Myles Road

B and I had big plans EARLY Saturday morning in June to bird with a group on Myles Road in Donaldsonville, LA. We were pumped since the area is known as Bunting City. Buntings! As in Painteds and Indigos! Lots of them!!

We met at 6:30AM(!) in order to get to the destination by 8AM (!). After a few wrong turns, due to faulty GPS coordinates, we finally made it to the long and winding gravel road. By hour two I had sweated through my clothing, including my capris. I was praying people would understand that it was perspiration in the crotch/thigh area. I was completely potty trained over 50 years ago. :)

We saw the Painted and Indigo Buntings all right, but not how we'd imagined. They were few and far between, high up in the canopies or perched high on electrical wires. Out of a couple hundred photos I managed to salvage these seven.

Curly Clematis

The orange color of these poles stood out to me.

Yellow-crowned Night Heron

An Indigo Bunting flying away.

A Painted Bunting up high and far, far away. Typical of the day.

Our fearless leader noted over 41 species that day, including a Meadowlark, White-eyed Vireo, and Belted Kingfisher. I must've missed those during my heat stroke. For a birder it was a great day; for a photographer, not so much.

Lake Des Allemands

Friday, July 25, 2014 at my cousin's camp. Fun times.

There are several of these jetties around the campsites. Each year
erosion from hurricanes and other storms whittle away the land.
They have tried to protect them by reinforcing the borders.

Oops...'scuse me!

Some type of algae maybe?
Eggs from the Apple Snail.
Thanks, Wally!!!!

All along the banks are piers with each one hosting its own little garden.

Close up of the cypress knees.

I hope you enjoyed your trip around the bayou. There are more photos, but I don't know when I'll get around to posting them.

Chance Update:
Chance is back home after being hospitalized for possible Vestibular Disease. His progress is slow, but we're hoping for continued improvement in the coming days and weeks. The doctor explained that he will have a permanent head tilt which we can accept. However, he is not the same happy dog following me from room to room. He sleeps most of the time because I suspect it's too stressful for him to get around. Even trying to stand up from a lying position is difficult and he becomes very shaky. Yesterday he tried to turn around too quickly and fell completely over. Scared him AND me to death! But he has begun to eat and drink a little, which is encouraging.

Due to my limited time with Chance and working from home next week, I will be taking a short blog break. Probably just a week, maybe a little longer. Thank you as always for your kind comments and visits. It is truly appreciated! I'll miss you guys, but will see y'all soon!!!

Owl Bayou Canal

This post wraps up our July 4th afternoon. You can thank me now for not taking photos of the alligator that had to be "disposed of" because it was hanging around the canals. *shivers* I felt sorry for him, but we just couldn't risk the safety of the youngsters. Besides, it wasn't my call to make. Anyway! These are random shots of the day.

This is the highway marker for a community of camps situated along the bayou.
A "camp" in Louisiana is a modestly built home, usually elevated on tall posts due to frequent flooding.
Most are accessible only by boat. Many people have them as a weekend get-away for family and friends.

My uncle's party barge--wish it wasn't blurred.

Dragonflies were everywhere and they seemed particularly smitten with Uncle Bubba.

YUM. Simply angel food cake, whipped cream and berries.

Double D was mighty proud that he was the first person Cowgirl allowed to pick up and pet.
Look at her winking at me like, "Haha, stole him from you." Saucy little tart!

She soon warmed up to me too.
Look at those eyes! Have you ever seen a chihuahua with such blue eyes and a blue merle coat?

She appointed herself Patrol Captain of the bayou, barking at all the watercraft that went by.

That's my aunt and uncle's camp in the background. Two bedroom, two baths and two huge living areas. Very spacious.
This photo was taken because the people on the boat unknowingly left their little yorkie on the dock.
As they obliviously zoomed away, several of us were yelling and waving at them to come back.
Finally, they realized what they had done and were so grateful to us for rescuing their little dog.

One of the hosts with her granddaughter walking onto my Uncle Bubba's deck.
This will have to do for Tex's Good Fences meme. Sorry, I know I've been stretching the rules lately!

Can you believe I went a whole week without posting a bird photo? I can't either!

Have a good weekend everyone. Catch you next week.

