been stored unused for over a year. I will eventually be painting that kitchen wall, if hubby doesn't knock it out completely one day, or create a real breakfast bar in that area.
This is where the coffee things used to be. It always stayed pretty neat, but I wanted a change.
And yet! While it is so lovely outside, I've done a little rearranging of a few "stations" in the house. Since I can't get into some huge project a la Pinterest just yet, this will suffice!
Before -->
I used to use the small table to grade and do simple lesson planning while at the computer. I don't do that anymore, so it needed to go!
After -->
Printer station Before -->
and after -->
Now I failed to take photos of these two stations. They were flip-flopped and the toaster oven area was a catch-all for everything from bowls of miscellany, to bread, to napkins and pot holders. The bread and the pot holders are back in their drawers on the right, and I put all the coffee things here instead. I also dropped the side-bar down for more walking space in the cottage kitchen. Note the coffee and espresso accessories on the shelf above, from the french press, Italian espresso maker, Italian coffee cups, antique coffee mill, beans tin, and the creamer whipper. I also switched out our older water dispenser for this glass carafe that had been stored unused for over a year. I will eventually be painting that kitchen wall, if hubby doesn't knock it out completely one day, or create a real breakfast bar in that area.
This is where the coffee things used to be. It always stayed pretty neat, but I wanted a change.
I know it will get cold again. We need it to kill the bugs. But when it does, I can sit back with a good book and a mug of mocha and feel great about the decluttered spaces. Now if my guys will help keep them that way...
Are any of my readers getting spring fever and tackling projects or spring cleaning?
Javamom
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