End of Year

The year is almost over, and I can honestly say, "good riddance." It has been a challenging year all around. The headline news kept getting worse and worse and my private life has had ups and downs too. I observed my 50th birthday in the middle of a family crisis and an overall lousy month weatherwise. Arthritis in my knee kept me sidelined for several months and I haven't been photographing nearly as much as I would have liked. A couple of close family members spent weeks in the hospital and our cat has been sickly since spring. I had to cancel a photo workshop I had looked forward to, but made an unexpected trip to New York instead.
On the plus side, I finished three assignments last summer which should all be published shortly. That gives me something to look forward to. All in all, my photos have appeared in four Pennsylvania Magazines this year. I also started working on a big writing project and am busy sending out queries. I joined Toastmasters and am looking forward to the Pennwriters conference next May. Will everything go according to plan? Probably not, but at least I have set goals for myself.

Merry Christmas

My first Toastmasters speech is over and it went very well. Luckily, I had practiced at home. Everybody liked my cookies, and rightly so.
I finally wrote all my Christmas cards and greetings. It must be a Murphy's Law that the one person you forget to write sends you a long letter. Such was the case today when a long-lost friend in Australia send me a long chain letter e-mail. Chain or not, I was happy to hear from her and quickly wrote her back before I forgot again. She is one of only two people who went through 13 years of school with me. Apparently, we both got the travel bug because I ended up here in the U.S. and she's in Australia.
Today is Christmas Eve and we open our gifts tonight, as is the German custom. Tomorrow, we eat turkey--an international Christmas.
Merry Christmas everyone!

Water, water

For years, we've been wondering how long our water heater would last. Now we know...
On Thursday morning, we discovered a puddle of water coming from our water heater. Luckily, we could get a new one installed before I even ate lunch. We shudder to think what would have happened if the heater had died when we were out of town. So, we count our blessings that we were at home when it happened and that not too much water had leaked yet. On top of the water issues of Thursday, it rained buckets yesterday. I guess the drought is over now. In other news, our cat #1 has been very friendly lately. Next week is Christmas. Coincidence?
I have been very busy lately. Between Christmas parties and baking cookies, I'm preparing for my first Toastmaster speech next Monday. My theme is German Christmas traditions. I hope all goes well. Just to be safe, I'm taking German cookies to influence the evaluators...

The Big Apple

Last Monday, I had to attend some business at the consulate in New York and so we flew there in the early morning. The day began with an amazing experience at home when we saw a deer in our backyard, which then walked down our suburban street.
By 10:30, I had already concluded my business at the consulate and we had the rest of the day to act like regular tourists. Being in the heart of Manhattan, our first stop was St. Patrick's Cathedral. It was truly awesome and can rival the many cathedrals and churches I have seen in Europe. After warming up at a cafe, we headed to Rockefeller Center where we had no trouble finding the iceskating rink (it was still closed to skaters, though) and the famous Christmas tree. There were tourists from all over the world, despite a freezing 19 degrees Fahrenheit. We then went to the Top of the Rock where I detected German tongues everywhere. Luckily, we experienced the only sunny day recently and it was actually warmer up there than it was at street level. Unfortunately, the sun was directly behind the Empire State Building and I couldn't take any photos in that direction. The clear day provided a terrific view in all directions, though. Back on the ground, we walked around in circles, seeing the tree from all directions, until we found a place to eat. After that, it was time to hail a taxi to the airport. Luckily, the first taxi we approached just became available and we left Manhattan before rush hour. We were beat by the time we arrived back in Pittsburgh and concluded that our airport is nicer than New York's.

Squirrels be gone - or not

After spending way too much money on bird seed because the squirrels just jumped on the feeder and the seeds fell to the ground, we finally bought a post with a squirrel guard. So far it seems to be working. The squirrels can't get to the feeders anymore and resort to scrounching on the ground for the crumbs from the table - err, feeder.
Yesterday, I did have an amazing experience when I heard noises from outside our kitchen. It was a squirrel that clung to the screening outside a kitchen window. I guess it figured that's where the food is. Before I could grab my camera, it took off. There is never a dull moment when there's a squirrel in the area.

Late November Musings

Pittsburgh is celebrating its 250th birthday this week. I guess that's a long time for Americans. Personally, I think that's just a drop in the bucket. In Germany there are outhouses older than that. I've been to quite a few cities that are two thousand years old and more. Even my hometown once had a Roman villa, dating it pretty far back. Anyway, happy birthday, Pittsburgh!
On the homefront, our cat has turned into a heat-seaking missile. Ever since it has turned cold, she seaks heat in front of a register or in her igloo. And whenever we try to give her her medicine, she turns into a missile who launches behind the couch where we can't catch her. We've had to forego medicating her twice in one week and have now changed our routine to make us less predictable. Believe it or not, these little creatures know our routine to a T. We are determined not to be bested by a cat. But we're thankful that she is still with us considering all her health problems. Tomorrow, we'll reward her with a bit of turkey.
Happy Thanksgiving!

Busy-ness

I haven't posted a blog for a while because I have been very busy. Last week I had three meetings in two days because I joined Toastmasters. I'm hopeful that it will help me with my goal of speaking to civic groups. I also signed up for an online marketing class before realizing how much work was involved. The marketing plan is due in two days and I haven't done much yet.
I also have a craft show at the Castle Shannon fire hall this coming Saturday and Sunday. Add to this some travel planning for an unexpected trip and you'll understand why I am running in circles.

