snowyness...

=)

got ta snowshoe today...

ahhhh.......

If I'm ever impossibly stressed, someone should slap snowshoes on me, plop me in a snowy place (with food & water in backpack), say "See ya in a few hours!" and leave.

Just did 90 min, as ankle (recent injury) sent a quiet beacon of "okay, that's far enough....please consider returning..." but it was very enjoyable.

But, wow, not quiet. I forgot how loud snowshoes can be! Ours are some kind of plastic (but good) and if the snow is icy/packed, as ours was, look out. No sneaking up on squirrels today.

However, the world, blanketed in sparkly white snow, was quiet. Peaceful. Heavenly.

(snow bank WAY over my head. fun!)

xoxo the biobabbler

the Pacific

Got to see the sea yesterday. Mostly cloudy, deserted beach with 10 million gulls on the north end at the mouth of the river, and along the river was a fuzzy, quiet row of harbor seals warming themselves.

The recent storms kicked up a lot of shells, barnacles, and other goodies from the sea, so the beach was littered with varied beauties. I remember my grandmother used to take us to the beach after a storm, because she said that was the best time to find shells. I think she was onto something. Only now I photograph, versus gather, them.

Also, the beach south of where we went has the most amazing rolled rocks--I'll look for photos I took last time I was there and will share them. SO colorful and smooth and shiny. Color and texture heaven.

In the meantime, reporting from the road...

biobabbler

Mount Rainier, as promised...

I call it the wacky cloud photo. From 3rd burroughs trail at Mount Rainier. An amazing hike which I highly recommend. It was the closest I ever felt to the peak (I am not a climber).

Another shot from the same hike...

I love the giant glacier oozing down the mountain and off to the right.

This is from the south part of the park (3rd burroughs is north ish), and you're looking at the Nisqually glacier. I don't know why I like this picture, but I do. It looks a little surreal to me.

xoxobiobabbler

P.S. You may notice I've added watermarks onto my photos--a necessary evil, I'm afraid, and I have been and will be pursuing ways to make different types of watermarks so you can really enjoy the photo, yet it's indelibly biobabbler in case a passing stranger feels a little grabby. =)

Richard Dawkins and Eddie Izzard

So, it's official, I get to post about Eddie Izzard (saw him in Oakland Saturday p.m. and IT WAS AMAZING and so soundly GOOD I cannot get over it) because he mentioned Richard Dawkins in his narrative. I almost passed out with happiness.

He was talking about the meaning of life. "There is none. We're just....here." That's totally what I believe. He said that it can initially be scary, but how I remember Dawkins saying it in a "Question Man" article I read in college and remember TO THIS DAY, "ultimately, it's freeing." As E.I. put it, eventually, you say...Okay. And move forward.

Welcome to my world.

(artist is apparently Desmond Morris, and I got this image from popularsymbolism.files.wordpress.com)

The Selfish Gene, by R.D., was filed on my dad's bookshelf in the living room, so the front cover faced out. Grew up with that freaky image (which makes me think of Dali's Persistence of Memory) as a part of my world. I always found it intriguing, and sometimes would just stare at it. Little did I know that book informed my father's, and now my, world view.

I'm SO excited to have a garden next summer--been poring over seed catalogues. Just picturing the lovely green things growing and blooming, bees buzzing, and spiders climbing is enjoyable. Especially while watching snow melt and drip onto my porch.

Thinking sunflowers are a must. Are there any "must haves" for you when you garden?

Oh, and btw, sick chicken seems to be reviving through her recent stay indoors, eating baby organic lettuce by the handful, so that's a HUGE relief.

=) xo biobabbler

consider us warned...

Winter Weather Advisory

Flood Advisory

Special Weather Statement

Hazardous Weather Outlook

I don't think I've EVER seen FOUR different kinds of warnings on our weather forecast. Wow.

Woke up to pretty snow this a.m.

Looks like it'll be sunny this weekend, then back to rain. Man, if I was going to be here next week, I'd seriously bust out my snowshoes...

