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Borrego Springs, CA

Sunday, April 3, 2011

The birds and the bees

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It was time this afternoon to say, “See you down the road!” to Denny and Fonda.  They pulled out shortly before 2:00 on their way back to Minnesota for the summer.  We volunteered together this winter both at Anahuac, and here at Mississippi Sandhill Crane NWRs.  There’s a little more to that story.  Back in the fall of ‘09, I stopped at a COE campground along the Mississippi River.  I was there two or three nights.  It was a nice campground except for one thing.  87 trains went past each day and night and blew their loud horns about 50 feet from my site. It would be a wonderful place for SAM, but it drove me to distraction.  While I was there, I chatted with a couple that were also members of Escapees.  It turned out that couple was Denny and Fonda.  I must admit that I hadn’t remembered this encounter, but Denny and Fonda did when I arrived at Anahuac last fall.  I guess this RVing world is a small world, and I’m sure our paths will cross again some time in the future.

 

After a quick trip to the grocery store today, I decided to just veg out and enjoy the 80* temperatures around the rig.

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The chickadees and titmice were busy visiting the Hard Rock Bird Café, and I sat outside enjoying all the bird songs surrounding me.

_MG_0357Late Friday afternoon I decided to put up my hummingbird feeder in case any of the hummers had made the journey over the Gulf of Mexico on their way north for the summer. 

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It didn’t take very long for the ruby-throated hummingbirds to find the Café!  Tomorrow I’ll try to get some shots when the sun is shining from the east so the colors show up.  I was just excited to see some of these mighty-mites stop by.  Smile

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Being a former Geometry teacher, I’m always noticing the symmetry found in nature.  This saw palmetto reminds me of a sunburst.

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Did you ever try to get a picture of a flying bee?  I wanted to show you the carpenter bees that hover all around this area.  They never seem to land.  This guy has spent his time each day for the last three weeks just hovering outside my rig.  They don’t sting or bite, and the male is known to hover above the bee nest.  I haven’t been able to find any nest.  These bees are about an inch long.

 

It was too windy to take the inflatable kayak on the bayou today…maybe tomorrow. 

 

Thanks for stopping by…. talk to you later,  Judy

15 comments:

  1. You were a geometry teacher??? I had the hardest time even passing geometry! But I appreciate math and geometry in nature, music, buildings, and in the universe itself.

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  2. I didn't know you were a geometry teacher?..see, you learn something about everyone in 'blogville'!!..nice cafe customers!!

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  3. I think maybe it might be the Geometry I appreciate as well in nature although I don't think I ever made it that far in school to understand the mathematical side of it. Just as well because it may have confused & ruined my appreciation for nature. I understand the difficulties in trying to focus a camera lens on a bee as well. And those Hummers can be a real challenge too.

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  4. It is amazing how fast those hummers can find the food dish. Geometry - now I understand why I don't quite see everything the same way you do. Geometry never ever entered into my world.

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  5. Great photos. I took a photo of a bee in flight a couple of years ago. I think it had pollen attached to its legs but since I was never any good at entomology, I don't know for sure!

    Hummers are amazing creatures. Thanks for sharing.

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  6. I hung out my hummingbird feeders about a month ago and was thrilled to see a female Rufous there within minutes.
    I was an A math student except for geometry, maybe if I had had you as my teacher, I would have gotten an A in that as well. ;-)

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  7. I had a hard time with solid geometry, there was a really attractive boy sitting behind me!

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  8. I love that hummingbird photo. It is easy to believe you were a teacher, I know you have taught me a lot. Thanks. Hope the severe weather doesn't affect you. The winds here are crazy strong.

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  9. It takes a special brain to understand Geometry & Algebra and to teach it to a bunch of kids! That may help explain why your pics are always so perfect:)

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  10. Excellent pictures Judy, I also enjoy the different shapes found in nature. Just the other day, Ellie and I were remarking that we think there must be some law that states all campgrounds should be placed near train tracks. No matter where we have been this traveling season, we hear trains.

    John
    relaxedrush.blogspot.com

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  11. Once again, I am humbled by your talent with photography. I can only dream of being able to take pictures that good. The best pictures I have are usually of my lens cap or my thumb! ;c)

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  12. McGuyver is the Geometry Trignometry man..I can barely add 2 plus 2...However, little did I realize how much Geometry there is in haircutting. Those angles really make a difference as to what look you want..
    I got my Hummer feeders out now too. McGuvyer is afraid to put up the Martin house to soon..It may attract the Starlings and dirty birds, and the next thing ya know, there goes the neighborhood:-))

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  13. I have yet to get a decent photo of a hummingbird. Do you think it is because I did so poorly in geometry?

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  14. I didn't know you used to be a geometry teacher, Judy. I was a math major, but preferred algebra to geometry. I didn't like calculus too much, either, but I got through it.

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  15. Your title had me expecting something else.

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