They're heeere!

My husband told me days ago that he saw a junco and yesterday I saw and photographed juncos in our backyard. As if we needed another reminder besides last week's snowfall that winter is ahead of us, that's it. I also photographed a darn cute chipmunk that was stuffing its cheeks with our birdseeds.
The sun's rays are shining through the few leaves that still cling to the trees, making them golden or russet. It won't be long before the last leaf has fallen. But this week at least, we're enjoying a last stretch of Indian Summer. After that, it is up to the birds to provide us with some color in our yard.
The new issue of Pennsylvania Magazine shows one of my photos in an article about Whiskey Rebellion sites. It will be the first of three issues in a row with some of my work in it. Stay tuned!

Writing and Reading

Ever since I started writing seriously, I have a hard time finding a novel I enjoy reading. Either the plot is weak or non-existent or the characters aren't fully developed. The two books I enjoyed the most this year are The Good Earth by Pearl S. Buck and Bleak House by Charles Dickens. Research takes up quite a bit of my time, not to mention all the magazines I get each month. So, I don't have much time to read fiction, and when I read a book I want it to be good. But since I'm writing myself, I find myself dissecting each book instead of just losing myself within its pages. Life is too short to read something I don't enjoy. But my tastes have changed over the years. What I enjoyed at age 20 puts me to sleep now. I guess it's normal to change interests over time. One thing is certain: I still love to read.

Musings on a blustery day

A friend of mine invited me to join the German version of facebook. Curiosity won the better of me and I signed on today. Of course, I first checked the pages of the people I knew on her page. My brother's page was particularly fruitful, since I could not only check on our common friends, but also what his kids are up to. No sooner had I filled out my profile, that I was already bombarded with requests from class mates - and some people I didn't even know. You can waste a lot of time on such a site, but I guess it is a great place to find long-lost friends.
On the homefront, we almost ran for the hills last weekend when we heard Christmas music on the radio. We haven't even bought pumpkins yet. Of course, when we saw how much pumpkins cost this year, we went to the farm market next door and spent the money on food.

A Trip to Moraine

On Saturday, we took advantage of the great weather to go leaf peeping at Moraine State Park. The leaves looked even worse than at home and I did not even unpack my camera. Even the little cove where I took gorgeous shots last year looked different. The low water level showed so many dead trees sticking out of the water that it looked almost depressing. We picked up a map of the park and scouted out a waterfowl observation deck. It was a beautiful deck with a view on almost 50 Canada geese, three blue herons, and several coots. A birder told us that in three to four weeks there should be plenty of migrating birds there. We vowed to return.
My knee is still hurting, and so it is probably a good thing that we're not having much of a fall. Otherwise, I would be upset that I was missing something.
At home, our hillside is getting pretty bare already with many trees just dropping their leaves. Yesterday, my husband spotted the first white-throated sparrow. Can the juncos be far behind? If we needed another sign that winter is looming ahead, this was it.

Return to Presque Isle

Last week, my husband was on vacation and we took the opportunity to go to Presque Isle. I had been there for a birding festival last May and loved it. At the beginning of the peninsula, I photographed a blue heron posing on a log. That was the only bird I photographed that day. Bird-wise, it was a quiet day. I wanted to show hubby the bald eagle nest I had seen in May (minus the absent eagles). Even though I had marked the location of the nest on my map, I could not find it anymore. The Long Pond Trail was a nice trail anyway. While I was shooting some landscapes, a canoe came around the corner and I fired away until it was out of sight. Much of photography is being at the right place at the right time. We drove around the tip of the peninsula and returned to walk the Graveyard Pond Trail. It was a disappointment. I had hoped to get views of the ponds, but the dense vegetation only allowed a tiny view in two places. That's where I photographed painted turtles sunning themselves on a log. When we finally reached an open area near the end of the trail, there was nothing to see. By then, I was getting sore arms from carrying around my tripod and camera. It was time to call it a day. I concluded that birding is much more exciting in the spring when there weren't just tons of warblers, but also robins, red-winged blackbirds, cedar waxwings and others. Weatherwise, we couldn't have picked a more perfect day. A blue sky and warm temperatures lured out many people to run, bike, or walk in thpark.
In our backyard, things are pretty quiet too. The hummingbirds are probably gone because we haven't seen one since Wednesday. The trees are beginning to change and drop their leaves and the wildflowers are going to seed. Fall is here!

Anniversary

Today is our anniversary, the 19th on the 19th. Has it really been that long? We'll celebrate with a nice dinner tonight. My husband is also beginning a week-long vacation, or as they say nowadays, a staycation. That doesn't mean that we won't go anywhere, it just means that we won't go away overnight.
On the home front, it is getting harder and harder to medicate our cat Roxy. She has our routine down to a pat and disappears under the couch the moment we appear. So we decided to give her her medicine at night for a while until she becomes less suspicious. I've even googled the problem, only to find my own blog--which was no help at all. Does it really take two people to give a five-pound cat medicine? I am tired of looking like the cops on "It's a wonderful life" as they grab thin air. She does have the advantage of being very slippery. She gave me two nice scratches on my shoulder the other day as she wriggled out of my embrace.
In other news, I am preparing for the fall show season. The first show is Art under Glass at Bedners Greenhouse in Cecil on October 4. The other show is the HolidayMart at Sweetwater Center for the Arts in Sewickley which will take place in late November. I have sold another article to Pennsylvania Magazine and will have features in the January and March issues 2009.

