Wednesday, April 21, 2010

I have WAY too much fun with my camera

I've never been any good at following rules. I told you about this 365 picture thing. The meming group I agreed to join posts a week's worth of pictures on Sundays. Well, today was too picture perfect to wait until Sunday. And, just one photo wouldn't cut it for today either. Since I've already posted some photos, not knowing the rule about posting on Sunday, I decided, what the heck. I'd go ahead and wreck the rest of this week and try to do it right next week. How does that sound?

The weather was beautiful this morning (before the wind gusted up this afternoon) so we spent most of the day outside.

Mr. and Mrs. Sparrow seem to work building, or at least padding, their nest all the time. I keep thinking that one of these days, she is going to have to stop with the decorating and lay some eggs. The feather that is in her little beak came from the chicken coop next door.

I'm hesitant about showing you this next picture because it will give you an idea of how strange, eccentric, weird, unique I am.

For you see, when we first moved here eleven years ago, we had a few cacti and yuccas, so very native, growing on our acreage. Longing for the ranches I grew up on, I wanted to create a cactus bed to embrace the native vegetation. Once we had added more yucca and various kinds of cacti, I decided that the only thing missing from my arid landscape was some bones. You know, like you see in the movies?  A cow, expired from hunger and thirst in the desert, and the bones picked clean by buzzards, was the scene in my mind's eye.

I've got some really fun parents. They are just as, um, unique as I, and they were happy to help me with my plan. Dad knew exactly where on the ranch they call home in Oklahoma, rested a complete cow skeleton, picked clean by buzzards. And my mom knew exactly where on a plot of land she owns, about 30 miles from my house, was a complete mule--long ago deceased and picked clean. I had hit the jackpot!

My precious parents brought all the bones from afar and helped me place them perfectly among the prickly pear and bear grass.  I wish you could have seen it. I was so proud!

Now, eleven years later, stray dogs and coyotes have swiped a good portion of my cow and mule. The bones that remain were so out of arrangement that even I couldn't recapture the original scene. Bindweed and thistle have taken over, and just in case you were wondering, it is really hard to pull weeds from a cactus bed.
Now my little spot of native ranch land is nothing but a mess.

Today was the day to clean up that mess.

All our digging and raking brought this little desert dweller out of hiding.
You can't believe how many pictures I took of this lizard. He got sick of my fascination--all he wanted to do was warm himself on a rock!

The whole time we were working to clean out the bed, we enjoyed the songs of various birds--happy happy birds. Y'all KNOW how I like birds. These beautiful cedar waxwings flitted around in our trees all day, and I was filled with joy because of it. They are so cute!

So there ya go. At this rate, my Project 365 is going to be more like my Project 999. Oh well. Like I said, I have WAY too much fun with my camera!

Lavonda

5 comments:

LaVon Baker said...

I love this title! I may "borrow" it some day.
I could never do just one picture a day! So I try to settle for naming one of them my "favorite" for the day. That doesn't always work either.
Either that lizard was large or that rock was small. At any rate, you got an awesome picture.

beckygtx said...

I agree. One picture a day? No way. For me it is at least 10 or 20! Love the pictures of the wildlife. I did not even know we the waxwings. Will certainly look more closely. And how did you get that lizard to hold still long enough to capture him? GREAT pictures.

Lavonda Pflug said...

Thanks ladies. It's nice to know I'm not the only one that gets carried away with the snapshots. That's what's great about digital...no wasted film! I love it love it love it!

The lizard was about 8" long. I'm not an expert on lizards so I don't know if that is large or small or somewhere in between. The day was cool so he wasn't moving as fast as most lizards run on a hot summer day. Once he got on the rock, he wanted to soak up some heat so he "posed" a while. I even got one with his little eyes closed...ahhhh every lizard needs a nap now and then. lol

Becky, I've never seen waxwings until this year. My bird books says they are in this area in the winter. But like a park ranger once told me, "birds can't read those maps in the bird books." :)I've been overjoyed that this particular flock is hanging around eating the "olives" from my Russian Olive trees.

Edie said...

I usually take more than one picture a day too. Hey once you get rolling it's hard to stop.

Good thing for you the law didn't come out and find those bones scattered in your yard or you might have been blogging about another Dashing and Bold Adventure. LOL!

I love your pictures!

kanishk said...

you got an awesome picture.
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