Back to reality

Vacation over, leftovers consumed, back to work. Yah...Mule!!!! Can you hear the whips cracking in the background? Fun's over.

I had such plans for my days off. Vacations aren't for just lazing around. I must be productive or I've just wasted those precious moments I dream about when I'm working. I knew my "To Do" list was longer than I could possibly handle, but I figured that I would just write everything down and use it as a guideline. I'm a list-maker. If I don't write it down, I may forget to do it at all. And crossing off entries is such a satisfying feeling. Aaah, accomplishment!

So, I drafted my ambitious list and promptly put it somewhere I would never look at it. Not on purpose. It just sort of happened that way. Over the week, I did all sorts of things that felt right at the moment and when I finally came across my "To Do" list on the last day, I saw that I had only done one thing on it. Good Heavens!!! I still had time, so I quickly managed to start a couple of those forgotten projects so I could feel good about myself. Not that I didn't get anything done up till then. I just had to cross things off. I know, I'm sick.

Before I get fully back to that reality, I thought I would share some "unreal" pictures that aren't truly what they appear to be. Some tricks of the eye.

Me and the Idaho Babes hanging at the beach. But wait...there's no beach in Idaho! And, where are our lower extremities?

Girls on the Beach

I found this tiny "palm tree" at one of my pools and put in on "sandy landscape".

Palm Tree in the Sand

I was driving along and this "moose" caught my eye. There's not too many moose in Thousand Oaks. It was just a jagged branch on a tree.

Moose on Fence

I found this thoughtful "man" in my net one day.

Man in Net

See the cute little "dog" I found in one yard?

Fuchsia Dog

I discovered a beautiful "dress" in the rocks.

Rockin' Dress

More strange rock formations.

DUCK!!!!

Okay, this one is just fun.

Ride 'em Cowboy

You are now leaving Primeval World....back to the real world, where people work and you dream about your next vacation.

It's Tough to be a Bird

I may be dating myself here, but I believe this cartoon/live action clip was featured on The Wide World of Disney (Sunday nights at 8:00 pm back in the day). I remember the cartoon bird character and his voice, but I can't really say that I recall what, exactly, was "tough" about being a bird. Well, yesterday I was an actual eye-witness to the trials of our little feathered friend.

So, I walk into a backyard and right by the skimmer box where I put my pool stuff down is a plump little birdie belly-up. Aw...so sad. Anyone remember the Death Records label from The Phantom of the Paradise? (again, dating myself). I think, "Did the doggies that live here leave me a present? Bad dogs!!"  Maybe Mr. Birdie flew into the window that he was laying by. And then I think..."Oh no, do I have to pick it up and get rid of it? Nasty!!!!!" As I get closer, I see that it is trembling. AAGGHH!!! It's still alive! Now what do I do? I can't just let it suffer, but I'm also not the put-it-out-of-it's-misery type of guy. I'll have to think on this one. Clean the pool-figure it out later.

While I am cleaning I look up and Mr. Birdie has righted himself and is sitting up. It's a Festivus Miracle! Well now. I guess I have to whip out the ole camera, cuz I have a captive audience. I take a few pics up close and go back about my business. I look up again and Mally the Malamute is approaching. "No, Mally", I plead, thinking I'm going to watch a bloodbath before my very eyes. But she's moving slow and comes up and gently nudges Mr. Birdie a couple of times to make sure he is okay and then turns to do her business before going back into the house...whew, that was a close one! Sorry, didn't get that part on camera.

By the time I am done with the pool, Mr. Birdie is looking a lot better, but Max (doggie number two) has not yet emerged and I am afraid he won't be as "motherly" as Mally. I must try to move Mr. Birdie to a safe locale. I gave it my best try, but he wasn't having it and he kind of ruffled his feathers and let out a .... well, let's just say I probably scared the caca out of him. At that point, he was standing and pulling himself together, So I'm going to let myself believe that he gathered his wherewithal and flew the coop.

Fly, Mr. Birdie, fly!!!

Poor Mr. Birdie

Perking Up

So, as you might have guessed, this blog features all sorts of winged creatures. This next pair were on a branch that was cut down from one of our backyard trees. They were taken to the hummingbird hotel to be saved and set free. There is actually a place exclusively for hummingbirds...who knew.

Baby Hummingbirds

I used to have a customer who raised doves. It is amazing how often they have babies. Another nest with an uneven pair of doves. I called the weaker one Fredo.

Baby Doves

Then they have more babies. Apparently, they don't normally let you see them feed. So I was fortunate to get this shot.

Brand New

 They grow up to be so pretty.

Nesting

This next dove was performing for me. He was trying to get my attention because I was taking pictures of a couple of others in the cage. He kept fluttering around and I finally turned toward him and I got the next two shots.

Show Off

As soon as I got this next one, he stopped.

and for my finale

Last year we were setting up camp at Lake Cachuma and this guy decided to come down and have a look-see.

Red-Tailed Hawk

This next one was taken in Palm Desert at a local park.

Duckies

Another client of mine has six hummingbird feeders. Sometimes, if I stand still for a minute, there are a whole flock of them flying around my head. It's pretty cool.

Pinky

A few years ago while Zach and I were in San Antonio, we had a little visitor by the pool.

Pretty Bird

We had another friend in San Antonio. He was a little forward. He kept sticking his head in the window to get the food. He was pecking so forcefully that all the feed was coming out of the baseball cap and he was literally eating out of my lap. You should have heard us screaming like little girls. It was hysterical!

Crazy Bird is smiling at us

And let's not forget Mr. Chicken. He and his buddies live with some horses across the boulevard.

Mr. Chicken

Another backyard bird. I was watering a bush and this little baby flew out but couldn't get very far. I'm not sure if he's a dove or a pigeon.

Baby Bird

And with that, I must fly!