A Froggy Day

Last Sunday, we headed out to Beechwood for a little walk and a picnic. I took my camera along, which turned out to be a good thing. Every time I leave it at home, I regret it (like that time when a juvenile hawk landed in a tree in front of us and sat there for quite a while). I stepped to the endge of the pond and spotted a bullfrog close by. This time, it really filled the frame and I got some awesome photos. I didn't take any bird photos at all because birds were mostly absent. I also stalked a monarch feasting on a field thistle. The goldenrod is just beginning to bloom and it will probably be another week or so until the entire meadow is in bloom. It was a nice day, though, and we saw quite a few families out enjoying it.
In our backyard, the New England Aster is in full bloom and looks awesome. Its purple color it quite a sight when everything else has gone to seed. We now have achieved continuous color from spring - columbines - to fall. We still have at least two hummingbirds around and keep filling our feeder. It won't be long before migrants pass through our yard. I'll keep an eye out for them.

"Independence" Day

My knee felt pretty good yesterday and so we went out to explore Independence Marsh. I had read that egrets and herons and other shorebirds gather there and wanted to check it out. Of course, although we had been there once years ago, we didn't exactly know where it was. It was not marked on any map we own, either. So we drove around and around until we made a complete circle. In the end, we stumbled on it with sheer luck and because the name Cowpath Road sounded familiar somehow. I'm glad we found it.
Although the water level was low and therefore it was no use for me to set up my camera in the blind, there were killdeer everywhere. Later, I noticed egrets and herons on the other side of the pond. We also saw wildflowers we had never seen before and butterflies flitted about the place. There were even two honeybee hives and I made sure not to get too close to them. The carp carcasses floating in the water did not diminish my desire to return to the marsh at a better time of day in fall or spring.
In our backyard, there are good news and bad news. The bad news is that a groundhog has taken residence in the area and is not only munching our flowers, but he is also devouring my tomatoes. Tomatoes that I had been looking forward to munching myself. This is serious business! We bought a repellent (making these the most expensive tomatoes we ever planted) and I'll be anxious to see if it works.
The good news is that we discovered three Monarch larvae on our butterfly weed last week. Since we hardly saw any Monarchs this summer, we weren't sure if we would see any larvae this year. And the New England Aster I inherited from Old Economy Village is coming into bloom and looking beautiful.

Canceled Plans

It is one of life's mysteries that the farther ahead you plan something, the less likely it is going to actually happen. I had signed up for a photography workshop six months ago in the hopes that it would give me a chance to improve my bird approaching skills and increase my stock photo list.
Because my bum knee is still giving me trouble, I was about to call the instructor and cancel the workshop when I received an e-mail and phone call from him. The township where the workshop was supposed to take place on Lake Erie is staging a D-Day reenactment this weekend. Because this will involve cannon fire, machine gun fire, and noisy crowds - all of which are probably going to chase birds away - he offered a refund on my deposit and I accepted. After all, if I were a bird that had just crossed a huge lake, I would want some peace and quiet instead of being greeted by cannons. Under the circumstances, I got off with the least financial damage--having only lost my deposit on my lodgings. Perhaps my husband and I can check out the lcoation by ourselves. Right now, I just can't plan anything. At least the weather is nice enough so that I can sit in our backyard.
Our little butterfly garden has assumed its late summer look. The purple coneflowers are wilting, but the black-eyed Susans are still putting on a show, even if they're drooping. The New England Asters are getting ready to bloom soon. The hummingbirds are visiting our feeder more and more often, stocking up for their big trip south. I actually spotted one checking out the flowers in our little garden. Isn't this what they are supposed to eat, flower nectar? Ours seem to prefer the fast food of our syrup feeder.

A Matter of Taste

I have always known that I'm not a beer drinker. But now I know I'm not a birch beer drinker either. After drinking a peppermint phosphate recently, I got brave and decided to try a birch beer. Luckily, I only bought one bottle. Yikes! It is certainly a matter of taste, but not mine. I have a sweet tooth, but this was way over the top. Coming from a area where bakeries bake special (=sweeter) cakes for Americans, I should have known better. My European taste buds cannot be trifled with.
My knee is still giving me trouble and that puts my weekend trip in jeopardy. Right now, I'm on the same medication our cat is on. I can attest that it does improve the appetite, if not my knee. Another call to the doctor is on my agenda.

Odds and Ends

Last Friday, my husband spotted a weird creature at the edge of our property--meaning the neighbor's wall. We whipped out our cameras to photograph what turned out to be a Dogday Harvestfly just emerging from its nymph skin. That's a fancy name for a cicada. We fired off some photos before the cicada left the skin and crouched on top of it. Its green wings were transparent and looked pretty cool. The whole process didn't take very long and so we were happy to witness another first for us. Amazing what adventures await us in our own backyard. We are not so happy about the groundhog that seems to fatten itself up in our butterfly garden.
Our cat Roxy is doing much better now. In fact, she ran outside on Saturday--something she hasn't done in years. Apparently, she felt very frisky, at least until the neighbor's dog spotted her...
I, however, am sidelined again by a persistent flare-up in my knee. Instead of playing around with my new tripod, I have to prop up my knee and wait for the swelling to subside. At least I was able to finish all my three writing assignments I worked on for most of the summer.

