Tag Archives: Red

Photo Roundup Starring Red

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Yesterday I got some new photos of Red. He seems to have made friends with my Costco pink flamingo. But every time I’ve tried to get his photo, he flies away. Yesterday I was successful.

Red’s been super friendly. He’s no longer ignoring me like he did when I was on the knee scooter, walker or wearing the boot. I must have looked pretty scary to such a tiny guy. Now when I go outside, I hear him singing. I took the trash out and he landed a few feet away from me on the wall. I just went to our backyard to go in the pool, and he landed in the tree above our chairs, singing his heart out.

Earlier yesterday, I saw him land on a rock on the backyard. I think he was waiting for me to feed him. I opened the casita door and he flew high into the tree.

I called out to him, “Hey Red!” in a chirpy voice. I put out some “Cardinal Seed Mix” and he didn’t fly away. I was able to get some more photos while he munched. Mrs. came and joined him, but she stayed in the shade and her photos were too dark to fix with Photoshop.

One of my lunch bunch friends who I worked with 30 years ago in Palm Springs asked why Red always faces left. I hadn’t noticed, but she’s a graphic designer and probably more in tune to things like that than I am.

I’m learning Photoshop for my photography workshop that starts in the fall. So I used PS to flip Red to the right!

A few more visitors this week:

A Desert Spiny Lizard doing pushups on the rock.

A Harris’s Hawk landed on the fence yesterday. I pounded on the window to get him to take off. I really wanted a photo of him in flight. But no luck!

Papa Quail looking out for mom and babies.

Have a wonderful weekend!

What are you planning on doing this weekend?

Trouble in iphone land

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I snapped this photo of Red in a tree. I’m happy with it, especially the background, which I have no clue how it turned out this way!

I have noticed now I’m driving myself to Physical Therapy, that the maps app on my phone doesn’t work. Yes, I know the way there, but I like to check for traffic and the best route.

Then I turned on my Hallow App for the drive — and guess what? It didn’t work either!

My phone kept trying to connect with the car. Too much tech for me. So I turned off WiFi on my phone and thought it would use cellular data — and I’d get maps and Hallow. No luck. My phone is a brick when I leave the comforts of home.

Yesterday morning I left the house for a walk, listening to a podcast and the phone went dead once I was out of home WiFi range. I went through settings a million times and finally noticed my SIM was turned off. I entered what I thought was my SIM code. Next message said SIM locked. Enter PUK. What? What’s a PUK?

I called the customer service carrier number and my call failed. My phone was worthless.

What’s a PUK?

A PUK code, or Personal Unblocking Key, is an eight-digit security code that unlocks a SIM card when the PIN has been entered incorrectly too many times.

When you set up a PIN for your SIM card, it acts as a password to protect your phone’s cellular services (calls, texts, data). If you enter the wrong PIN too many times (usually three), your SIM card will lock, and you’ll need the PUK code to unlock it.  From AI Overview

I used my husband’s home office phone and got a PUK from the carrier. I reset my SIM code. So far so good. I’ll find out when I’m out and about if my phone is more than a brick. At least the camera works!

What tech issues have you had lately? Do they make you crazy too?

Chipmunks like the birdseed, too. They especially like corn.

Backyard critters

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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?

Favorite Photos of the week — so far!

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Red has been hanging out on a consistent basis with Mrs. That’s a relief after he left our yard for the better part of a week. I’m still looking for little Reds, but so far we haven’t spotted any. I sit outside in the early morning cool weather and I think he likes to see me outside. I spent two full weeks without being able to venture outside. That’s when Red disappeared. My husband jumps in the pool in the evenings and said Red flys into a tree overhead and watches and sings.

I’m waiting for the day I get cleared to get in the pool!

Red is my favorite model to photograph, so I’m glad he’s back hanging out in our yard!

This photo of Red and a sparrow make me think of Bonnie Raitt’s song “Something to Talk About.”

Then there’s Mrs. full of spunk.

Here’s Red across the yard on the yellow planter.

This photo surprised me because I noticed the quail but not the lizard when I took it.

Here’s Bonnie Raitt’s song “Something to Talk About.” I’m laughing to myself remembering when she won her 2023 Grammy for “Just Like That” and a headline read: “Shock as Unknown Blues Singer Wins Song of the Year!”

No words!

What photos do you like best and why?

Things that made me smile

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Two baby quail with poppa. They are the tiniest I’ve seen. I think they just broke out of their eggs!

