Monthly Archive: October 2006
In the spirit of Halloween and fun, I thought to share the haunted places of Maryland. This collection of hauntings took Beverly Litsinger of the Maryland Ghosts and Spirit Association years to compile and summarize. Please investigate these at your own risk!!!!! Oddly enough, one of the schools mentioned...
It seems the leaves on the trees are peaking early this year. Â Â
We still had Petra with us in the winter of 1977, and Maryland treated her with both extremes on the weather. Summer she arrived in sweltering heat and the winter, was the worse I can remember at that time. Our huge Chesapeake Bay froze over entirely, and people were actually...
Most emotional abusers are adept at convincing the victim that the abuse is his/her fault. Somehow, the victim is responsible for what happened. Mental abuse is a blow of death to your self-esteem. Often the first step in leaving the abuse is obtaining counseling to rebuild that esteem. ““““““““““““ Sunglasses...
I really can’t say I am a country music listener, but growing up, our house was often filled with the sounds of Johnny Cash, Hank Williams, Loretta Lynn, and Dolly Parton, just to name a few. So, I am a little bit country thanks to my dad. I can remember...
I don’t know if Crazy Andrew is afraid that Laura and I might be having too much peace and quiet with Miquel gone or what, but he barreled into our house today like the Tazmanian Devil. He stayed long enough to down a few cookies and donuts, and to rent...
Laura borrowed my camera last night and after a session with it, she downloaded the photos to her laptop in her usual fashion, then came to my room to put the camera and everything away. Not long after that, I heard a little panic from her room, “Where did my...
Continuing with my Time Life Collection from the songs of the 70’s. This time IÂ thought I’d add a visual. 1975 was one of the best years. Petra came to live with us, AFS activities filled our home and social life. School kept us busy too with Homecoming, Christmas, and Sadie...
Saturday, Miquel, Laura and I, took to the road, with the objective to meet Enric and Miranda in Toledo, Ohio. This was going to give Miquel a chance to go back to Wisconsin with them, getting a taste of college life for a month, practicing tennis with a student there,...
These didn’t turn out quite like I imagined in my minds they would, but I didn’t have a tripod back then. So I suppose of the motion is the operator of the camera combined with a slow shutter speed.
A recent trip to Kinder Park, Laura and I encountered a large praying mantis in the path we talk for our regular 3 mile walk. This creature let me get very close, I was pleased with the shots I got with my camera. Â Larger photos here and here. Â
So when I got my first digital camera, I honestly had no idea what I was doing, but that didn’t stop me from trying things. So below are not the best photos, but they were my best attempts with my limited knowledge and equipment. It’s fun remembering some of these...
Miquel turned 17 yesterday! After church we went to his absolute FAVORITE place to eat (along with Jaleo), Famous Dave’s. Miquel ordered his standard BBQ chicken wings. Laura got him a very nice shirt from American Eagle, which he looks great in! His mama gave him a nice shirt too,...
Not sure I gave insects much thought until I got a macro setting / lens for my cameras.
In my animals section, I found photos of pets (and not all of them ours), that I just have to add here.
From the animals section I had forgotten that I had posted some photos of our pets, past and present, and I was going to put them all together here, but after some thought, there were so many, Dante gets his own page. Originally Miquel’s cat, Laura has adopted him and...
I posted my last set of birds and it seemed the natural progression from my feathered friends, but still in the category of animals, should be squirrels. If you have a bird feeder, you’re going to make friends with squirrels. Well, it’s a love-hate relationship, really. They are rather cute...
To finish up my old photos of birds merge to this blog, I add various birds captured in a zoo, an aquarium, and a pet shop. (I take my camera to the pet shop, yes).
Some bird photos taken at different times of the year in the yard.
Some of these photos are so old I am not sure where they were taken or the kinds of ducks they are. I suspect some are from Lake Waterford, and the geese were located in Harpers Ferry. However, since I am moving images over, here they are. 🙂
Mourning Dove Zenaida macroura Both parents feed young “pigeon milk.” Young leave nest at about 15 days, usually wait nearby to be fed for next 1-2 weeks. One pair may raise as many as 5-6 broods per year in southern areas.
There is a long list of sparrows that we get in Maryland. Below are a few that have visited our backyard. One of my biggest surprises when seeing the still images are how aggressive they can be!
Carolina Wrens are year-round residents in Maryland. This is the largest wren in the eastern United States. Carolina Wrens are a reddish brown in color and possess a distinctive white streak over the eye and a buff colored underside. Six species of wren can be found in Maryland. I mostly...
Unlike the treecreeper, which only moves up the trunk of a tree, nuthatches will move both up and down.
Gulls, or colloquially seagulls are seabirds of the family Laridae in the suborder Lari. They are most closely related to the terns and only distantly related to auks, skimmers and even more distantly to waders.
Sturnus vulgaris All the European Starlings in North America descended from 100 birds set loose in New York’s Central Park in the early 1890s. The birds were intentionally released by a group who wanted America to have all the birds that Shakespeare ever mentioned. It took several tries, but eventually,...
Turkey Vultures are majestic but unsteady soarers. Their teetering flight with very few wingbeats is characteristic. Look for them gliding relatively low to the ground, sniffing for carrion, or else riding thermals up to higher vantage points. They may soar in small groups and roost in larger numbers. You may...
Baeolophus bicolor It is related to the chickadees, and like them it readily comes to bird feeders, often carrying away sunflower seeds one at a time. Feeders may be helping it to expand its range: in recent decades, Tufted Titmice have been steadily pushing north.
American Goldfinch Spinus tristis One of my favorite colors is yellow. This bird really gets my attention!
According to the AllAboutBirds website: Red-bellied Woodpeckers are pale, medium-sized woodpeckers common in forests of the East. Their strikingly barred backs and gleaming red caps make them an unforgettable sight – just resist the temptation to call them Red-headed Woodpeckers, a somewhat rarer species that’s mostly black on the back...
Thousands of Blue Jays migrate in flocks along the Great Lakes and Atlantic coasts, but much about their migration remains a mystery. Some are present throughout winter in all parts of their range. Young jays may be more likely to migrate than adults, but many adults also migrate. Some individual...
I suppose most are familiar with the classic “Stairway to Heaven” by Led Zeppelin, but how many know the “covers” and “parodies” that have been done with this song? What if The Doors sang Stairway to Heaven? Or Elvis? What would it sound like then? Stretch it even further, what...
God’s appreciation for variety is “clearly seen” in His creation. So when it comes to earth’s biodiversity, vivent les differences—because God loves variety!
Dawn, and just me and a lonely cardinalPlay out our songs for God to hearIn the spare air the bird twittersI, in my chair stretch my witsWe each sit, the bird on a branchAnd I, leaning in the Lazy BoyThe day lies before us like an unwritten scoreor a scroll...
Someone out there wishes better things for me. How comforting to know. I was told by this person to look up Basia’s “A New Day for You” and to pay close attention to the lyrics. I thought I’d share them on my blog: Hello again —it’s me Your shoulder’s where I...