A great Sundae

The past weekend was pretty much perfect, for August. We had a break from the humidity of last week and the temperature was bearable. I put my new tripod to work photographing the black-eyed Susans in our butterfly garden. Nothing says summer like a group of yellow flowers buzzing with insects. We also saw a monarch, but it didn't stick around for me to photograph it.
Yesterday, we visited relatives and we all headed to Klavon's Ice Cream Parlor. It was a really great experience. I had never seen an old-fashioned drugstore before (I'm not counting new restaurants with phony interiors) and had a good time inspecting it. I tasted a strawberry sundae and a peppermint phosphate. I wanted to buy a bottle of the syrup, but my favorite flavors were not available. Perhaps next time, if there is a next time.
This morning, I headed to the National Aviary to photograph some newly hatched flamingo chicks. As I pulled up in the parking lot, I saw a van from a local TV station parked there. Apparently they had the same idea I had and were already filming the chicks when I approached. I quickly fired off frame after frame and soon they were put back into their crate again to get their breakfast. The whole experience lasted less than 10 minutes, but I got a couple of great shots to include in my article. And I was glad that I arrived a little early...

Decisions, decisions

Back in the dark of winter, I signed up for a shorebird photography workshop in Ohio which will be held next month. I decided it would be a good idea to buy a lighter, more versatile tripod before attending the workshop. When I finally settled on a model I learned it was discontinued. More research followed. Last week, I ordered it and it arrived two days later already. It is hard to order something I have never set eyes on, but this is the most beautiful tripod I have ever seen. I almost hate to use it so I don't scratch it. Unfortunately, my bum knee is acting up again and so I haven't been able to put my new purchase through a serious test yet.
Last week, it also occurred to me that I better find a place to stay during the workshop. The workshop leader mentioned the only chain motel in town, but I learned that it received less than favorable reviews. My online research revealed that there were two bed & breakfast places in town (or rather right outside of town) and one of them had rooms available. I therefore decided to "splurge" and stay there. Who knows, it might actually be cheaper than a chain motel since they always add on so many fees to your bill that you get sticker shock. This might turn into a scouting trip since there are 15 covered bridges in the county.
Our cat Roxy now has a much better appetite and seems to have put on a wee bit of weight. That doesn't mean that she likes to be medicated. On the contrary: she has a sixth sense about the exact moment when we try to give her her medicine. Oh well, at least she's eating better...

How to (not) medicate a cat

Our cat Roxy is now only getting Prednisone once a day. Nobody is happier about that than we are. That's because she's on to us now and knows that we usually give her the medicine around the same time in the morning. That turns out to be the time when she becomes Houdini and disappears mysteriously. This morning was the hardest one ever. As if the heat and humidity weren't enough to wipe us out, we had to chase Roxy all over the house. First, she crawled under the couch and I grabbed a broom to flush her out of there. Unfortunately, she ran under our bed next. I brought her syringe in and closed the door. We had her trapped, but how to coax her out from under the bed? The broom came to the rescue again. Finally, she came out and a very exhausted "mother" cradled her in her arms while my husband administered the medicine. We are going to have to alter our time schedule a bit because we are too predictable. I can understand why she doesn't want to swallow cherry-flavored medicine (it's made for children), but take it she must. She is eating much better now but still looks like a feather-weight. I have bought some prescription dry food for her and am anxious to see if she eats it. Little Miss Finicky won't just eat any old food, you know.
On the gardening front, we are having hits and misses this year. Because of the wet, cold spring, only two of the flowers we started in the house actually survived. Then we went out and bought a pot with three sunflowers for our flower island. The next morning, almost all its leaves were eaten. We suspect a rabbit as the culprit. So, now we have to buy rabbit-prove plants. Sunflowers seem to be particularly tasty since we are having bad luck planting them. Too bad, because we really love them. Our native plants are faring better this year. Last week, I photographed a honey bee on a common milkweed. Now the milkweed stopped blooming, but the purple coneflowers and black-eyed Susans bloom now. I haven't seen any monarchs yet and am wondering what happened to them. The insects sure like our little garden and it's always buzzing until late in the evening. And, best of all: we don't have to water our native garden since they're all perennials.

Sprechen Sie English?

A couple of weeks ago, my husband and I were at Sewickley Heights Park and noticed that the milkweed was almost ready to open. On Saturday, we went back to see if the blooming milkweed attracted any monarchs yet. Indeed, we saw several monarchs all over the park feasting on milkweed, together with honey bees and countless other insects. At one point, the sign post said that we were on a "Bridal Path." Alas, there was no bride to be seen anywhere. Neither were there any bridesmaids with interesting dresses. A look at the hoof-shaped prints in the mud confirmed my suspicion that we were on a "Bridle Path." This is only the latest example of my ongoing study how Americans mangle their language. Recently, I've noticed that my grocery store doesn't sell iceberg lettuce anymore. It's now iceburg lettuce. I have heard that produce travels long distances nowadays, but to literally ship it in from the North Atlantic is ridiculous. Are there any greenhouses in Greenland?
On the home front, there is one piece of good news. Since we put Roxy on medication, her appetite has greatly increased. She doesn't exactly eat the diet she should eat, but right now we're just trying to increase her weight so she can get her strength back. This doesn't mean that she likes to take her medicine. The better she feels, the more she fights when we try to perform our "favorite" hobby: cat wrestling. Yet, we're happy that she has regained her appetite and is also livelier.