And looked at forecast for where I'll be next week and RAIN rain rain rain....maybe I"ll get lucky and get some cool between-storms-sun-break lighting? One can always hope.

I frequently forget that often, when the weather inspires you to stay inside, you really should go OUTside with your camera, 'cause you may get some sun breaks with amazing storm cloud scenes. Witness Ansel Adams....

Hm, maybe I'll go birding on the coast, as I've been told that during storms, you'll see the coolest gulls (mostly pelagic) 'cause they're waiting out the storm on land.  That's an idea!

technical challenges...

...are delaying my posts, and travel plans this weekend and next week mean that I will be uncharacteristically quiet until week after next.

Good news is that my 2nd trip may, if the weather is good, result in some fresh, new photos. I really hope it's clear (at least ~ish) because there's few things that make me happier than taking photos in a beautiful place.

Heaven.

So, no worries, I'll be back soon, fresh from adventures, and I at that time I will fulfill the Mount Rainier and abstract photo theme request.

xoxo the biobabbler

forecast was rain, actual weather was...

winter wonderland... =)

more bugs 'n' flowers

Just a few quick hits before I head to snooze land...I think these are both from Kansas.

some kinda handsome creature looking ready to launch from sunflower

crab spider doing a very good job of not looking like a spider...

xoxo biobabbler

Forecast from NOAA...are you serious?!?

M.L.King Day Tstms Hi 48 °F

Tonight Heavy Rain Lo 37 °F

Tuesday Heavy Rain Hi 45 °F

Tuesday Night Rain Lo 37 °F

Wednesday Heavy Rain Hi 45 °F

Wednesday Night Rain Lo 36 °F

Thursday Heavy Rain Hi 44 °F

Thursday Night Rain Likely Lo 36 °F

Friday Rain Likely Hi 43 °F

Woah....for HERE, this is VERY unusual...We'll see how the mood fares, but happily I have giant pile of books that needs to get read.

Psyched about the snow stores higher up.

xo biobabbler

And the photo theme winner is...

Flowers and bugs!

Going through my pics last night to get them onto my mac was a revelation.

I have a lot of pictures of bugs. A LOT. I had no idea.

For a trip that involved the midwest, I'm pretty sure there are more pictures of bugs than people.

ANYhow, here's the first of several.

This is a tiny caterpillar we saw on a blooming indigo plant in the Anza-Borrego desert. Tiny, adorable creature. And the colors in that plant make me nuts--white stems, super dark, intense purple blossoms, so beautiful.

I'm off to clean the coops. It's going to rain a TON so I want the interior of their coop to be as dry and clean as possible, since they'll be spending a lot of time there over then next week.

Will post more pics later. =)  Enjoy!

biobabbler

P.S. Aw, heck, here's one more...

This flower is a native to the Texas region, HUGE red flowers on a towering plant. The instigator is a neighbor of relatives in Texas who has landscaped in all natives, almost making me swoon. Gave us a tour of everything, and I took lots of photos, catching these dashing creatures amid all the shiny red.

snow is a no go

So, no go snow. Foo.

Friends cannot visit, after all, due to physical phaulter down there (in addition to mine), so apparently I’ll be nursing my ankle, doing pilates/yoga videos, and NOT bringing you marvelous pictures fresh from the Sierra Nevada.

But, I can, over the next few days, post pictures on any of the following themes:

• Big, crazy fire of 2008 (view from our property, among others, the Yosemite fire in all the papers and national TV)
  
• Best bobcat photo
  
• Great snake shot
  
• Fresh from the East Coast pics (mostly Boston)
  
• Mega manzanita
  
• Abstract nature shots
  
• Hawaii glamour shots
  
• Yosemite glamour shots (sky and rocks and water, usual themes)
  
• Yellowstone glamour shots
• Mount Rainier glamour shots
  
• Mount Saint Helen shots
  
• Cool flower/bug shots
  
• Garden rocking hard shots
  

YOU (my audience of, what, 2?) get to pick. So, whomever comments gets to pick, and if more than one person replies, then I’ll pick the most popular topic (if there is overlap). Or one per day. Something reasonable.

