Here are a few photos I took over the weekend of my favorite model Red, his wife Mrs. and a few other creatures.
I captured Mrs. in flight with Red in the background.
The chipmunks like to stand on their hind legs. What balance while he eats some birdseed.
A Curve-Billed Thrasher is one of the bully birds of the backyard. With his beak, other birds use caution.
Another lizard in the tree. This one was big and husky!
There can’t be too many photos of Red.
Or a baby quail with it’s mom.
Good news. I have two more weeks in the boot with the walker! Then I’m free as a bird!
What’s on the agenda this week?
The chipmunk photo is amazing. I usually see them scurrying not standing. Only thing on the agenda this week is to stay cool and hydrated. The heat dome is here.
The chipmunk moves quickly and then he freezes in place on his hind legs to eat. We had a super hot week last week but it’s below 100 degrees this week.
I’ll bet you’ll be glad when you can give a boot to your boot.
I cannot wait! It’s getting tiresome and has put some sores on my foot.
Excellent photos my friend.
Thanks! I’m working a little with Photoshop when needed for brightness and exposure.
The results are so good.
Thanks. My summer assignment was to learn Photoshop before my class starts in September.
You’re a quick learner.
It’s a difficult program with many different functions. A photographer friend told me to start simple and learn a few things like exposure, brightness, etc.
I think you’re doing very well.
Thank you! I think one key is to be subtle and not make drastic changes.
Yes, that’s a good principle
👍🏼
Excellent news EA! My agenda includes updates for the landlord on move dates and beginning route/hotel/pit stop plans for my drive to Colorado in August. The baby quail is my favorite this time!
That sounds so good to plan out your drive. How long of a drive is it? The baby quail are so cute but I take a lot of photos before I get a good one. I think it’s because they move so quickly and they hang out protected by their parents.
The drive is roughly 20 hours and I’m taking the WA/ID/MT/WY/CO route- almost all I-90 driving. My daughter went OR/UT/WY/CO and it’s almost the same amount of time. She said they had heavy winds through Wyoming and I read that there can be road closures based on wind speed. That route crosses the Rockies in WY so lots of mtn pass winds versus my N-S route along the Rockies through WY so the mtns buffer somewhat. Anyway, they only did one overnight so 10 hr days driving. Not for me. I want to plan out 3, maybe even for overnights. I just can’t drive or sit that long at one time 🙂
Wow. What a trip! I’m with you on taking a safer, less windy route. Plus, taking your time. We drive from AZ to Santa Barbara every summer and it’s nine hours. We take one overnight, or we’d be too tired to enjoy it when we get there!
Looks like you caught the chipmunk in the middle of some serious dance moves.
🤣
He’s a character! He stands like that every day!
Nice neighbors.
Much better than the homeless guy in Palm Springs who moved into our yard.
Free as a bird – I love it. Beautiful photos – there truly can’t be too many photos with Red or baby quail!
Thanks! I want to be free as a bird! I’m able to walk a little without my walker in the house and have PT later today. I agree about photos of Red and baby quail!
Lots of cuteness in your yard! Congrats on ‘almost’ being free.
I’m counting down the days until freedom! Love all my backyard friends.
Hi Elizabeth! You have quite the number of neighborly critters. Wonderful job in capturing the moments! This is Crystal from another blog you follow. 👋🏻
Thank you! Yes, I recognize your name. I’m enjoying relearning photography and have great models.
What a fun yard you have. You should be charging zoo prices to neighbors and friends to come explore the diverse wildlife in your backyard.
Thank you! We live across the street from a nature’s preserve that has 131 miles of hiking trails. Next to that is a national forest. The animals don’t seem to distinguish between a backyard and the wilderness. Plus, I put out a generous amount of birdseed! Thanks for commenting.
That Chipmunk is so cute
He is pretty funny standing around on two legs. I thought only we humans did that!
Have a search for animals on two legs. You’ll find some funny ones
Your first picture of Red . . . With the horseshoe, it almost looked like a mirror to me. It seems like that would be appropriate for Red. Always the star of the show! Ha, ha.
Yes, Red actually looks in the window at me and begins to pose once I have the camera. It does look like a mirror. It’s a yard statue of an abstract beavertail cactus that the previous owners put in. I like your idea of Red posing in the mirror.
Just awesome pictures- again! So happy to hear that you’re getting rid of the boot soon!
I can’t wait. I’m struggling with PT, but it has to be done. I’m glad you like the photos.
Lovely baby quail. Beautiful photos, Wickham
Thank you! 😊
You’re welcome, Wickham
👍🏼
Staying cool. It’s a billion degrees ..
I’m used to hot. It’s been over 105 degrees for the past week. In Palm Springs it was ten degrees hotter. We’d get a day up to 125 degrees and someone from the East Coast would say, “But it’s a dry heat.” Try 125 dry or not!
Ours is a humid heat. And it sucks
We would get humidity too, in Palm Springs usually in August. At 125 degrees, the pavement gets soft and if I wore heels they’d get stuck. Plus door handles would burn your hands. Most businesses wrap fabric over door handles. In Arizona we have monsoon season plus thunder and lightening. I think the monsoons give relief, because it pours. I hope you get relief soon!
I can’t even…
The first summer I was there, I was wearing shorts and sat on a penny in my husband’s car. I yelped and sat down on it again. I had a tattoo of heads and tails on my thigh! Lincoln and the Lincoln Memorial that lasted all summer. 😂
Omg!!
We laugh about it today. But at the time it wasn’t funny!
I looked up your weather. You have 67% humidity right now. We have 18% 😊 It’s cooler than normal today and I’m sitting outside.
Wow!!! Amazing photos!!
Wow beautiful 👍
Thanks!
Today it was way better than yesterday. Yesterday was just pea soup air quality
Ugh!
Beautiful photos, Elizabeth! 🥰
Thank you! 😊
Lovely photos.
Thanks! I took some more of Red today and baby quail. I need to see how they turned out.