Bridles, Blooms, Bayous and Birds

Happy Monday! Our weekend was jam packed and fun for a change. It began Friday when I was finally able to see my high school friend for a much-needed girls day. I watched her take a riding lesson on Carson, an American Saddlebred once owned by Carson Kressley (Queer Eye for the Straight Guy). Afterwards we went to lunch, then drove down River Road, stopping along the way for photographs. Saturday was spent at my aunt and uncle's new camp on Bayou Manchac, then later that night we joined my cousin and his wife to listen to their friends' band play at a local establishment. Sunday was spent birding at Bluebonnet swamp where I saw THREE rose-breasted grosbeaks, numerous indigo buntings, and Mississippi kites flying overhead. A wonderful, fabulous three days. Now back to reality and on with the show!

Michelle and Carson, 4/19/13
She is doing so well riding him and looks so sophisticated.

First ever sighting of an Orchard Oriole, female.
The male is deep orange and black, but my pics of him were blurry.
Near State Capitol, 4/19/13

A walking iris (neomarica gracilis) in Michelle's garden, 4/19/13

Gator sculpture that came with my aunt's camp, Bayou Manchac, 4/20/13

To get to the camp we were ferried across on a pontoon boat.
Uncle Bubba was our capable captain. :)

Indigo bunting at Bluebonnet Swamp, 4/21/13

Rose-breasted grosbeak posing nicely on a limb, Bluebonnet Swamp, 4/21/13

Male rose-breasted grosbeaks, Bluebonnet Swamp, 4/21/13 

PARAKEET UPDATE: Thank you ALL for the wonderful advice on the parakeet that found its way into my yard. Before receiving your advice I kept thinking of the line by Shelby in the movie Steel Magnolias: "I would rather have thirty minutes of wonderful, than a lifetime of nothing special." However, many of you swayed me with the argument that since "Charlie" was domesticated he was ill-equipped to truly fend for himself. Despite my initial misgivings, I posted his photo on our HOA Facebook page and scoured the internet for "lost parakeet Baton Rouge" and came up empty handed. The parakeet's fate is unknown at this time since he has not returned to my yard. :( I wanted to respond to you all individually since many of you had taken the time to articulate such detailed (and respectful) arguments, but time got away from me and now I feel overwhelmed. So please know how much your comments meant to me.

I will catch up on blogs later today! Wishing you all a wonderful week, praying it's better than last week.

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Lake Martin, LA

I really have a good man with which to live out my days on earth. Nearly every weekend Double D drives me to various swamps, bayous, marshes, etc. to indulge my photography habit. And since I bought him a pair of binoculars, he is becoming quite a birding enthusiast himself. He even went to a hummingbird talk with me one evening last week. What a good sport!

These are from a couple of weeks ago. I've been knee deep in ibises, pelicans, and wrens so these photos haven't had a chance to make an appearance. I think they've waited long enough.

Anhinga - Lake Martin, LA

Lest you think I take only bird photos, here are a few landscapes of Lake Martin.

Marshy swamp filled with algae

A boardwalk at Cypress Island Preserve on the south end of Lake Martin

Gimme a C!

More algae

Notice the little snake peeking from behind the sign. Didn't see that until it was on my monitor.

Linking with

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Sunday afternoon

My sweet friend went with me today to Hoo Shoo Too Rd. It was a beautiful day, much too gorgeous to remain indoors. She needed practice with Mabel (my old 50D) and I needed to spend time with my new baby, who has yet to be named. We've had a bit of wind lately and I was afraid that all the leaves might have blown away since my last visit. There were a few less leaves, yes, but the orange tones were deeper, making up for the loss. Come see what I mean.

Minimal editing, just a very, very slight increase in saturation and levels adjustment in PS, but that's pretty much it.
Not meant to brag, but the 5D Mark II has made editing so much easier.

Mabel and Michelle 

I couldn't decide on the color or b&w version, so you get both.
Personally, I prefer the b&w.

An old A&P sign tucked behind one of the campsites.
Chained up dobermans growled and barked while I quickly took this shot which I missed on the previous visit.
While I hate seeing any dog chained up, I was praying that these particular chains would hold.

I also missed this old houseboat last time. 

I kept coming back to this scene. I couldn't help it.

Meet Kevin. He was very pleased with his catch and happily posed for us.

I hope everyone had a nice weekend. As for me, I've been feeling very drained, physically and mentally. I forced myself to decorate the house on Friday, finding a few things that were damaged during the move, and a favorite harp ornament that I broke while decorating the tree. Probably should have waited until I felt better. On Saturday, I shopped 'til I dropped, with a blister on my foot to prove it. We are now off to eat at our favorite restaurant, The Chimes, so I will be back later tonight to see what you all have been up to. Laissez les bon temp, rouler!

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