Leaves

On my days off I can go down to the creek in the evening, which I did tonight. Not much doing...the creek now a series of gravel beaches and ponds. I thought to see some birds, but only some tiny ones I keep trying to photograph.

About the same luck I'm having with the mouse...mice...in the house. Spent the day, which was really warm, moving things and vacuuming. They come under the door and I need a threshold plate. Trick is to put the plate on when they are outside. Two it seems, deermice, and they enjoy dashing in and out!

Leaves have to do for today's pic!!

Bird and Green Leaves

Pic from awhile back. I photo walked about a little...there's more trash in the at one place by the creek...so it's someones hangout...reminds me of the homeless sites...and this was depressing and it was hot and financial things were making me fret so I went back to my cabin and slept....

Later played a little softball and that cheered me up...the field is by the upper creek...by upper between the bridge and the lower falls.

Woodpecker

Pic from a week or more ago....didn't get out today.

Einstien Telling The World

Vid. from yesterday. I've been waiting to get this one, and got lucky that Einstien was right in the middle of the roof!!

Didn't get out today.

Sketching

I took my charcoal sketching supplies with, my favorite medium. When I get around to it I'll make a blog for the sketches.

I had the camera along in the hope some critters would come by, but only Blue Jay obliged.

But that's the idea, go down by the creek and sketch, and have the camera with.

A Hawk

I saw this one flying and then perch in a tree near where the creek reaches the Merced, and then I saw another. Pretty exciting.

And I heard a report of a red headed duck with ducklings in the creek, so I'll keep an eye out for that!

Blurry pic made me look up digiscopes...again.

Doe and Two Fawns

Pic from other day. Didn't get out. I'm back to my messed up sleep cycle.

On the hike I got up before dawn, hiked for two or three hours before breakfast, and sun's heat, and I went all day and didn't feel fatigued and slept good.

Oh, I was dehydrated, leg tired, bit woozy, filled with those doggone nagging mundane complaints about the pack weight, and why I miss judged how much more up trail was ahead!! But that's hiking, not fatigue!!

The writing and study wears me down.

Berries

Pic from a few days ago.

Been out and about in the Grand Canyon of Tuolumne. One night I camped in a cedar grove next to the river because it reminded me of Tree in the Door. It's isolated and one of the loneliest trails I've been on.

The cabin has mice. One deer mouse was cute, but now I hear squeekings, and incessant chewing on I don't know what. Tomorrow I have to inspect under the bed and behind the dresser!!

I crossed a bridge and saw a trail sign that said Yosemite Valley 18 miles. I couldn't believe I was that close. Draw a 20 mile circle around the Valley on a topo map and it's remarkable the number of different thing to see.

Yellow Flower

Pic from a few days ago, and not too clear! I have many books to identify things with, and this flower is on the cover of one of the flower books.

I guess I should do that...key everything out.

But I dont know...

a poem..

I know few names of the stars,
And the animals and flowers,
The long ones I mean, the ones the scientists use,
And I know few of the names of the tourists that come to the Valley,
Or their stories.
Sometimes somethings said to begin a conversation
And they open like a book.
Should I open the books I have, and learn the names
Of all the animals and flowers and stars??
The stars over head with no moon at eleven thousand feet,
The rock and moutains surrounding like a bowl holding them--
I could never learn all those names!!
And what stories from the worlds circling around those stars!!
Tomorrow I'll hike a new trail,
Stop now and then and chat,
Take some souvenir photos of the animals and flowers,
And gather some new memories and trail tales.

Jay

Today's pic. Without really pursuing it, sometimes I find color harmony in these telephoto pics that I kinda like.

Baby Oak

Today's backyard pic. The deer usually get to these seedlings...see how long this one lasts...they get pretty big.

Purple Thistel

Didn't get out, was up all night reading a spy thriller. This from a few days ago.

Tiger Swallowtail

Well, one finally held still for a photo. The birds must be snipping the butterlies' wings. From Thursday.

Went to Merced to look at cars, then sat on the bus back next to a fellow who hasn't owned one for forty years, which made small potatoes of my four!!

Chapel Bell

I hear the Chapel Bell on my walks in the backyard. (I don't know if it's a recording, but suspect as much...)

Been away, and will be more next week or two. Posts will be intermittent.

Roots

Pic from yesteday. Walked to the post office, but no pics.

Bird

First pic I took today out in the backyard was a bear plop, and I thought to post it. It's a bit of a naturalist blog here, so it would fit, but..I thought not. But there's a bear definitely in the neighborhood.

I wish I had a clear pic of this bird that's pecking into the cedar.

Dogwood Leaves

Pic from yesterday. Didn't get out.

Yellow Talking Bird

I had a tough time taking this vid and trying to get in focus pic. I almost always have the extended lens out to it's max, and the auto focus latches on to leaves. There is a way to bracket but I haven't got it to work yet. A buck with new antlers moved in the forest, and I wasn't quick enough. That's another challenge, the camera takes awhile to turn on. But all in all it's a marvel.

96 F. in the shade at 5pm.

Where The Creek Comes From

I spent Monday night at May Lake, and late that afternoon went up to Mt. Hoffman. The watershed of Yosemite Creek begins at Mt. Hoffman, which is in the very center of the Park.

That's Half Dome...and a picture I should have taken was of Sentinal which is to the right. Sentinal looms over the Backyard.

Yesterday, after the hike, and a softball practice in the afternoon, I was too tired to post.

Happy Fourth!!

Two Red Flowers

Didn't get out. This from yesterday.