He was christened Mr. Hummingway by a dear friend who likes birds but is ambivalent about interaction with birds. She had formative experiences that made her view birds as flapping missiles who get tangled in your hair, dive bomb you, or suddenly ditch into the open window of your moving car on a freeway. Those…
Freezing to the Tune of Willie Nelson
We went shooting ice pics today . . . on the tundra of frozen Seattle. On the way, I got hooked on this Willie Nelson cover, thanks to a new mix from my favorite pop musicologist, colloquially known as Dodels. First, Willie. Then, ice. I will always think of my frosted, immovable fingers when I…
Moonrise in Seattle
Moonrise by D.H. Lawrence And who has seen the moon, who has not seen Her rise from out the chamber of the deep, Flushed and grand and naked, as from the chamber Of finished bridegroom, seen her rise and throw Confession of delight upon the wave, Littering the waves with her own superscription Of bliss,…
The Crow Who Changed My Life
My thanks to Lyanda Lynn Haupt for the book that reminded me to honor my original inspiration: the crow. It’s because of a crow that I became who I am. My mother arrived home one day with a juvenile crow in a box. I was just a kid, fourteen or so. Mom was dropping my…
Reflected Reversed
A figment of light, reflected in liquid sun . . . an ephemeron of a rabbit hole, then painted over with evening mist. Or: just another wet afternoon in Seattle. The Photos: Reflections of the city shot in large puddles, then spun 180º for the rabbit hole effect. Treated slightly with color contrast and a…
Sandy Shorebill
At this point in my California life, I’d be chugging caffeine before the sun comes up, and getting to my favorite shorebird sanctuaries and mudflats as the light turns magenta rose …
Goose + Water
Feathers are such critical components of a bird’s flight, insulation and general survival, it’s no surprise they have meticulous spa routines. The bathing helps remove dirt and parasites, the preening helps reset the feather barbs. Most birds also coat the feathers with protective oil from the uropygial gland. We came upon a small family of…
Ice Ducks
Here’s my segue from Winter Water . . . to the semi-graceful form of winter ducks. The snow is gone, but I still froze my fingers into Rocket Pops, snapping pics of these ducks navigating their own version of tundra. Unlike me, the ducks kept their digits warm, thanks to the ingenious countercurrent circulation system…
A Cutthroat Trout’s Haiku (Winter Water)
Swim in mottled waves Warmed in frost, cooled in amber Iceberg is your world ~ A Cutthroat Trout’s Haiku (by Ingrid Taylar)
CSI: Fish Count
I’ve been monitoring the fish happenings at our local beach — the official “Fish Count” of returning salmon. I knew this park years ago when my family lived close by. It was a figment then of what it’s now become, restored to encourage Coho and Chum salmon to return up creek and spawn. The habitat…
