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Borrego Springs, CA

Tuesday, May 20, 2014

Oh fiddlesticks!

A couple of posts ago, some folks asked to see some pictures of my oriole feeder, so tonight that’s what you’re going to see along with a couple of other patrons of the Hard Rock Bird Café.

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I’ve already gone through two 32 oz. jars of the grape jelly.  With the chilly and rainy weather we’ve been having, there aren’t many insects around yet for the orioles and warblers to eat.  If I run out of orange halves, I just leave the peel on the feeder and fill it with jelly.

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There are four Baltimore orioles in this picture, but I’ve had as many as seven at a time trying to get to my one feeder.  They don’t always get along with each other, and a lot of hollering and fighting goes on.  When I worked the visitors center on Monday, I counted as many as twenty orioles at a time there.  What delight to see so many bright splashes of orange!

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Today, we were invaded by almost 100 kindergarteners.  What a hoot these little ones are.  My job was to take groups of them on a photo hike.  We provide the digital cameras, and they take pictures of the wonders of nature that they discover.  Due to the privacy thing, I really can’t show any pictures of them, but I know Sherry would have appreciated what I had each small group do.  They had to find a tree they all liked and hug it.  You have never seen a more enthusiastic bunch of tree huggers in your life.

As usual, I had my diamond willow walking stick with me.  This always intrigues the kids.  With one group, the conversation went something like this:  “Why do you walk with that stick?”  “Because, I’m old, and need a little help walking.”  “How old are you?”  “I’m almost 67.”  “Wow! That is old!”  “I thought you were 100.”  “No, I have a few years to go to be that old.”  “How many?”  “Oh, about 33 more years.”  “My mom’s 32, and she’s old…”  Laughing out loud

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Late this afternoon, Emma and I were sitting outside and we even had a yellow-rumped warbler stop by briefly.  He gave the oriole feeder the once over, but then went on his way. 

On nice days, like today, Emma has her supper outside, and then I collect her deposits for the day.  Things went smoothly until I was on my way back to the patio with her ‘scat’ bag.  Somehow, I got my foot tangled in her tie out line, and down I went.  Of course it wasn’t in the softer lawn, but right on the patio.  My right knee took the brunt of it as my hand with the bag reached out to cushion my fall.  It wasn’t pretty.  I should have said, “Oh, poo!” as my hand ripped the bag open and mushed the contents all over the patio.  Smile with tongue out  All I could say was, “That hurts! That hurts! That hurts!” 

Emma ran right over to lick my face as I was writhing on the cement.  Yuck!  I appreciate the thought, but I don’t like the licking!  So, as I write this entry tonight, my right leg is propped up with an ice pack on my knee.  There’s a bit of a gash on it, and I just wish I had a bigger Band-Aid than the ones I have for my split finger tips.  Oh, fiddlesticks!

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                                                                               THE END!!

Thanks for stopping by… talk to you later,  Judy

31 comments:

  1. Oh dear Judy. I do hope you don't fall a lot like me but it looks like you do. We old, eh mature, ladies need to lift our feet more and watch where we step. Having fallen twice in a few days just a couple of weeks ago, my finger has remained bent and stiff. Thinking it will probably always be that way now.

    Like seeing those bird pics. And aren't little kids just a hoot.

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  2. I'm wishing for a quick repair to the self inflicted wounds. Happy healing.

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  3. Oh Judy! You have to be more careful. It sounds like you are imitating my clumsiness!
    Good idea for the ice, better than a poo poultice... :c)

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  4. That definitely was a rough day:( The good thing is, if those kindergartners are lucky, some day they are going to find out about the trials and tribulations of getting older:)

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  5. We have one oriole pair at our feeder. They've hung around a lot longer than most years. They drink a LOT of nectar!

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  6. Doesn't sound to me like you were clumsy to me. Sounds like Emma got you circled. But ouch any way it happened and YUCK to the mush. Love the kindergartners comments! Like Art used to say, Kids say the darnedest things. LOVE it that you taught them to hug a tree. Bet they could feel the energy. Hope they will teach their parents. Maybe these kids will not be the ones who carve their initials in the beech trees. Hope hope hope.

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  7. Hope you will be OK . I keep bandages of all sized and shape for the things I do to myself.

    Your birds are such a sharp color. Just beautiful.

