My 5th Substack Post

My Fifth Post on Substack

 

In a recent post here on Blogger, I announced the fact that I had published my first post on Substack. 

This morning I uploaded my fifth post to that venue. It is titled, Father's Day is for the Birds.

You can view it by clicking here.

TEST YOUR POWERS OF OBSERVATION

Male House sparrow, Male Northern cardinal, Mourning dove & Male House finch

Male House sparrow, Male Northern cardinal, Mourning dove, Male House finch

Male House finch, Male Northern cardinal, Mourning doves

Male House finch, Male Northern cardinal, Mourning doves

Male House finches, Male Northern cardinal, Mourning dove

Male House finches, Male Northern cardinal, Mourning dove

Male House finches, Male Northern cardinal, Mourning dove

A few days ago before the days upon days filled with heavy rains were in full force, I took the bird-themed pictures that are included within this post.

There are seven photos within this posting and they all feature a few bird varieties who have been hanging out at one of my feeders, as well as alighting on the branches of my Contorted Hazelnut. It's as if they were having a last hurrah before the onset of relentless downpours occurred.

At first glance these images might look the same to you as their differences are very subtle, can you spot how they differ?

Other bird types are also visiting but they are not included in these pictures.

FYI, all of these bird types are featured (along with many other bird varieties) in my books.

You can find info re this matter within a post on this blog.

MEANWHILE, I'd like to give a shout out to PC who has been supplying my visiting birds with a variety of seeds. I'm not in the position to get this for them, but fortunately for the avian community, she has been able to this, for she loves observing them from the vantage point of her place and she also appreciates the songs they offer while spending time here.

My intrigue with wild birds continues to bring me joy. Tuesday's Truths WK 232

Yikes! It's been a week since I returned to my Tuesday's Truths series (with no post in between)! Not the best of practices for returning to this blog but all I can say is Neurofibromatosis health issues continue to interfere. GRRRRR!

But fortunately, in spite these obstacles, my intrigue with wild birds continues to bring me joy.

The other day a female cardinal who visited my rooftop garden caused me to spend quite a bit of time just watching her apparent interest with something on a pole (or near to it) that's in the northeast corner.

I took photographs of her antics and two of those images are featured atop this entry.

This scenario of the cardinal mesmerized by whatever was on the pole or near to it, along with me being enthralled by the whole scene caused me to think of the quote within the text based image seen directly below.

Image Credit

In any event, and as many of you know, my fascination with female Northern cardinals has been going on for a long time and this type of creature is featured in my three volume book series, Words In Our Beak, where the stories are told from the perspective of this bird type. 

Tuesday's Truths WK 231: Determination Helps

My return back to blogging (although I don't know how long I'll continue) is fairly recent, but for now I'm here, and back in the day when I was more active here on Blogger, I had a series that I called Tuesday's Truths.

The last time I posted something within this series was February 2, 2022 after I had endured a surgical procedure on my brachial plexus which was prior to subsequent Neurofibromatosis-related set backs. 

Today I'm adding this episode to the series.

It is inspired by a determined American robin who visited my rooftop garden this afternoon.

The creature became an inspiration for me to persevere, for as I was looking out my back door to my garden, and didn't see "a giant doin' cartwheels" [or a statue wearin' high heels]," I DID see a robin whose eyes were bigger than his beak, as evidenced by the photos atop this entry which feature this creature grappling with Concord grapes that had been on a plate atop a table in may garden.

I was determined to take photos of my avian visitor even though it was a bit hard to hold my DSLR and maintain my balance since I'm still wearing a soft-shoe cast and need a cane to get around, but I did what I could (albeit with a blurry result) knowing this bird was accomplishing what he/she could in an attempt to grab a grape.

Moreover, this "entertainment" was a great distraction from the rhetoric occurring on this Election Day and it was a nice "respite" from my ongoing battle with the recuperation from my August 14th 2024 foot surgery.

FYI, American robins (as do many other birds) always add delight to the atmosphere in my garden.

As you might recall, my garden is the setting for most of my bird-themed books and American robins are just one of many bird types included within my stories. 

Not so fast, Youngquist

In my last post here on Blogger that was much overdue, (the delay was unavoidable due to my having very serious medical complications), which were mostly as a result of my having Neurofibromatosis (NF), part of what I state in this post is, "Depending on the outcome of that appointment, I'm not sure how frequently I'll post but I will begin sharing content re my amazing space and the birds I observe from my window, a nice thing to be able to do when recuperating from foot surgery and a mastectomy."

The appointment I referred to was one with my surgeon who reconstructed my foot this past August. A photo montage atop this post feature my progress. The outcome of that particular doctor's visit indicated this: 

Although I will still have to use a soft-shoe cast, I can now switch out of it and a wear a special sneaker part-time, and if I use a cane I am able to walk outdoors, albeit minimally. I will return to the surgeon in November for X-rays and hopefully bandaging can be removed and restrictions on mobility will be lifted.