Cat Health

After weeks of watching our cat's health and weight deteriorate, we decided to have an ultrasound done to find out what's ailing her. Did we get a diagnosis of the problem? Not exactly. One of Roxy's kidney's is small (the other one shows signs consistent with kidney stone), her adrenal glands are enlarged, and she might have inflammatory bowel disease. The last one is ironic because I have colitis. I know we have a lot in common, but that goes too far!
Because Roxy has always had an inquisitive mind and ate stuff that she found on the floor etc., we had associated her frequent vomiting with the fact that she ate something she shouldn't have or that she simply ate too fast. As a result, we eliminated canned food from both cats' diets a while ago. Another mistake. Now we know that we should have taken her to the vet much sooner for a blood test and whatever else was required. Right now, we're treating her for IBD and are trying to increase her appetite with the help of corticosteroids and a special diet.
Of the two cats we own, Roxy has always been "my" cat. In winter, she spent all evenings on my lap and the nights on my bed. Was I outside in summer, she meowed in the basement until I came back in. Nowadays, she rests most of the time with the occasional jumping on the keyboard or a window. It is hard to see such a lively cat acting so listless. Right now, all we can do is feed her often with small portions and give her tender loving care.

A Day at Beechwood

Last Tuesday, I went photographing at Beechwood for the first time this year. Usually, I spend a lot of time there in the spring, but this has been an unusual spring. Between arthritis, allergies, and bad weather, I haven't had a chance to go shooting as much as I hoped. It was quiet at Beechwood, except for the Song Sparrows. I now know how they got their name. They just won't shut up! This sparrow seems to sing "The hills are alive!" I also chased an Indigo Bunting around, but it was very skittish. A summer day at Beechwood wouldn't be complete without taking photos of bull frogs. I don't know why, but I always feel compelled to add more photos to my growing collection. Perhaps it's because there wasn't much going on at the pond. The summer wildflowers are not blooming yet, either, so there aren't many insects around the place. Weatherwise, it has been a strange year.

Green is In

I can't open a magazine or a newspaper these days without seeing countless references to green living, recycling, etc. Green is all the rage these days. Will it last? When I moved here from Germany, I had to rethink (=meaning back-track) my recycling habits. Every shopping trip yielded numerous plastic bags and I soon didn't know what to do with all of them. In Germany, people have always taken their own shopping bags to the store and if they needed plastic bags, they had to pay for them. Charging Germans for something is a sure way to get their attention.
Recycling and reusing materials is also in our genes. My frugal, depression-era mother went so far as to recycle Christmas wrapping paper from one year to the next. I will never forget that I had to open my gift so carefully that I didn't damage the paper too much. Then, before next Christmas, my mother ironed the gift wrap and the ribbons, too!
I applaud all efforts to recycle plastic, metal, and paper, but my pet peeve is litter. In this area, the U.S. could take an example from Europe. When the snow subsided, I was shocked to see how much litter had accumulated alongside the Pittsburgh roads. Why can't these people take their trash home with them? It shouldn't require the efforts and time of volunteers to keep the roadsides clean. Whenever we go somewhere, we take all our trash home with us to discard there. Why can't everybody do that?

Communing with Naturalists

I mentioned in my last blog that I got a big assignment--with a short deadline, no less. So yesterday, my husband and I headed out to Powdermill Nature Center to get material for my article and take the photos. Our drive was accompanied by lightning and pouring rain and I was beginning to question our sanity for getting up so early. I was particularly interested in the bird-banding which was supposed to begin around 7 o'clock. That's why we got up at the unreasonable hour of 3:30 a.m. Because of the rain, the banding was delayed but fortunately not postponed. After the rain let off, it got steaming hot. That did not tamper the enthusiasm of the naturalists who really seem to enjoy their jobs. I also learned that they're getting quite a work-out during their research and have to walk miles inspect nesting sites twice a day over uneven terrain and streams. After watching the bird-banding in the morning, I opted to take some photos of the "fish shocker" and his BioForay "crew." I was told that the site was 300 yards away from the parking lot. Because I grew up with the metric system that meant absolutely nothing to me. The hike turned into quite an exercise that involved crossing a stream and bending under fallen trees. And a trail was virtually non-existent. I tried to remember our way since we had to trace it back alone but we had our doubts sometimes. We made it, though, parched and exhausted. My new purchase, a pair of overshoes, proved to be a real help yesterday. Not only did they keep my shoes and feet dry, I didn't slip once.
Most amazing for me was that I met three people who had a) a German wife; b) had been stationed in Germany while in the Army; c) had studied German in college and had actually spent three months in a town that is less than 20 miles away from my hometown! I often run into people who have German connections, but this was a record.
I had to absorb a lot of information yesterday and only wish that Powdermill was closer to our home so we could go out there more often.