Otherwise, if you say nothing, I’ll just put up what I want. =)

xoxo the biobabbler

thank heaven my doctor has good taste...

May have to temporarily change my name to biohobbler.

Went to doctor’s office today to have him check out my ankle. Happily they shoved me into his packed schedule. Kind of them.

I must say he has the BEST magazines. Read Smithsonian (African lions, as studied by researcher based deep in Midwest) in the waiting room, and was devouring an article on the potential secession of Greenland (aided by global warming, interestingly enough) in Outside mag. when my doctor arrived.

The conclusion is a sprain of some sort of an ankle tendon, no x-ray needed, and that if I keep up the RICE (rest, ice, compression and elevation) action and up my ibu a bit, I can at least TRY snowshoeing this weekend, as long as I “have an exit strategy.” I said we’d be bringing sleds…he smiled, and escaped to his other 99 patients.

Nothing like a quick trip to the doctor to make you grateful for your health. Invariably there are people there with MUCH bigger health issues to make me feel grateful.

Plus, they took my blood pressure and it was 110 over 60. SWEET! I actually said that out loud when the nurse told me. I wonder why they tell you your blood pressure but never say your weight or pulse? Is there a reason for that?

Anyhow, hoping for the best, and have surfed web for extra pair of snowshoes to buy to complete our set. LOVE the MSR snowshoes—a-MA-zingly easy to use. I’ve never needed the fins ‘cause the snow out here is so heavy and wet, but we’ll buy them just in case.

Oh, and I’ll bring my camera for SURE so I can show you the Sierran snow and skies.

xoxo biobabbler

P.S. 2 days ago chased either a sharp-shinned or a Cooper's hawk out of the garden. I believe it was going for the little birds there, not my chicken, but nevertheless, continued my "cursed varmint!" vigilance. Cool bird to see, though...

where is the line?

Yeah. So. Was getting psyched about seeing friends (impending visitors chez-nous) and going snowshoeing this weekend. Really psyched.

Because:     I    LOVE    SNOWSHOEING.  Seriously. Guaranteed happy if I’m warm, dry, and snowshoeing. And I almost never go.

So, yesterday doing exercise DVD (that I’ve done before) which involves jumping (an imaginary) rope. My ankle started to hurt a tiny bit. Felt stiff, really. So, I stopped jumping and did squats instead. Fine.

Then, when the exercise was mountain climbers, I thought I’d try them. Ankle still felt stiff. And I thought, well, what about the “walk it off” thing guys do in football? Sometimes that works.

So, kept jumping and then BAM, I felt real pain. Stopped immediately and thought – oh, crap. Snowshoeing! I felt a hot pain in a very small space on my ankle, which reminded me of the pain I felt in my right ankle when I’d apparently chipped the bone.

So, I did the rest, ice, compression, and elevation thing and took Ibu and hoped (and hopped) for the best (e.g., extremely short-term injury).

So my question is, where is the line between pushing yourself during a workout, and overdoing it? Hmmn?

From what I've been reading, strengthening supporting muscles (like calf, ankle, quadriceps, hamstrings) may reduce my risk of future injury, and is an approach I intend to pursue.

Nevertheless, I wish I could actually SEE the line between pushing myself through a tough workout vs. pushing myself too far. I’d be very happy to stay on the good side of it. Really. But, clearly, it evades me.

You?

xo biobabbler

circadian shmircadian...

In the last week, NOT counting yesterday or today, weather = very sunny.

In the last week, NOT counting yesterday or today, my mood = very sunny.

Yesterday, skies = dark.

Yesterday, mood = dark.

Today, skies = variable.

Today, mood = variable.

Yeah, and some people have a hard time picturing themselves as mammals, just another of many species on the planet, subject to many of the same influences.

Not me. 

