Thursday, March 29, 2012

You Really Can't Go Home Again

It’s always a little weird to visit the town I grew up in. Well, one of them, anyway. On one hand, the area always seems a little stuck in time to me. On the other, though, so totally different. I suppose it’s sort of like seeing someone you went to school with and haven’t seen in 20+ years. You know them, but only as their 18 year old self. Familiar and, yet, not at all.

One thing that never changes is my love of open space. Maybe a product of growing up in the Midwest?
McGinnis Slough

That is one of the things I disliked about living in NH. Too many damn trees! Sparse, OK. In the distance, OK. Nothing but trees? Yuck! I want to SEE! I do enjoy being in the woods, but I would also like the option of NOT being in the woods. I remember talking to someone when I was in NH about perhaps going to VT for a long weekend. She was also a Midwesterner. Her response to my weekend idea was, “Why bother spending the money on gas? It looks exactly like NH.” Ha! True dat.

Don’t get me wrong. I’m not totally hatin’ on trees. Just in smaller doses, perhaps.

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Also, photographing anything in the woods is a total pain in the ass. Poor camera damn-near had an aneurism trying to figure out what to focus on.

Northern Cardinal

A little available sky, though? Much better.

Eastern Bluebird

Or some open ground?

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The weather was unreal. Three layers in San Jose, T-shirt in Chicago.
20° warmer than in CA is odd.
 
Spring was certainly in the air.

Lots of showing off.

American Robin

Bufflehead

And screaming about how handsome one is.

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Red-winged Blackbird

And proving it.

Red-winged Blackbird

Some just getting right down to business.

Dragonfly

And then fruits of previous business

Painted Turtle Hatchling

How cute, right?!?!

I almost stepped on him in the parking lot

Painted Turtle Hatchling

Not happy about being picked up, but I wanted to move him out of traffic anyway. I’m sure he’s over it by now.

Painted Turtle Hatchling

I hope they don’t end up with another frost out there. Will be an ugly summer if they do.

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And the girls did fine on their not-so-vacation. I asked them to bath them for me. Kate came home all shiny and clean. Bella? Not so much. Apparently, she would not stay in the tub for the groomer. Just all kinds of NO! She was afraid that she would hurt herself so she didn’t bath her. I cannot tell you how weird that is. I could see Kate doing that, not Bella though. Bella does not enjoy a bath, tolerates it, but is good about it. This would have been her second time being groomed by someone other than me. I wonder if the dryer freaked her out last time? Dunno. Weird, though.

I guess I have to put that on my to-do list now.
Boo.





6 comments:

  1. The cuteness! The birds! The dragonflies!
    <3 :)

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  2. Yes, gorgeous photos. And I'm with you about needing some open space. AND trees!

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  3. I'm also from the midwest and agree that open space is key! I have a friend from WV and all he says is how he needs trees and mountains so that he doesn't feel so "exposed." Weird, isn't it? AWESOME photos (and funny captions). Just stumbed onto this site, but look forward to returning!

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  4. Nice blog! and super pictures,
    Thanks for sharing...

    ReplyDelete