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  8. Goodness, Judy! After such a full day so sorry you took a fall! I hope your leg and knee are better quickly. I also walk/hike with a walking stick. Kids and dogs find it most interesting. I had a boy go by me on a bicycle and say: "Lady that's one cool stick you've got there." I'm especially fond of YR Warblers--your photo with breeding plumage is lovely.

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  9. oh goodness. . .oh goodness. . .I surely do hope you recover quickly. . .can't have you gimping about!

    Your orioles are gorgeous. . .saw my very first one today here in Michigan. . .so excited. I'm going to get some grape jelly too. . .thanks for that tip!

    Feel better soon, and keep us posted!

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    Replies
    1. got my grape jelly today. . ."rigged" me up a feeder. . .they seem to like it. . .got some great pics. . .love it!

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  10. At least you didn't go face first into the bag, Judy, so it could have been a lot worse. But then again, it would have made a great 'selfie' right?

    Rick’s Bits ‘n Bytes, Pics and News

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  11. I think I felt the pain when you hit the patio, but thankfully I didn't feel the contents of the bag! I would have said something stronger than "Oh Poo". I hope the ice helps and you are soon as good as new. Owning a dog can be dangerous.

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  12. I am so sorry to hear you fell. Just glad the skinned knee was the worst of it!
    Love the 5 year olds.....conversations like yours today kept me going for 34 years teaching them.
    I think I saw an oriole on our hike today. My bird guide should be here tomorrow...I can hardly wait!

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  13. Kids candid thoughts always make my day. Your FALL not so much. Hope the only serious injury was to your pride. Take good care!!

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  14. sorry to hear you took a spill! hope you feel better soon!

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  15. Sorry to hear you fell and I hope you recover quickly, after all you are 100.

    I would have loved to taken those kids on a photo tour. How fun for them and for you!

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  16. Bummer- hope the knee recovers quickly. Love that blue jay photo- he looks like a little thug :).

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  17. Fiddlesticks indeed. Hope you are feeling better this morning. Should we nickname you "Grace"?

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  18. Ouch--hope you didn't seriously hurt anything. I thought I was the only person left in the world who says, "fiddlesticks!"

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  19. So sorry you had a fall...my imagination has pictured you on the patio, with your hands around the tie out line, and trying to strangle it (small though it is)!
    Now Emma, while your Mom is laid up, you must refrain from needing to go out, and begging for food, and asking for attention!

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  20. Owie owie owie!

    Loved the treehuggers! Tooo cute!

    ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
    Karen and Steve
    (Blog) RVing: The USA Is Our Big Backyard
    http://kareninthewoods-kareninthewoods.blogspot.com
    ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

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  21. As we say here in Minnesota, "Owie!" At least the bag kept you from scraping up your hand. I have one over-sized bandage in my RV; so far I haven't had to use it.

    Love the tree huggers. Kids that age are so free about doing anything.

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  22. Crap..hope you recover quickly! I had some Orchard Orioles here this morning! We have maybe eight Baltimore Orioles in the area:)

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  23. You know, I find I am not as good on my feet as I used to be!..I especially have to be careful about walking with my progressive bifocals...They are horrible to walk or go down stairs in, so I take them off...Ever since I fell over our lamp cord last May and broke my arm, I am really afraid of going down again...You must have rubber bones, Judy!

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  24. Oh my gosh, Judy. I hurt for you. It was so thoughtful of Emma to come to your rescue. I hope your knee doesn't swell too much and your finger feels much better today.

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  25. Ouch! Sorry about the tumble. I hope you are not too sore. Gotta love those young tree huggers. You are getting them off to a good start.

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  26. As Connie said: Crap! ;-) Was your hip OK? Hope you're going to be allright! On another note, since a couple of days I can't see your pictures anymore. Anybody else have this problem?

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  27. Oh, crap-a-zoid, Judy -- hope it isn't serious. Dang leashes and fences and uneven rocks, all the time there to trip us up and make us fall flat into a pile of... oh, crap-a-zoid, Judy.

    Beautiful oriole pics. I have Black-headed Grosbeaks at my feeders... knew guys for me! Makes me happy.

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  28. Ouch, here's hoping for a speedy recovery.

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  29. Just catching up on blog reading after a couple of hectic days of traveling. So sorry to hear about your fall. Please let us know how you are doing.

    Will get to Red Rock Lakes NWR tomorrow morning. Cain't wait.

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  30. ouch! hope you used peroxide! At least Emma came to your rescue! Gotta love that pooch!

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