Big Job

Last week, I landed my biggest assignment so far. Not only will I write an article on a subject I am keenly interested in, I'll get to provide the photos too. My secret is: persistence. I kept sending queries to an editor and in one of them I mentioned that I am a bird photographer. She replied that, while she wasn't interested in my idea, would I like to do something else along that line? Of course I would! So, next week I'll be off to shoot this assignment together with my assistant, aka husband.
Things have quieted down in our backyard. The migrants have passed on to greener pastures, meaning that the rose-breasted grosbeaks and Baltimore orioles have disappeared.
On Sunday, we visited the Wingfield Pines area in Bridgeville. We saw bluebirds, Baltimore orioles, mallards, and yellow warblers, to name the ones we could identify for sure. It is an interesting place and I am sure we'll go back once the wildflowers and butterfly weeds are in bloom. I can hardly wait to get the overshoes I ordered so I can explore wetland areas without getting wet feet.

Health woes

I had already had a sore throat when I left for Presque Isle last Friday. I took along plenty of cough drops but my throat got worse over time. Just when I wanted to talk to people I croaked like a frog. Now, I am slightly better and can't wait to stop coughing.
When I returned from Presque Isle, our kitty who has just been diagnosed with kidney disease did not greet me as usual. She barely lifted her head and I learned that she had scarcely eaten anything while I was gone. I was alarmed over her gaunt looks and took her to the veterinarian. It turned out that Kitty had lost more weight and her kidney values have gotten worse. I was told to give her what she wants to eat, even if it is not a kidney diet food. The most important thing right now is to put some weight on her. So far, it seems to work. She is eating more now and with great appetite. I am also giving her vitamins and hope that makes a difference. She still is very skinny and does not play like she used to. I miss her antics of running through the house and playing with her feather toy. Now, all she does is sleep and eat occasionally.

Festival of the Birds

I just returned from the Festival of the Birds at Presque Isle State Park. It was were well organized and the weather was awesome, especially on Saturday when we had sunshine and blue sky all day. People took advantage of the great weather and fished, hiked, biked, and birded all over the peninsula. On Saturday, I attended a walk at Fry's Landing that yielded a lot of warblers for birders. My summary of the walk is: Warblers seen: plenty; warblers photographed: 0. I am now convinced that photographing a warbler is just about as difficult as winning the powerball. My greatest success that day was a Cedar Waxwing I photographed in a flowering tree. Yesterday morning, I had better luck during a photographer's walk on the Sidewalk Trail. I spotted my first Tree Swallow and my first Red-headed Woodpecker. The woodpecker, of course, was too far away for a good photo, but it was exciting to see it. On the way back to the conference we stopped to look at the Bald Eagles' nest but the eagles were absent at the time. At least, now I know where the nest is. In fact, the most fruitful aspect of the conference was the inside scoop, the information on which trails yield which birds. During the two days of the festival, birders tallied 132 species. Don't ask me how many I saw... I was surprised, however, when one woman spotted her first Rose-breasted Grosbeak. That was one day after I had seen three at our backyard feeder!
To sum it all up: Presque Isle is a great place to visit this time of year, before the summer crowds arrive. The festival therefore closed with these words: Happy trails and happy birding!

Spring is here

Yesterday was a great day for birding...in our backyard. I glanced out the window and jumped for joy when I spotted a male Rose-breasted Grosbeak in our silver maple. I put my camera together and carefully went outside to photograph it but it flew off when it saw me. A while later, I set up my blind in the hopes that it would show up again. It took a while to come back so I photographed other birds, including a very streaked brownish bird that turned out to be a female RBG. Finally, the male returned to our bird-feeder and I got some great shots. I would prefer to photograph it on a branch but right now, I'll take what I can get. While I was sitting in the blind, I also saw the first male Ruby-throated Hummingbird of the year. Is it a coincidence that I just filled the syrup feeder with fresh syrup yesterday? Other regulars are Chipping Sparrows, White-throated Sparrows (yes, they're still here), Blue Jays, and our "resident" Eastern Towhee. I have yet to see a female towhee so I wonder how long the male will be around.
Our backyard is turning greener every day. The redbud in our front yard is having an excellent spring and the insects are swarming around it all day long. The columbines are ready for the hummingbirds to savor their nectar and it is exciting what will bloom next. We have started some flowers indoors, including a very good-looking crop of sunflowers and zinnias, another hummingbird favorite.

Gone Birding

Yesterday was a gorgeous spring day and we decided to go to the wetlands trail at Raccoon Creek State Park. We were rewarded with many first sightings of the year: a Bluebird, several tiger swallowtails, Yellow Warblers, Catbirds, Red-winged Blackbirds (not really a first since they hang around our yard right now), a Baltimore Oriole, and a snapping turtle (the first ever for me). I tried in vain to get a good photo of a warbler but they never sat still. We had a great time anyway. When we spotted what looked like a log in the pond a passing couple informed us that it was a snapping turtle. It still had all kinds of plant debris on its huge back.
We love the wetlands, except after a heavy rain because the trail does get wet. From spring till fall there is always something new to see there. Besides birds, there are numerous wildflowers, butterflies and other insects and in early summer the bullfrogs provide a noisy concert.

