Invasion of the Grackles
We had a blizzard yesterday. It snowed and sleeted and the wind whipped around endlessly moving the snow from here to there. The official count was 10 inches, but because of the drifts it was much deeper in some places. I fed the birds throughout the day, they never stopped coming. A flock of Grackles showed up, there must have been 30 of them first hanging out in the top of a tree and then flying in for some eats. Grackles travel in flocks and like to dominate at feeders. I think they are beautiful despite their bossiness. I wrote about them previously here. I captured a few of them with my camera as they flew down from the tree, their purplish iridescent bodies standing out in contrast with the snow. They hung around for about an hour and then all flew off together in search of a new backyard. 
Share Your World
Do you push the elevator button more than once? Do you really believe it makes the elevator faster?
I try to avoid elevators whenever possible and take the stairs. I don’t like being in an elevator and prefer the stairs from the standpoint of exercise. Exceptions are when visiting a friend who lives on the 23rd floor of her apartment building. I never push the button more than once as it serves no purpose.
Do you plan out things usually or do you do them more spontaneous (for example if you are visiting a big city you don’t know?)
I like to plan ahead, especially if I am visiting someplace new. I usually map out an itinerary. Each day, where we are going, what we are seeing. Once it did not work out as planned, my husband and I arrived at what we thought would be a lovely place to stay and after one look said “we’re out of here!” We ended up driving farther North and finding a wonderful place to stay and a new area to explore.
Describe yourself in at least four uplifting words.
I don’t know if these are uplifting, but they kind of describe me. Loyal, Energetic, Trustworthy, Friendly
If you had a choice which would be your preference salt water beaches, fresh water lakes, ocean cruise, hot tub, ski resort or desert?
Salt water beach hands down. I hate lakes- all that mud on the bottom and cold dark water. I would never go on a cruise- I like to know I am on land, hot tubs are full of who knows what growing in them, in order to ski it has to be snowy and cold, both of which I don’t like at all, and the desert is just too much sand all in one place.
The Weekly Smile
This past Sunday was the Jewish holiday of Purim. It commemorates the salvation of the Jewish people in ancient Persia from Haman’s plot “to destroy, kill and annihilate all the Jews, young and old, infants and women, in a single day,” as recorded in the Megillah – the book of Esther. One of the customs on Purim is to dress up in costumes. There are several reasons given for this custom, one is, in contrast to the overt miracles of the holidays of Passover, Chanukah and other Jewish holidays, the miracle of the holiday of Purim was disguised in natural events.
Yesterday, both faculty and students were encouraged to dress up in the school where I work, (actually the day after Purim as there was no school on Purim) It made me laugh as I walked through the halls encountering kids in costumes and teachers too. My weekly smile
What made you smile?
What a Difference a Day Makes
Last week it was close to 70 degrees in my neck of the woods. Today we are in the midst of a blizzard, with the expected snowfall to accumulate to close to 20 inches. This is the scene out my front door
It is coming down fast and furious. Yesterday I took advantage of the late afternoon sun- and this is what I saw..
these poor things covered in inches and inches of snow today
What a difference a day makes.
Black & White Sunday: Countryside
This week Paula has asked us to post a photograph (or several) of a countryside which may, but does not have to, contain buildings or structures of some kind.
My best friend lives an hour West of me, out in the country. These are some of the sights I see when I go to visit. A lot of open land and open road as compared to my suburb lined with houses.
Feathers On Friday
I was looking through some of my bird photos and began to notice just how beautiful the patterns on their backs can be. When their wings are all folded so perfectly together they create almost an art form. Here are some of the ones I especially liked.
A Photo a Week Challenge: Hands
Summer Hands
In order to get onto the Jersey Shore beaches, you need to pay and wear a wrist band to show you have paid. There are local beach patrol people who come around to check people have their wristbands on. There are different designs every day. Here are two of them.
Wordless Wednesday
Travel theme: Paths
Spring is NOT in the Air
I woke up this morning, checked the weather and was greeted with this:
13°
CLEAR
feels like 0°
H 39° / L 22°
I would like to remind you that on Thursday the temperature here was 68 degrees. The poor trees and flowers are so confused, their blossoms and buds appearing only to wake up this morning to well below freezing temps. Mother nature has gone mad, perhaps a reflection of the current state of the United States. Here are some of the hints of spring that I saw last week, and hope can survive this cold snap!
Mr. Mockingbird-My Weekly Smile
I spent Friday morning with a friend at Wave Hill park in Riverdale NY. We were there a few weeks ago and I wrote about it here. It is a place that always makes me smile, and especially when the sun is shining and there was no one else on the grounds except for us!
There is a Mockingbird who lives there who never fails to greet us as we enter the grounds, and he did so once again . He seems to have little fear of people and comes fairly close while looking for food on the grass and paths. He was there this morning atop a tree, taking in the views of the Hudson River
He then flew to the ground and said hello
and came in for his close up
As we left he was singing atop another tree, with a Blue Jay responding to his calls it seemed! I look forward to seeing him again next time – he does always bring a smile. What made you smile this week?
