Another week on the hill

Oh, it’s been awhile, hasn’t it? It’s chilly here in Maryland as I write on this Monday evening while watching the news. The local news has been on an extended version due to the looting and rioting going on in Baltimore. It is disgusting and I am finally changing the channel.

Our weather here began taking a turn for the cold over a week ago after several days of quite warm weather that forced all the blooms to burst forth on redbuds, dogwoods, lavender, and spring bulbs. It’s been kind of interesting because all these blooms have stayed lovely and not wilted in the heat.

The fountain at Logan Square in Philadelphia.

Last weekend, I attended a National Geographic photography workshop that was sponsored by B&H Photo. It was held at the Museum of Art & Sciences in Philadelphia, on Logan Square. The one thing I took from this workshop is that I basically suck as a photographer. But I’m sure that wasn’t the presenter’s intention. It sure as hell isn’t going to stop me taking pictures and editing them using my archaic knowledge that doesn’t include Lightroom and/or advanced methods of photo storage. A lot of what was discussed went over my head and I sat in the front row, taking notes, and wondering at one point if I was the stupidest person in the room. And then someone raised their hand and asked a question and I realized that I was not. Thank God – a kindred spirit, and probably many more who were also in that room but afraid to raise their hand and speak.

 

I came out of it with some good advice however, some good tips, and a few things I already knew. Met some friends for lunch (read: drinks) afterward on that warm and beautiful day in Philly.

 

I shot this from the back seat of my friend’s car window within the split second that I saw it. I want to go back and find this place again and while I’m there, to find other really old structures like this. Buildings were formed around this tiny old place. Look at the brick and the slates on the roof. It’s got to date from the 1700’s.

Sounds like a photo expedition to me. Could be fun, too.

Meanwhile, back at the ranch . . .

 

My best friend sits at the edge of the patio.

 

A black-capped chickadee waits its turn at the feeders.

 

A robin gathers nesting material.

This was a rare capture for me, and my favorite of all the images here.

I took several of this bird as it came back and forth with different colored grasses but it was this one that had all the right colors, the best bokeh, and that distinctive spotted red breast.

 

A white-throated sparrow at my pretty pottery feeder.

 

And a mockingbird alights in the dogwood tree.

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A work crew showed up this weekend to take down the old and dilapidated fence line that runs all around the old paddock area in front of the red barn at the edge of the woods. Although I’m glad to see that old fence gone, in a way I’m going to miss it. When we moved here, my husband did his best to shore it back up and he’d erected several bluebird boxes along its length. I am going to miss this.

But things change. And that’s all there is to it.

Hope all is well in your neck of the woods.

You friend that hasn’t forgotten you ~

I’ll tell you my sins and you can sharpen your knife

I am not here to tell you my sins. I often use song lyrics as post titles and this one comes from a tune I heard last week over Spring Break. It’s by Hozier, called Take Me to Church. I was driving around in NJ with a girlfriend, listening to a station I like on Pandora and she asked me if I had Hozier on my playlist. So at the next red light, I quickly added it and before I knew it, this song came on. I’ve tried to load it onto this post but despite my best efforts wasn’t able to it through Windows Live Writer, so here’s a link to it: https://youtu.be/MYSVMgRr6pw.

Groovy tune. Weird lyrics. But what the hey. I do like a good tune.

 

 

I have been so absent but offer no apologies. I think that blogging was a lifeline for me for so long. It was comforting - to write every night, sitting in the living room with my husband while he did his thing and I edited photos and worked on a post. It made me feel connected to the outside world and gave me a creative outlet. I am so thankful for it and for the friends I made through this blog.

 

I have been busy and trying to do new things. I took eight framed prints to the gallery and after they saw them, they asked for four more. My sister, Char, came to visit over the break last week and I took her up to show her where my photography is being shown. She was very complimentary.

 

We had fairly lousy weather last week and I was wearing my winter coat and scarf again. But on Saturday, the blessed sun finally came out and the air was soft and mild and so I spent the day cleaning up the bird feeding station out by the patio and planting some pansies in planters. I did several loads of laundry, hanging them on the line to dry and fell asleep that night with the scent of fresh sheets that smelled of springtime.

 

After I got done my chores, I sat outside in the sunshine with a cocktail, a book, and my best buddy.

 

If anyone knows of a way to get rid of weeds between the bricks of a patio, please let me know. My husband used to use Roundup but I refuse to use the stuff. Last year, I did a section at a time and hand-pulled each weed. I would almost resort to chemicals before I did that again . . . ugh.

 

Kitten Kitten loves to sit by the open window and look outside at the birds.

 

And life is ok.

I hope it is with you, as well.

Thanks so much for stopping by today.