Tuesday's Truths WK 64: Some Halloween decor is not for the birds.

Cam, the cardinal featured in the photograph above, where  she can be seen noshing on one of her favorite treats as she spends time in my urban garden, joins me in welcoming you to the sixty-second week of my Tuesday's Truths series. Today happens to be Halloween and she has urged me to write a post about the decor one might choose outside their home, although at this point you may have decked your halls for this occasion.

Time to Celebrate National Candy Corn Day (But Keep Honoring Black Cats Too)!

A few days ago, in honor of Black Cat Awareness Month, which is October, Patrick McDonnell, the creator of Mutts, posted the image seen atop this entry on the Facebook Page for that comic strip.

But it seems that black cats steal more than hearts, it appears they steal candy corn too, as evidenced in the next image.

And who could blame a black cat for wanting a piece of candy corn, a sweet treat that has it's own holiday, known as National Corn Day, which is today.

Sunday's Sentiments for 10-29-2017

Yesterday, Saturday, October 28th, marked the one hundred and twenty-first anniversary of the dedication of The Statue of Liberty. According to a Wikipedia page, the statue was dedicated on October 28, 1886. She can be standing in NYC's harbor (from the vantage point of Red Hook in Brooklyn), in the first image atop this entry. The second image features a driftwood sculpture of her.

That particular image (which was was included in an entry here on Blogger this past June), was taken by yours truly when I made a trip to Long Beach (on Long Island in NY) with my sister a number of years ago.

A Jack-O-Lantern does some bird watching.

My Jack-O-Lantern's stint in my rooftop garden ended early this season as he had to be brought inside due to my preparing my place  for a hurricane who became known as Super Storm Sandy. 

Moreover, there was no room for him at the inn (my indoor succulent garden), so he was forced into an early hiatus; but he promised to return next year, if I shared a few more photo-ops of the pleasure he derived from watching my visiting mourning doves and house finches. I told him that I was not sure who'd see this entry as I normally do not post on Wednesday, but he insisted!

Moreover, this sweet Jack-O-Lantern is aware of the sorrow brought on by the wrath of Hurricane Sandy, and he said if he had to leave early, he wanted to make sure, dear reader, to leave you something to make you smile! He assumes you will derive pleasure from seeing the mourning doves's and house finches's experiences with a feeder. In the finches case (the little red guy), settled for the scraps that fell to the table whilst the mourning doves worked their beaks off!

Plush Animal Lover's Day 2017

Today is Plush Animal Lover's Day, and the image atop this entry of a plush animal rendered in the likeness of a male cardinal, is my way of paying honoring this holiday, but please don't tell Cam I'm doing this!

Frankenstein Friday for 2017

Earlier today I posted an entry re a Praying Mantis, who visited my rooftop garden, Now, before this day comes to a close and in all fairness to the figurine (pictured above) who likes to dress up as Frankenstein during the Halloween season, I need to remind readers that today is the last Friday for the month of October, which means it's Frankenstein Friday. It's a holiday that I referenced in yesterday's blog post.

Frankenstein Friday celebrates the birth of Frankenstein and it is a holiday that I've written about in prior posts here on Blogger. He was born in 1818 when Mary Wollenstonecraft Shelley, at the age of 21, wrote the story Frankenstein. I've also written about Shelley in prior entries here on Blogger. In both instances, this image of little guy dressed as Frankenstein for Halloween was featured in my posting.

I don't really like to repeat content, but in this instance, I'm doing it for the beloved character that Mary Shelley created. Therefore, I'm reiterating what I've stated in the past: Frankenstein Day is celebrated on August 30. That particular day is in honor of author Mary Wollenstone Shelley who was born on August 30th in 1797. She wrote the book Frankenstein in 1818. But as I said in my introduction, Frankenstein Friday celebrates the birth of Frankenstein.

A Lone Praying Mantis Visits My Garden!

The praying mantis seen in the images atop this blog entry, where he/she is moving gracefully — but with a sense of purpose — across the table that's in my rooftop garden, were taken by Juan V when he came to my place yesterday.

"Autumn in New York": Where have all the autumn leaves gone?

Q: Where have all the autumn leaves gone?

A: Only Mooch and a lone squirrel know for sure.

It's beginning to look a lot like Halloween... (at least that's the case in my armoire)

Once again, it's beginning to look a lot like Halloween in my armoire. My costume clad figurines have returned in honor of Halloween 2017. These whimsical characters can be seen in the first image atop this blog entry, where they are participating in a dress rehearsal for yet another vow renewal ceremony, for which guests have been told to wear their Halloween costumes. I say "yet another," because last year there was a different vow renewal ceremony that occurred here.

