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.

LINK

Bittersweet

It was a strange, but good day. My dad went with me to visit my sister's grave. I don't think he has set foot in the St. Gabriel Cemetery for 40+ years. He had forgotten the grave's location, so I pointed him towards the headstone with the praying angel, flanked by pink roses. Then I walked away to give him some space. I turned and watched as he knelt down beside her, and for several seconds contemplated a quick snap with my iphone. However, it felt like an unwelcome intrusion on such a private moment, so I resisted the urge and continued on. After some time, he stood up and strode towards me, dabbing at his eyes with his handkerchief. We hugged. We stood like that for quite some time with me giving some extra squeezes for the words I wanted to say, but couldn't. It's the first time I've seen my dad cry. Even when his parents died so tragically, I don't remember him crying; he just sighed a lot. But I think he needed this today and perhaps will get some badly needed closure.

Late in the afternoon when all the emotions had died down and daddy had long since returned home, my dogs began a chorus of barks. My husband called out that the UPS man had left me a package. To my delight, it was a box from a very special blogging friend, Michelle Renee Photography! Inside she had...well...I'll let you see what she did!

What a sweetheart! A brand new hummingbird feeder and a National Geographic magazine!
I was so deeply touched by Michelle's generosity and her confidence in my photography.
Hugs, Michelle!!!!!!

Just a few minutes after I set it up, here comes Pierre, Sr.! I was focused on the feeder, not expecting a visitor so soon, but there he is, impatient to give the new feeding station a test drive.
Michelle, it has his seal of approval. He will not even let the rest of his family feed.

A very happy hummer.

Nom-nom-nom

This is him at the old feeder. I included this one because of his tongue.
He didn't stay long, he went right back to the new feeder.
(I think he realized how grody the old feeder is!)

And here sat Izzy listening to the buzz of the hummers' wings.
She so rarely sits still, so I had to take advantage of this moment.
And bonus: both her ears are in the frame!

The blogging community is filled with special people that I've grown close to and care deeply about. There are those that make me laugh, share their talents, respond to questions, pray, and offer support. I become verklempt when I try to put into words what this world of writing, friendship, and community means to me. If you had told me a few years ago that I would be giving out my address to someone over the internet and form actual friendships with other bloggers, I'd have replied that you need to go back to eating your soup with a fork. :) But I've let go and trusted, and in return received the sweetest gifts. And I'm not talking just about "things". The gift of time that people share is what stirs my heart and fills me with hope. Can I get an Amen?!