I'm back after yet another hiatus...

Once again I have had circumstances that have taken me away from being present here on Blogger as well as from moving forward with my "Imperfect Strangers" book project.

I feel akin to Mooch, the cat featured in the Mutts comic strip atop this entry and I must confess, the longer I'm away from my book project, the more confidence I lose re any value it might have. 

But I've received an encouraging "note" (email) from an advocate for those who suffer from NF.

It stated:

"Your struggle is real, Patricia. 

Youngsters nowadays are SO lucky to find there's information (re NF), care and acceptance of their differences, at least in safe circles.

You got a very opposite message.

Remind yourself of the courage and strength of character it took to make a new home in New York.

It wasn't the end of ridicule or discrimination, but your determination to educate the uninformed has been a real inspiration.

I'll admit that it seems cosmically unfair that you've been assaulted by so many complications - both painful and cosmetically distressing - at this point in your life.

Why you should be so afflicted I cannot understand.

All I can suggest is to set small goals for yourself each day. 

Celebrate small accomplishments.

Thank each bird who graces your garden. 

You're a good person with a kind soul. 

That's huge.

RM"

I'm not so sure RM is correct in calling me a person with "a kind soul," I can get pretty short tempered, but this is not the time or place for self-deprecation, so onward I shall go with my return to this blog.

"Sometimes you feel like a nut, sometimes you don't." [At long last: An Update re my unintended hiatus from Blogger]

I am well aware that it has been over a year since my last post here on Blogger where I spoke about the fate of the Autumn clematis which at that time grew in my garden. I also stated, "However, given my new battle with Neurofibromatosis (NF) and the limitations this brings, it may be quite a while before I can tell my flora's stories. Plus I need to concentrate on raising awareness about NF which I hope to do through my book project, Imperfect Strangers."

During this unintended hiatus from publishing posts on my blog, I have had one trauma after another non-stop, mostly related to my having NF (multiple surgeries and treatments for which I'll spare you the details).

Please know, I've missed working on my blog and am quite humbled by the fact that people have contacted me re when, and if, I planned to return to this endeavor that I've been involved in since December 2009.

At this juncture I don't know if I'll be able to fully return to my blog for my computer is no longer functioning as it should. I was able to use a computer to create this posting but that may be an only one time deal.  

Meanwhile, I've been very involved in finding ways to get a new machine and will continue to try and make that happen, not only for my blog, but for my book project, which has been on hold due to what is going on with my machine.

This situation has also disrupted my ability to procure assignments with the on-line publication that I had been writing assignments for: narratives accompanied my photographs. 

It also has prevented me from being active with uploading new work to my venue on fineartamerica. 

In any event, I’m not particularly superstitious, but now that I'm posting this update, please let me confess, that I did find it interesting that a little bird spent time in my garden (this past December and January) as I attempted to get through these new hurdles with Neurofibromatosis.

The creature I am speaking of is a ruby-crowned kinglet, "a small bird with a big spirit." An image of my visitor visiting my garden can be seen atop this posting as well as in the copies of photos I took of him that are directly below.

Ruby-crowned kinglets are known for courage, strength, as well as determination and have been considered to be a symbol of hope and renewal. Birders concur, the ruby-crowned kinglet reminds us that no matter what challenges we face in life, we can overcome them and they remind us to never give up on our dreams and to remain positive in the face of adversity, for this tiny creature sings (as do many birds) even in the darkest times, reminding us that hope and joy can be found.

Many weeks have passed since this creature visited me, yet I'm still hoping the truism re the presence of such a bird holds, and that I will be able to return to my project. 

It was a very recent encounter that I had which reinforced what I feel is a a need for my book project to come to fruition. Here is what occurred:

One of the sons of the owner of the building where I live pointed to my face and in an unkind manner (although I've been the target of much worse comments and questions) asked about my bumps. 

This is something I "should" be used to at this stage of my life, but there are days when encounters such as this get me down, while other times I can brush off them off. As an old candy bar commerical jingle (composed by Peter, Paul and Mary) proclaims, "Sometimes you feel like a nut, sometimes you don't."

In any event, a video of my book project's intent was posted last September on You Tube as well as Vimeo and the response was very encouraging as evidenced by copies of comments that are posted below:

                                   

With all of these testimonials, now, more than ever, I hope to move forward with my "Imperfect Strangers" project.

Thanks again to all my readers of this blog for checking in during my absence from posting.  

I hope to continue doing it again, but what with my health and technology issues, it may be sporadic, so feel free to check my smaller updates as well as my "stories" on Facebook.