Seriously, just now, sun is back out, and my mood is lifting again. Doncha just love being unpredictable?

xoxo biobabbler

pumpkin pulverizing & power poop-out

Weather and I were moody yesterday. I was sluggish, the skies were dark, wind was whipping, and the power went out around 4 p.m. until welllll after bedtime.

Before we lost power, though, things did get done, like converting the last pumpkin into puree for pie, and scones or cookies. Here's the before and after I-had-my-way shots....

happy, freshly washed rouge vif d'estampes (Cinderella) pumpkin, post-seed-saving-scooping

scraped of all it's contents. came out of the oven much deflated, with a pool of boiling pumpkin juice in the center.

pumpkin puree mit kitty

next I'll share some of my after-the-storm photos

xoxo biobabbler

6 flickers and 2 eggs

SIX red-shafted flickers (big birds) in the SAME small section of the SAME manzanita shrub/tree. Odd! Maybe it's covered in ants? Oh, now it looks like they're gathering in ANOTHER manzanita. Who knew they were so social?

There have been 50 million birds out in the mid-morning, lately. Maybe because it's been so warm, and the bugs are active? Flickers, blue birds, juncos, etc.

And, today I found TWO EGGS. One in the 3 amigos coop, and 1 in red's. I can't remember how long it's been since we've had 2 in one day. I think Moby Chick (front of 3) is all done molting, Edie (back of 3) is getting there, but Cinder (black and white) is still going (no long, black feathers on her hiney). (oh, in case you don't know, often when chickens are molting, they stop laying eggs, so that's why this is relevant.)

I'm not sure Fanny (a.k.a. red) molted at all. She always looks perfect, like the sorority president. Excruciatingly well-groomed. So Hollywood.

And, finally, this is a shot I took in the a.m. after the amazing sunset. Gorgeous sunrise. We've been very spoiled in that regard, of late.

xo the biobabbler

sunset pic...

looks most like what I saw if you tilt your screen back AND lower your head to view from lower down.

that's not even the best pic....

oh my g!

That was possibly THE MOST AMAZING SUNSET I have EVER SEEN here.

Stunned.

Don't know what to say.

Woah.

Pics tomorrow...

In awed silence...

the biobabbler

what am I chasing?

I just ran after something (predator) and it occurred to me mid-stride that I didn't know what it was. Bobcat? Grey fox? Hmm.

It's an interesting feeling, this realization washing over the back of your brain, while you are chasing an unknown, wild creature into the woods, shovel in hand... =)

And who says the sticks are dull?

turkey trot

Yesterday I finally got myself to drive in costume (as "runner") to where I run. This is a beautiful landscape with pretty much no dogs, almost no traffic, and a gravel road with views of the mountains and a long field filled with pale mares. GORgeous. Decided NOT to do my little "getting to 5K" routine but just do the usual run 3 min, walk 1, repeat, gig. Fine.

At the very start, during my warmup walk I spied a turkey.

(Technically this is and others are from our property, spring 2009, but you get the picture.)

Then a few more.

(dig the freaky pale one!)

Then more; a brown river of turkeys was flowing in front of me.

They were clearly alarmed by my presence, and their group was divided by the road, so ones on my right were rushing for safe places to slide under fencing to rejoin their group. I took my earbuds out 'cause I figured they'd be chatting mightily via their (not so) little contact calls (my presumption re: function of calls). I was not disappointed, and stopped walking to calm them. And to absorb this event.

They are charming, and seemingly very attached to one another.

Finally, after much anxiety, panicked chortling, and mistrusting glances my way, the splinter group scuttled across the road and up the hill to reunite. I counted 24 in all.

They are beautiful. I do enjoy them in and of themselves, but, they do NOT belong here--not native west of the Sierras. This is a huge pet peeve of mine that Fish and Game is paid $$$ to plant NON-NATIVE species which compete with and potentially spread disease to NATIVE species including, oh, I don't know, the STATE BIRD?!?! (California quail, a ground-dwelling bird like the turkey) among others, plus who knows what they're doing to the invertebrate population (which did not evolve with these HUGE creatures), the stability of the litter layer, etc.