Busy week

Despite my knee problems, I have dusted off my blind to photograph the birds that visit our feeders. Spring is a great time to do that since they all wear their best clothes. Because we have a wooded hillside behind our property (and also because we have three bird feeders) we get a wide variety of birds. Lately, an Eastern Towhee has been showing up under the feeder regularly, and it also entertains us with its beautiful songs. I already have great photos of it from last year and so I was more interested in photographing Blue Jays and Red-winged Blackbirds. The Blue Jays are still eluding me, but I finally took a great shot of a blackbird today. I am eager to increase the number of species in my collection and so this is a great addition. The juncos appear to be gone now, but the White-throated Sparrows are still around and also make good photo objects. I hung up my hummingbird feeder last week and am eagerly waiting for their arrival. That usually happens around the first days of May. Every day, there is something new to see out there and the weather is cooperating too. Happy birding, everybody!

Good news and bad news

Last week, I got two assignments for Pennsylvania Magazine. One of them will be a big photo feature and the other one a regular one. I'm very excited about both jobs.
On Sunday, I attended an art show with my photographs and greeting cards but I did not have a single sale. That was a bad omen since my week got worse from there. My arthritic knee flared up again and has been bothering me since Monday. On top of that, my back also began hurting hellishly. Then yesterday, I took our younger cat to the veterinarian for her annual check-up. She had lost some more weight since last year so I decided to have her blood tested. The veterinarian called me back to inform me that our kitty's kidney enzymes are elevated. She suggested to put kitty on a special diet and I rushed back to her office to pick up the food before the weekend. I don't know yet if she'll take to the food. Right now, she is still bummed out from her rabies shot. I hope we can manage her disease since this is the cat that is attached to my lap all winter. In summer, not so much...
On the birding front, I haven't seen many migrants passing through yet. The only one was an Eastern Towhee I spotted yesterday under our birdfeeder.

At the Rookery

Yesterday morning, we decided to check out the Great Blue Heron rookery on Big Sewickley Creek Road. Naturally, we drove around for quite a while until we found it. And then we had to turn around another couple times to park our car. I set up my tripod and camera on the edge of the road, right by the guard rail. It was a bit nerve-wrecking to think about all the cars that passed behind me. Most of them slowed down, however, to see what in the world we were looking at. We attracted quite a following. Seeing all the nests perched on tree tops was quite impressive. We never counted them, but there must have been nearly 20 of them. The photo shows a heron adding a stick to an already huge nest. But then, they are huge birds. Every once in a while, a fight erupted between two herons over whatever it is herons fight about--territory probably. Occasionally, one bird would fly off to catch some food and I had my camera ready. However, the rookery was only "relatively" close by. Even with a 400mm lens it was hard to focus on something that only filled part of the frame. In the end we left vowing to come back when the creek is stocked with fish. Spring birding has finally begun.

Gone birding

This week, my husband had to take some old vacation days before he lost them. So on Tuesday morning, we went to North Park to do some birding and photography. Unfortunately, there weren't many birds around. We had better luck when the lake was frozen. The gulls were too far out in the lake to get a good picture of. At last, we gave up and went to our favorite place, the Shaler shelter, where there is a little wetland area. I managed to get some great photos of--Canada Geese. Not exactly a rare bird around here, but it was the first time I took really good photos of one. For some reason, they're hard to focus on. Not this time, even though my approach through dried reeds sounded more like small explosions. The two birds were safe across the little creek and didn't seem to mind posing for me. Other than that, we saw three mallards and a red-winged blackbird in the distance. I can't wait to see some migrants passing through.

March Madness

March is going by pretty fast. My talk at the garden club went very well and I even sold some greeting cards afterward. I am also working on several story ideas. One of these projects led me to the National Aviary the other day where I received a fascinating tour of the animal hospital. I hope that my proposal will be accepted because it would combine my passions of birds, photography, and writing. The gift shop manager was out sick so I don't know yet whether I can sell my photos at the gift shop. Next week, I will participate in the Ladies' Night Out at Soergels Orchards in Wexford.
I am also planning on attending the first Festival of the Birds at Presque Isle in May. My goal is, of course, to write a story about it; but I also want to learn where to find certain birds so I can return later and photograph them without so many people around. I have no idea how many birders will attend the festival but it sure was difficult to find a room in Erie.
We are still experiencing family problems and are therefore, once again, dog-sitters to a very energetic (= high-strung) Jack Russell Terrier. Did I mention she is high-strung? Last night, my husband took her outside and she encountered our neighbor's Labrador. She took off after the Lab like a shotgun and pulled the leash out of my husband's hands. Had it been me, I could have injured myself since she would have likely knocked me on the ground. Brandi is having a good time in our backyard with all its mole tunnels and other critters. Our cats are taking the dog's presence easier than the first time. I, however, am not used to having an animal follow me around wherever I go. The cats' reaction is more like, "So you're home, big deal!" Oh well, this too shall pass. Happy Easter!

News

February is finally over and once again, I have to say, "good riddance." It has been one of the worst months in my life and the reason is not because I am now eligible for the AARP. I would like to move my birthday into summer because not only did it pour buckets on my recent birthday, but then it snowed so hard that we couldn't even go out and have a nice dinner. Family problems and the weather are weighing down on me and my only consolation is that I am now busy with several projects.
I currently have an exhibit at the Mt. Lebanon library which will be up until March 31. Yesterday, I received the March/April edition of Pennsylvania Magazine and found that I have a full-page photo of an Eastern Fox Squirrel in it. Next week, I am giving a talk at the Moon Garden Club. The subject is how to attract birds to your garden. I will, of course, also cover butterflies (but not squirrels since they come anyway) and hope it will be enlightening for everybody.
I also have an appointment at the National Aviary and hope that I can offer my photos in their gift shop. In addition to that, I am working on another story idea.