Hamil Miller's Essay (10/25/1970)

I've already posted an entry for today as part of my Wednesday's Wisdom series, however, I didn't want the day to pass without sharing a memory of Hamil Miller. Miller authored the essay posted atop this entry in jpeg format, but also below, as jpeg's are hard to read.

Wednesday's Wisdom: "The Ground Effect" (Enables seagulls to glide low to the ground.)

It's been eightenteen days since I made my first beach trip for the 2017 year, and I am still in awe of what I witnessed re the seagulls who I encountered there (Long Beach on Long Island in NY).

In addition to learning of the differences between Herring Gulls and Ring-billed gulls, as well as seeing seagulls bathing in the Atlantic, I was reminded of just how low seagulls flew; as evidenced in the photographs atop this entry.

During my visits to both Long Beach and the beach at Robert Moses State Park in bygone years, I  had witnessed seagulls flying very low. At that time I researched what might be causing them to do this, and I learned that "there is in aerodynamics, a phenomenon called 'Ground Effect.' (The effect of added aerodynamic buoyancy produced by a cushion of air below a vehicle moving close to the ground.) It is where the air under a wing is being squeezed between the wing and the ground. The height of the ground effect depends on the size of the wing. So seagulls glide close to the surface because it is easier to glide there. Pelicans use ground effect, as do other sea birds."

I discussed these findings in a 2013 posting here on Blogger which you may reference by clicking here.

Meanwhile, more pictures of the low flying gulls, who I saw on October 7, 2017 can be found directly below.

Tuesday's Truths WK 63: Time spent with anyone is fleeting. (Remembering Donna De Solis)

It's the sixty-first week of my Tuesday's Truths series. This week's truth is a reminder that time spent with anyone is fleeting and the post is dedicated to the late Donna De Solis (DD). Her birthday would be today, October 24th, had she not passed away in June of 2015.

The little slide show atop this entry was produced a couple of years ago. It features an array of birds who are spending time together. In the first slide you see Cam, my visiting female cardinal (who is a writer) with her son, Vincenzo. Each photograph in the presentation has been included in Cam's book,  Words In Our Beak Volume One.

In her story, Cam states that "though it’s true that we cardinals feed our young, sometimes I try to give my children a bit of tough love because I want them to have the confidence to be on their own. But I confess that I’m known to give into their begging tactics. While I want my children to be independent, occasionally I do give in when they beg, because time spent with a child is fleeting. I once overheard a conversation between two folks when people-ing, and it is this overheard line which expresses my beliefs: 'I gave into my toddler’s wishes, as I figured it wouldn’t be long before he’d be asking for the car keys . . . time flies,' a woman stated. And as one who flies, I couldn’t agree more. I value my time with Vincenzo, but I still force myself to push him to fend for his own seeds, even though I know that once he’s successful at his endeavor, as he seems to be here, he will leave Mac and I to pursue a life of his own." Cam is correct that time spent with a child is fleeting, but I'll go one step further and say time sent with anyone is fleeting! 

This mini-movie's background music features the song Christmas Auld Lang Syne, being sung by Bobby Darin. I heard the song and Darin's rendition on an annual basis when I attended DD's Christmas parties, including a Christmas party she held in December of 2014.

The song, when sung by him, was one of her favorites. If you want to sing along, these are the lyrics:

"When mistletoe and tinsel glow

Paint a yuletide valentine

Back home I go to those I know

For a Christmas auld lang syne.

And as we gather 'round the tree

Our voices all combine

In sweet accord to thank the Lord

For a Christmas auld lang syne.

When sleigh bells ring and choirs sing

And the children's faces shine

With each new toy we share their joy

With a Christmas auld lang syne.

We sing His praise this day of days

And pray next year this time

We'll all be near to share the cheer

Of a Christmas auld lang syne.

'Merry Christmas everybody and a Happy New Year!'

In sweet accord we thank the Lord

For a Christmas auld lang syne."

Little did I know that at Donna's Christmas party on December 20, 2014, when her guests and I sang the words, "We sing His praise this day of days, And pray next year this time, We'll all be near to share the cheer, Of a Christmas auld lang syne," that Donna would be dead the following June. Her passing is a reminder of Cam's views on the importance of spending time with one's children, and in my view, also on the importance of spending time with anyone near and dear to you.

ADDENDUM FALL 2018: 

The digital versions of Volume One within the Words In Our Beak book series that are mentioned in this entry may only remain available for a limited time, but hardcover versions of Volume One, Two and Three can now be found wherever books are sold. Please click here to go to my blog post that provides details as to where you can get these books.

MY BOOK SERIES

Additionally, I have rendered some images from these books into other formats and they are available via Fine Art America (FAA). Some of my other photographs (Black & White Collection, Kaleidoscopic Images and the famous Mandarin duck who visited NYC) can also be found on my FAA pages.