(Studs Turkey)

So, I don't dislike them (the turkeys or F&G). I think they're just trying to get along. But I deeply dislike this policy.

How is it okay? I'd really like to see an EIS for this...

Anyhow, that's one of the things I thought about as I then trotted down the trail to see my other running companions, the stunning grey mares. I will work on bringing a SMALL camera along 'cause this place is gorgeous, and I really should share. =)

In the mean time, this has been another (phew, somewhat cathartic!) installment of...

the biobabbler

bloom on the chrysanthemum I've not yet managed to kill. seems to thrive on my absence (gone last 2 weeks) and the presence of OTHER folks who actually, you know, water plants on a fairly regular basis. blooming it's little heart out. sweet.

wake up call, a la owl

At around 5 a.m. today, when I was being harassed by my cat who was bored (i.e. I was unwillingly and grumpily awake in the dark) I was then happily awake to hear a great horned owl call VERY near my (closed) window. It was the classic "who cooks for you" call. So, once I kicked the cat out of the room, I got to go back to sleep to the lovely call of a friendly neighbor. =) It does happen around here, but not that often, and this was v. close. SO COOL!

Of course, it's really probably yet ANOTHER potential predator of my chickens, but they're in their respective coops when it's dark, so I don't sweat them (yet).

And if you wanna wake up your cats,  surf the web (cornell is always great, but this time I went to www.owlpages.com) and find owl calls and play them. That will get their attention. =)

Speaking of chickens, here's Fanny (her name is a story for another time), our Rhode Island Red, ably pointing out what I discovered when I removed a chunk of flagstone (to actually use) from our yard, to discover tunnels and a very tidy grainery of sorts. The little grass seeds were stacked SO neatly, it was amazing. I felt very bad I was clearly messing up someone's winter storage plans, but it was early enough in the season, I figured they'd have time to implement a plan B.

Until next time...biobabbler

welcome to my whirled

The flavors of biobabbler: a fervent love of nature, photography, cooking pretty and yummy food, travel, bio-adventures, with some gardening and possible fitness stuff jammed in. I am a huge fan of "life" and have a ringside seat and NikonD50. It's a pretty sweet gig.

I live on 5 acres in the Sierras and am spoiled re: wildlife, etc., I get to see everyday. I love to write, edit, and photograph, and wanna learnta bea websitebuilder, so, THIS is the result/experiment.

Above is Bob, my spokesbuck. He was resting 30 feet from our house yesterday, looking exceedingly studly (when mouth not open chewing food bolus), his glory only marred by my lame fencing which is a necc. evil to protect hacked lilacs from, you guessed it, Bob and his ilk (typo was "elk"). =)

Much of the time I am, while doing other things at home office, on predator patrol. Witness immature red-tailed hawk from last month...white wires of top of garden where "the girls"(3 hens) were. Yikes!

The constants: any and all mid- to large-sized predators want my chickens, I don't want them to GET my chickens, and my chicken protection devises are imperfect. Hence the need for vigilance.

The variables: my vigilance, what is on my feet when I run after attempted assailant (huge sorels, flip flops, socks, nothing), what my feet/shoes encounter (snow, mud, pinecones, poison oak, 50,000 stick-tights), my arsenal (rake, shovel, board, nothing), and my foe (raptor, bobcat, coyote, dog). Oh, and my verbal assault upon foe...

If a bear is determined, I will basically just have to plan for new chickens next year. Bears are their own trump card. The coop is pretty-much-everything-proof except for bear. Our HOUSE is not bear-proof. And I have to sleep some time...

ANYhow, so as not to be too long-winded, if you return, I can promise you travel, wildlife viewing, food photos, and general goofiness. Would love to hear any comments or questions.

Until next time, here's our local bobcat (Max) beckoning for you to follow along with us and our year in the sticks...