I missed Red hanging out in our yard for three full days. I was so worried he’d abandoned us. Or, perhaps he thought I’d abandoned him. I honestly believe we had a bond, because when I’d go outside, he’d show up. I’d drive up our driveway and he’d sing to me from a nearby tree. I was inside for two full weeks, post surgery and Red disappeared. Fortunately, I had a Red sighting on Monday and heard him singing while I sat outside — now that I’m able.

Red taking off for who knows where! Below, I spotted Red near our feeder across the yard.

I caught a Gilded Flicker in flight. That made me smile.

Here’s a Gila Woodpecker and below is a Flicker.

Getting my Nikon out with my telephoto lens after more than two weeks of not using it — also made me smile. I used it for all the photos above, looking out my casita window. The photo below, I love for the morning light.

I’ll finish this post about what made me smile with a selfie I took with my iphone. It’s a goofy photo of my new look taken in the reflection of our sliding glass doors.

What makes you smile?

Now for a little bit of Red

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I have been taking photos out my casita window with my iphone. I don’t feel up to using my Nikon with my heavy telephoto lens. So, the photos may not be as crisp and clear as they could be. But I’m happy to spot Red and take his photo any way I can.

Today, I have my first post op appointment with the orthopedic surgeon. There was a hint that at two weeks post surgery she would take off the cast and I’d be in a boot. I sure am hoping for that. I’m feeling confined and restricted in my cast. It itches under there! Plus, I am bound to a knee scooter and getting around is not that easy. I discovered something that I never noticed before. Every single doorway or sliding glass door we have, has a step or a barrier to entry to the outside world. With two good feet, I completely missed that. Now it’s quite a challenge, for example, to get to the car for a ride from hubby to a doctor’s appointment.

Red on a barrel cactus next to my pink flamingo.

I learned from new friends who live two doors away that our casita was an add on. They’ve lived here since our development was built close to 20 years ago. Our husbands were chatting at a neighborhood social night in our neighborhood park. They discovered they had a friend in common. The neighbor went to the Naval Academy and my husband’s best friend went there, too. The neighbor was friends with my husband’s best friend’s older brother — who also went to the Naval Academy. Isn’t that a small world?

I veered off track for a moment. Back to the casita — it was built for the prior owner’s mother, who must have been old and needed her space, but also something suitable for someone needing a secure and safe space. I’ve found it to be ideal for me while I’m recovering. For example, the shower is made for handicapped — which I am right now. It has a bench and bars strategically placed for me to hang onto for dear life.

I’m hoping for the best in my healing adventure. I’ll give an update next week after visiting the doctor this morning.

What are your plans for the weekend?

Is it nesting time?

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One of my blogging friends, from Brilliant Viewpoint, suggested that I put water out for my backyard birds. I told her that the doves like to get on the pool float and drink water. I said I’d post a photo, so here it is! FYI, I also ordered a bird bath from Amazon, but so far no birds have used it.

I was distressed the other day because it was a rare day that I didn’t see Red at all. He made an appearance the next day. Talk about relief! However, he didn’t stick around like he usually does and I didn’t see Mrs.

I read about cardinals and their mating and nesting times. I believe they have a nest in a Teddy Bear cactus (cholla) in the wash behind our house. I’ve seen them fly in and out. It’s a very protected space with the prickly plant offering a barrier to predators.

It’s the right time of year for Red and Mrs. to have babies. They start building their nest as early as January and start nesting and laying eggs as early as April and as late as August. June seems ideal. The female builds the nest, lays the eggs and incubates them. The male forages for food. Part of the mating ritual is the male feeds the female. I’ve seen a lot of that lately. Red looks like he’s kissing Mrs. but he’s giving her a nice sunflower seed — one of their favorites.

Red feeding the Mrs.

Here’s a cholla in the neighborhood that has a nest tucked away inside it. You can see how protected the nest would be. You can’t see the nest, unless you’re in person, looking closeup.

Other interesting things I learned about Cardinals: They mate for life. The female lays from one to five eggs, usually three. She may lay eggs three times a year. Also, the male feeds her and the babies up until two weeks after they leave the nest. The males sing or chirp loudly to define their territory and to ward off other cardinals.

Yes, I think I’m not seeing much of Red and Mrs. because they are starting a family.

Here’s a video of Red and Mrs. You can see Red feeding Mrs. a sunflower!

Here’s to week two post surgery with a post op appointment on Friday!

What are you looking forward to this week?