boolie

White-crowns

We had a variety of sparrows on display in Oregon but during the winter at my favorite refuge the big flocks I’d see were golden-crowns. I have lost count of the many ways the desert has surprised me but one was that here too I’d see flocks of sparrows in the winter, only now it’s white-crowns and black-throats. I saw white-crowns in Oregon but not nearly in the numbers I see them here, it’s such a joy to stand still as the sun rises and watch a flock flit about me as they make their morning rounds.

Phoebe on a Stick

The bony fingers of a saguaro skeleton provide the perfect perch to watch the sun set.

Second Best

When you can’t curl up with your hero, his shadow will have to do.

Family Breakfast

Two white-crowned sparrows greet the rising sun on a winter’s morning on the Marcus Landslide Trail. The young one in front has the striped crown of the adult behind but not the bold black-and-white coloring, that comes later.

New Growth

It is not necessarily a death sentence when an old giant loses an arm, they seal off the wound as best they can to prevent water loss and go on to live their best lives. While a new arm will not grow where the old one once stood, sometimes the saguaro will slowly push out a phoebe in its stead.

Me & the Samwise

When I get home from work Sam starts giving me the business if I don’t settle down on the couch quickly enough for his liking, as he is waiting to jump into my lap and start purring to beat the band. There are lap cats, and there is Samwise.

One Last Look

A female Gila woodpecker poses on what I suspect is a favorite perch in front of a saguaro and a barrel cactus as the sun is about to dip below the mountains behind me.

The Brothers

For some reason this couch seemed bigger when I evaluated it at the second hand shop last year. Trixie was in my lap as I took the picture.

Current Mood

Trixie does not have time for your nonsense.

One Year

Oh pup. It’s been one year since we had to say goodbye to Ellie, a year where I still miss her rather intently at times, not unexpected given the strength of the bond that formed over her long life. The picture is three years old, taken near the start of our morning walk on a lovely spring morning when we still had a year left in Portland and two years with her. She was such a comfort in difficult times, our time together was such a blessing.