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Weekly Photo Challenge: The Road Taken
Cee’s Black & White Photo Challenge: Letters A or B
Thursday’s Special: Pick a Word in March
I took an Astronomy course in high school- we were allowed to take an elective in 11th grade and seeing as I was not cut out for Chemistry or whatever else was offered, I chose Astronomy. I was always fascinated by the stars and the sky, the constellations. In the summer my father and I would watch the shooting stars on the lawn of my grandparent’s home in the country- the sky dark and not competing with city lights, allowing us a glimpse of them traveling across the sky.
In the astronomy class I learned about the phases of the moon. The moon waxes gibbous and wanes gibbous. The word gibbous refers to phases where the moon is more than half illuminated. Waxing essentially means “growing” or expanding in illumination, and waning means “shrinking” or decreasing in illumination.
When I saw gibbous was one of Paula’s choices for this week’s challenge I immediately thought of the moon.
Cee’s Fun Foto Challenge: Looking Up at Things
This is The Titanium Bell located within a silo at the Stone Barn Center for Food & Agriculture in Pocantico Hills, NY.
I was literally laying on my back looking up into the silo to get this shot
Here’s the info on the bell.
and here’s what it sounds like
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The Changing Seasons
The month of February brought higher than average temperatures where I live, and just one day of snow that melted quickly because the temps were so high. The warmer weather allowed me to get out and walk quite often, and even when it wasn’t so warm, I bundled up and hit the local trails and parks. The Red Winged Blackbirds returned during the last few days of February, signaling the advent of Spring. Their mating calls heard wherever I walked. Earlier sunrises greeted me, and later sunsets. When I spotted Crocuses along the banks of a creek I knew for sure spring was coming and said so long to February.
Red Wing Blackbird
Sunset
Wordless Wednesday
Color Your World: Robin Egg Blue
Duet
My husband has been playing piano for about 7 years, taking lessons as an adult and learning to read music. A few weeks ago he asked his piano teacher if she knew someone who might be interested in playing along with him, as he felt it would help improve his playing if he accompanied someone. She recommended a woman named Laura, who lived just a few blocks from us, who played the cello.
My husband met with her and came home rather discouraged. Laura has been playing the cello since she was 10 years old (she is now 91) and is leaps and bounds ahead of my husband. They decided to work on one piece that he knows well, in the hope he could keep up with her and follow along.
Last night I went with him to meet Laura. I sat at the piano and attempted to accompany her on Handel’s Largo, which I found to be a real mental exercise. I needed to read the music I was playing while also keeping my eyes on the notes above mine that were for cello so I would be accompanying her correctly. It was exhausting! Now I fully understood how difficult this must be for my husband.
They played Robert Schumann’s Träumerei, which when he plays at home he knows by heart and doesn’t miss a note. The pressure of accompanying and playing in front of someone psyched him out and he flubbed a few notes but I thought did well anyway. Here they are together.
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Cee’s Share Your World
Ever ran out of gas in your vehicle?
I have never run out but I have been known to let the tank run pretty near empty. My husband fills up as soon as he hits a 1/2 tank.
Which are better: black or green olives?
I am not a fan of olives- I don’t mind black in a Greek salad and I can’t remember the last time I had a green olive.
If you were a great explorer, what would you explore?
Exploring as in travel? Exploring as in searching for new planets? I am not really an adventurous person, I enjoy learning new things and about all different topics so maybe I would like to explore more things in nature, learn more about birds and their habitats. I am not a traveler, give me a nice beach and an ocean to park myself in front of all day and I’m good.
Quotes List: At least three of your favorite quotes?
Fly Like An Eagle
There is a river near my home that many Eagles frequent-two of these Eagles have built a nest in a tree there. I took a walk along the river this morning and much to my delight saw a few of the locals- juvenile Eagles flying around. Their heads still brown, not white as when they mature, their feathers still an uneven brown. I am still trying to master the art of capturing birds in flight with my camera so this morning provided a great opportunity. The drawback was the morning sun shining brightly, which I loved, but found made it hard to get clear shots. Once again I found myself in awe watching these majestic birds take flight from a tree, their wings spread wide and so graceful as they flapped and then would coast along. Here are three of them.
One of these guys doesn’t seem to be too happy with the other.
Many buildings sit behind the area near the river, this Eagle flies by pointing out the contrast between nature and man’s modern development infringing on their habitat.
Taking a break and looking for breakfast
Black & White Sunday: After & Before
This week Paula asks us to show the same photo, regardless of the subject, in both monochrome and colour.
Thursday’s Special: Focus
The theme of this week’s Thursday Special challenge is FOCUS. Paula says: We all want our images to be tack sharp and in focus, but there are situations when we prefer to have some parts of the image in blur i.e. out of focus to better isolate the subject we want to focus on (pun intended). This technique is called selective focus.
I ventured out today to take advantage of very springlike weather for the month of February. This little Chickadee was busy cracking open a nut. My focus was on his intent, not the branches of the tree.
The same with this Titmouse- focus on the seed and feeder and him, not the bushes behind him.
A Nuthatch focused on enjoying the sun like me.
This Sparrow was who I was focused on, not the squirrel on the branch behind him.
A Day In The Life 
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