Plum Blossom Dew

A photo composite combining my backyard flowering plum tree, shot at 1AM with moonlight reflecting off the rain/dew drops and, another photo taken when I got up at 9:30AM of the rain/dew drops reflecting the beautiful morning sun.  The dew on the tree looked like sparkling diamonds it glittered so.

Flower Quilt

A composite of various digital and oil paintings for Illustration Friday's word "Layers."

Snow in Marin!

Blue Jay and the other backyard birds don't know what to make of it!

Looking back from 1972 to the E.A. Autrey family in 1966

Backyard Blue Jay Contemplating the Garden

while thinking about, wishing for and singing about PEANUTS!

Reading Christopher Hitchens' exquisite memoir in between taking photos of my favorite things outside in 77 degree weather. 

The perfect Sunday!

Attacked by Wild Turkeys

So, for my post birthday, at the invitation of Kim Foscato, I go out to Skywalker Ranch for a delightful karate class taught by the incomparable Derek Bentley.  Thankfully my Yoga Fairfax classes have gotten me back in shape enough to keep up.  As I cruise back to my car with lunch in hand, I'm attacked by two wild turkeys!  There were three Toms courting a Hen.  I made the mistake of stopping and making eye contact.  When they saw me watching them two Toms veered off and started after me.  I threw ice water at them to no avail and ran to my car.  Like the Velociraptors in Jurassic Park (which, according to this article were, in fact, just scary turkeys) they split up and came after me from the front and end of my car.  Swinging my fanny pack and lunch at them, I scrambled to get into the car as they huffed and puffed and jumped and moved in closer.  Once in my car, they tried to stop me from leaving and, after finally getting by them, I could see them in my rear view mirror chasing after me running 10 miles per hour.  Phew!  Turns out there are a lot of Wild Turkey attacks out there these days if the YouTube turkey attack videos are any indication.  But guess what - they are not all attacking Mail Persons.

The photo pictured here was taken last Spring at Skywalker.  It seemed appropriate since the weather today was very Springish.  The turkey is from the beautiful book "Birds - The Art of Ornithology" by Jonathan Elphick and is one of John James Audubon's hand-colored aquatints.  The book is well worth having.  The turkeys are not.  Let's all eat Turkey for dinner this week!

Seattle Running Mom

Pictured here is Amber running with the twins down the streets of Seattle around GasWorks Park and back - a quick three miler (except when you have to stop for the light).  The air was clean and crisp at 36 degrees.