ADDENDUM SEPTEMBER AND OCTOBER 2021:

When the third volume of the hard-cover version of Words In Our Beak was released, I withdrew from promoting my former versions of Words In Our Beak. 

The very first one is an iBook and went into Apple's book store in 2015.

This was followed by an ePub version...

... that is available on Amazon and was also published in 2015.

Subsequently, Words In Our Beak's digital versions were published as a soft-cover book (with slight variations) by MagCloud in 2017.

Its press release can be read by clicking here.  

Now with the release of BIRD TALES (which is in Apple's Bookstore and On Amazon)...

... I've been advised to make mention of my early versions of volume one of Words In Our Beak, they do vary ever so slightly in content from the hard-cover version of volume one.

As of this addendum, I do not intend to create digital or soft-cover versions of Words In Our Beak Volume Two or Words In Our Beak Volume Three.

Creatures Take Garbo's Cue: Part Two

As you may recall, dear reader, this past September I had the privilege of meeting Jewel, the white Muscovy duck seen in the images atop this entry, where she is in the company of a Mallard duck and  an array of pigeons.

Creatures Take Garbo's: Cue Part One

This past September when I was in Riverside Park, I encountered a house sparrow. She appeared to be a loner (as seen in the photographs above).

A View From The Hood

The avian creatures featured within all the images included in this blog entry belong to the bird type known as a Khaki Campbell duck.

In Honor of the Recently Departed Tom Petty (b 10-20-1950 - d 10-2-2017)

The You Tube video featured above features an animated version of Tom Petty, for which he did the voice-over. Petty was born on this day of October 20th in 1950. Mr. Petty passed from this life eighteen days ago on October 2, 2017. This blog posting is in honor of his memory.

Here's Thursday's Tale for October 19th 2017 (Not Quite a Swan Song BUT....)

Many thanks to Jignasha Thakkar for taking the photos atop this posting. Her images feature a swan whom we encountered in Island Park (which is on Long Island in New York), after spending part of an October afternoon on Long Beach on the Saturday (10-7) before last.

Heeding the Insights of Mary Oliver Wednesday's Wisdom (WW)

It has been twelve days since I took this picture (above) of a female cardinal (one of Cam's daughters) who was casting her gaze in a very specific manner, as she wrapped her feet around the branches of a tree known by the name of Acer palmatum ('Shisitatsu' Sawa), which grows in my rooftop garden.

The long lens on my camera, along with a large monitor which is attached to my computer, allowed me to take notice of how this bird used her legs, ankle, and feet, in order to secure this vantage point for a better view of what she was looking at.

Tuesday's Truths WK 62: Facts RE Herring & Ring-billed Gulls

It's week sixty of my Tuesday's Truths series; and as you may recall, dear reader, in this past Tuesday's posting (10-10), I mentioned that on the first Saturday of October, which was October seventh, I had finally been able to make a trip to Long Beach (which is on Long Island in New York).

Moreover, I have published a followup entry to that post (10-14), where I discussed some of the seagulls who I had seen bathing in the Atlantic Ocean on that beach day. In this aforementioned blog post, I promised to use my then forthcoming Tuesday's Truths entry to discuss a few other facts that I had learned re seagulls as a result of my recent trip to the beach, and so without further ado: The seagull seen in the picture atop this entry, where the creature is preening, is a shorebird whom I encountered on that October afternoon. I've done some research since that time and my understanding  from reading a number of seagull related/themed articles and web-pages; the variety pictured here is known as a Herring Gull.

In Honor of Oscar Wilde On His Day of Birth (10-16-1854)

Oscar Wilde was born on this born on this day of October 16th in 1854. I've written about him in prior entries here on Blogger, including a post where I included one of my favorite Wilde quotes, which is, “I was working on the proof of one of my poems all the morning, and took out a comma. In the afternoon I put it back again.”

It's the Feast of Teresa of Ávila

Today's the Feast Day of Saint Teresa of Ávila. In bygone years I've written about her in entries published here on Blogger. I especially appreciate her comparison to gardening and the process of prayer which I discussed in my 2011 post.

In last year's post I included the same image which is atop this entry, and, as of today, I have nothing else to add to what I've written about her in the past. Therefore, I'm reiterating what I stated last year: I invite you to refer to my posts re Saint Teresa of Ávila as a way of learning more about this saint on her feast day.

Splish Splash Seagulls Were Taking a Bath! (Saturday's Sequel Re 10/7/2017's Beach Day)

 

This past Tuesday, in my entry here on Blogger, I discussed a few things related to the visit I made to Long Beach (on Long Island) last Saturday.

However,I did not mention a unique (to me) sighting that I observed when I was there, which was my seeing seagulls bathing in the Atlantic Ocean.