Migrant

Yesterday, we ventured out to North Park lake to catch some rare rays of sunshine. The lake was almost entirely frozen. Only near a dam there was an ice-free area where several Canada Geese congregated. One was even sitting on the ice as if it were breeding. Near the geese my husband spotted a duck-like bird. It swam around the ice-free water but did not come close enough to take a good photo of it. I did take some record shots because otherwise we are never able to identify strange birds once we get home. This one, with a white stripe and outline on its bill and a "bump" on its head, flubbergasted us. Only after we looked through several bird books did we identify it as a ring-necked duck. We learned that this duck only spends time here during migration. I guess this one got an early start on migration and took a breather at the lake.
On the backyard front, I wished that the bird count had been last Saturday because I spotted over a dozen cardinals near out feeders. The worse the weather, the more birds we get. However, a couple weeks ago I heard and then saw several red-winged blackbirds. Migration must be around the corner!

Backyard Bird Count

As a relief from the stresses of life, I decided to participate in the Great Backyard Bird Count. They couldn't have found a better day than last Saturday for the count: The weather was sunny and the snow-covered ground lured many birds to our four feeders. Here is a list of the birds we saw:
1 Mourning Dove
1 Red-bellied Woodpecker
2 Downy Woodpeckers
1 Hairy Woodpecker
6 Blue Jays
1 Black-capped Chickadee
1 Tufted Titmouse
1 White-breasted Nuthatch
1 Caroline Wren
2 European Starlings
5 White-throated Sparrows
2 Dark-eyed Juncos
7 Northern Cardinals
1 House Finch
6 American Goldfinches
I did not look out the window constantly but once I watched as a Blue Jay picked up a sunflower seed from a feeder, flew to a tree and fed it to another Blue Jay. Love is in the air. Literally!
On the homefront, we are now a dog-less household again. Our house gueast, a very active Jack Russell Terrier, is gone. It was a very stressful time since she kept chasing our cats around. And she didn't smell too good either. If we ever had any desire to get a dog, we're cured now. Our two cats fit our lifestyle much better--and they come with their own wash and rinse cycle.

Adventures of Dog Sitting

Today is Valentine's Day, but we don't feel very romantic. The hair ball that our cat spat out this morning was pretty much the highlight of our week.
For reasons I cannot divulge here, we have become sudden and somewhat reluctant dog sitters. The dog is a high-strung Jack Russell Terrier named Brandi. This wouldn't be so bad if we were a no pet family. But we have two middle-aged cats who don't take too well to intruders, particularly the "in-your-face" kind. Brandi wants to be friendly and is met with hisses. The first week was particularly bad since the weather was windy and rainy and we learned that Brandi gets scared when it rains. We didn't get much sleep therefore--and then the phone rang at 2 o'clock Friday night. I would have paid real money for a good night's sleep.
Things have calmed down now and we let Brandi loose in the house more often. In fact, I think I've been adopted. She follows me everywhere. The best part is that she now sleeps through the night. This morning I caught her growling at our washing machine. I guess she has never seen a frontloader before. Oh well, this too shall pass.

Bird Day

Yesterday was a bird day for me. During late morning I heard bird chatter outside and checked what the commotion was about. There was a female turkey under one of our bird feeders, gobbling up the seeds that fell on the ground. By the time I grabbed my camera and went out the front door to not disturb it, it was gone. But then I saw a turkey flying from one of the tall trees on our hillside down to the bottom of the hill where it joined another turkey. Wow, what a sight! I had never seen a turkey flying from a tall tree before. I didn't know they could fly this high.

After lunch I went to the Aviary to get some bird photography done. I had not taken my camera there for a while. The photo above of a Troupial is the best I got and it posed for me several times to make sure I got a good one. I had great fun "shooting" all the different birds but I can't wait to get out in nature again to add some more species to my stock photo list.

Published Again

The year 2008 is off to a good start. I just returned from the mailbox with my contributor copies of Pennsylvania Magazine of my article "Painting Noses." The big surprise was that the article was slated for publication in September 2008 so I didn't expect to see it yet. The editor ended up using six of my photos, a new record for me. I'm happy to say that the photos came out very nice. While my specialty is bird photography nowadays, the images show some pretty big birds, KC-135T tankers to be exact.
In November, Allegheny West magazine published a two-page story about my bird photography. I was recently asked by a garden club whether I would like to give a talk about how to attract birds to a garden. I gladly accepted the challenge because it gives me an opportunity to share my love of nature and wildlife with like-minded people. Our little butterfly garden attracts not only monarchs, tiger swallowtails and other butterflies, but also various insects, hummingbirds and goldfinches who eat the coneflower seeds in fall. My talk will take place in April so I'll plenty of time to prepare for it. Who knows what other opportunities it will lead to?
In our own backyard, the recent snowfall has brought many birds to our feeders, particularly juncos. Where do they all come from and what do they do when the weather is nice? We also noticed that our "resident" Cooper's Hawk (which I once photographed on our bird bath) is still in the area. I guess hawks have to eat too, but I hope it doesn't eat too many of the birds we feed.
I'm busy marketing my photos and look forward to the challenges and opportunities of the new year.