Posts Tagged: Southern California

How to Start Your Morning: The Daily Otter

Posted by & filed under nature + environment, oh, california.

Tagline: “OMG Otters!”
Yes, the Daily Otter delivers and is currently my fave site to check every morning with my tea.
Now that kelp beds are reestablished along the Southern Californian coasts and the government has rescinded orders to relocate any otters found south of Point Conception, may we start to see otters off Dog Beach in a couple of years or a decade from now. Hopefully

Yesterday’s Hummingbird

Posted by & filed under nature + environment, oh, california.

Tourists taking photos of the Hummingbird Lovely young Hummingbird Unperturbed, looking straight at me

Photos of the Hummingbird & Agapanthas at the Huntington Library & Gardens taken by Ms. Jen with her Nokia N8.

Yesterday, Thurs 08.18.11, Erika and I went to the Huntington Library and Gardens, as we walked towards the Rose Garden we passed a line of agapanthas that were thick with hummingbirds. Most were Anna’s Hummingbirds fighting for territory over the flowers, but there was one very calm and peaceful young (juvenile, 1st summer) Allen’s or Rufous hummingbird that was sipping at the agapanthas at its leisure and then resting on top of the flowerstalks.
I thought this was very sane behavior as it was 93F/34C in the shade. But as more and more of the visitors walking down the path stopped to take photos of a hummingbird at rest and so close up, Erika and I started to get concerned that it was sick and not able to move. At one point it sat for a breather on the sidewalk, which is a typical behavior of very young birds in their first week or two of fledgling/learning to fly as their muscles aren’t quite ready.
I am glad that this little hummingbird had a court of respectful, if not photo-full admirers, while it was getting its strength up to fly rather than a bevy of local cats. After about 10 minutes, I got a bit distressed and asked Erika if we could move on, as I was afraid we would see the bad side of the circle of life.
Dear little young one, you were very lovely. May you fledge successfully. May you visit many flowers and have a long and good life in the shadow of the San Gabriel Mountains. Many blessings upon you. Thank you for letting us watch you.

Today, Thursday, The Fourth of February, One Day After the Third Which was the Cross-Quarter Day

Posted by & filed under fun stuff, moleskine to mobile.

Local Calla Lilies Local Ornamental Pear Blossoms Pink & Apricot Rose off the same bush Magnolia and her Savings, Pre-Ear Piercing Ely shooting a photo with his Mom's new Nokia N97 Mini Magnolia, after she cashed in her savings for pierced ears

Photos of Thurs 02.04.10 taken by Ms. Jen with a Nokia N97

Thurs 02.04.10 – Three tweets from the 5 o’clock hour this evening:

@msjen: That was *HYSTERICAL* A neighborhood 5 year old boy just showed up to show me his mom’s new phone, “Look, it is a mini computer” he says. about 6 hours ago
@msjen: Me, “Does you Mom know you have her new phone?” Ely, “No!” Me, “I think you should go home.” “Ok” His Mom has a new Nokia N97 mini. about 6 hours ago
@msjen: Of course, I had him stop long enough to do a video. I am now walking over there to make sure he really took it home. about 6 hours ago

I do have video of Ely standing at my door telling me about his Mom’s new ‘mini-laptop’ as he brandished a brand new Nokia N97 Mini with no adult in sight. I need to get Carolyn’s permission before I post it, though. He was so excited about the ‘mini-laptop’ that could take photos.
When I walked over to their house to make sure that Carolyn’s new phone made it home without harm, Ely informed me that the Nokia N97 that I had was ‘Too Big’ and that his Mom’s new phone was much better than the big N97. Carolyn and I tried to show him that the Mini is just a smaller version of the N97, but he was convinced it was MUCH BETTER. Oh, to be 5 and all boy.
I proceeded to show him how to take photos and video. He particularly liked the sports mode of the digital still camera and made his Mom run down the sidewalk to get an action shot.
In other local Seal Beach news, all the flowers are a-bloom due to last week’s rain. Magnolia, aka Bird, cashed in her savings for pierced ears at the Westminster Mall. She got pink sparkly earrings. Magnolia hopefully appreciates that her Mom is super cool to let her get her ears pierced at 4, I had to wait until I was 7.
;o)