Where have all the PRETTY birds gone......damn it!!

So I have always liked birds.  My grandfather raised budgies, my sister at one time had a menagerie of exotic birds and I have had a few of my own.....and I like wild birds as well...pretty cardinals, blue jays, yellow finch's, blue birds, hummingbirds....you get the idea

and the above ladies and gentlemen are the extent of my "pretty bird" pictures....I will elaborate...... I started a Nature Photography course which required a few pictures taken in the 10 week period of at least a couple of pictures of wildlife....we did two field trips with the class and one in class assignment and the rest was up to us.....as you can see from below I just can't help going back to my roots as a people photographer :)

Well I thought this wildlife thing should be a breeze....I live across from the bush and our area is well known for a wide variety of different birds....so off I went to our local feed Store Cayuga Pets and purchased a cheap gazebo type bird feeder and a big bag of feed, which I promptly came home and hung on my deck....

I was so excited as the first bird discovered it's new feeding spot, little did I know then what I do now and I would not have been....a blue jay even perched on the deck but was gone before I could grab my camera...I have seen hide nor hair of him since that day....then my hubby came home and informed me that I was to move the feeder or we would get squirrels....grrrr....I ignored him for a few days, but then gave in....you know how it is ladies, give into the little things so they think they have won, besides I had already formed a better idea....I would plant some sunflower seeds by the old hydro pole which was still close enough and hang the bird feeder there....

There was already a bird house on the pole and I added a suet feeder, in hopes of Mr Blue Jay coming back, hung up a plant for foliage until the sunflowers got big enough and put a bird bath below....what more could a PRETTY bird ask for??? So I waited....and I waited....and I waited, and while I waited I took pictures of the birds that where visiting....

to post anymore would just be redundant....for weeks now I have been waiting for my PRETTY birds....I know they are here because my neighbour Jan has pictures of them on her Facebook taken from her window or her deck or her backyard....grrrrr......she tells me to be patient and they will come....I think she has done something so that they only like her place or she has some special seed that she won't tell me about! Now there is a Robins nest perched up on the satelite dish on my hubby's Mancave so I thought although I can't use them for my Nature course (manmade elements are not allowed) I should still probably get some pictures.....so after sitting for over an hour, on a ladder, with a lens on my camera that wieghs like 6lbs and no tripod, I finally got these ones....

So although I am only attracting what I now to refer to is "ugly brown birds". I am learning a few things. The cheap gazebo bird feeder I mentioned that I bought, is cheap for a reason....not only are "ugly brown birds" ugly they are apparently also picky and messy

at this rate the feeder was needing to be filled up morning and evening....and the seed on the ground now was attracting Morning Doves, again ugly brown birds, there is now always a convention of them down below picking up what the other "ugly brown birds" threw away. Once again I headed to Cayuga Pets and bought a new feeder, a hummingbird feeder, hummingbird feed and of course to replenish my feed.

I even bought one of those birdseed bells made of sunflower seeds for Mr Blue Jay....alas I believe the squirrel that my husband was mentioning climbed up the pole and took it away, netting and all...oh and on it's way down it landed on one of my sunflowers which are now about 3 feet tall and broke it off...I have also put up a makeshift feeder which I have been putting oranges in for the cardinals....uh no...they just dry up or the "ugly brown birds" check them out and fling them to the ground.....and although I have discovered this cool camaflouge netting my hubby has to hide me from the birds (I'm sure our new neighbors across the road think I am bonkers)....for some reason I scare them, although they see me feeding them ALL the time....I still only have "ugly brown birds". One night I decided that since "ugly brown birds" where the only things coming and I was patiently out there waiting for the PRETTY birds to show up I decide to capture them in flight to fight off the boredom...did I mention that I don't sit well...after like 2 minutes I am usually ready to move on....

Now although I was kind of happy with the flying pictures, again they are, when it all boils down to it....just more "ugly brown birds".....sigh!

Career Class @ CSS

`What have I just gotten myself into` was the question I asked myself not 2 minutes after saying Ì`ld love too` when Abi Arnold asked me if I would consider speaking to her Careers Class. I mean I love photography and talk about it all the time (according to my hubby) but seriously to talk to a bunch of 17 year olds...who may or may not be even interested in my profession....UGH! So I prepared a powerpoint presentation packed my camera bag and headed off Cayuga Secondary School...

A Beautiful Day for a Blessing

The difference you may ask between a "blessing" and a "baptism" is that a blessing is where the minister bless's the baby and also gives thanks for their safe delivery into the world, however it is not required for the parents to profess a faith. Common venues for these are usually at your home or a hall with a light lunch served afterwards....and so it was for my precious new granddaughter Zoey. Family & friends gathered together at the Caledonia Legion on what turned out to be such a gorgeous day that we held the Blessing outside by the River....

Montana is a wonderful big sister and was a big help during the day.....hard to believe she is just 10, they grow up so quickly....

When Emran arrived he ran up to Kevie and gave him a hug...then asked if he remembered him...too funny!

you gotta love this face!!!!

Above is Uncle Don & Great Grandma Mary...Uncle Don officiated the ceremony and Great Grandma's gift to Samantha & Caleb was holding the Blessing for them....

Caleb's Mom Denise....with the new love her life!

the blessing was held down at the river which was lovely....

Denise & her cousin Tina standing to the right of her share the same birthday...which happened to be today!  Happy Birthday ladies!

just hangin at the bar after a long afternoon....

mmmmm....food :)

Thank you Mary, Denise and Ed for being such gracious hosts I know how much this meant to both 

Sam and Caleb......KUDO's!!

Career Class @ CSS

`What have I just gotten myself into` was the question I asked myself not 2 minutes after saying Ì`ld love too` when Abi Arnold asked me if I would consider speaking to her Careers Class. I mean I love photography and talk about it all the time (according to my hubby) but seriously to talk to a bunch of 17 year olds...who may or may not be even interested in my profession....UGH! So I prepared a powerpoint presentation packed my camera bag and headed off Cayuga Secondary School...

As I waited for Abi and Katrina in the lobby I was drawn to all the inspirational sayings surrounding me...

While I was taking photo`s of random things I was approached by a teacher inquiring why I was there (whoops should have announced myself at the office) Once I explained he then informed me that I was not to take any pictures of the kids in the school....now I was intending on shooting a few in the classroom so that I could put together this blog and that put a bit of a damper on my plans but I can handle glitch`s :).......

Abi (pictured above with her mom`s permission) and Katrina (as long as their faces are obscured or not visible I`m ok) met me in the lobby we headed up to the classroom to set up and get the show on the road. Once I met their teacher Mrs Hoecht and she explained how the presentation would go I was ready....while Abi set up the equipment I took that time to take a few pictures of the class...

 then it was all said and done....I enjoyed my time with the class who where all attentive and polite PLUS I received t a Timmies card as a thank you from the class...WOO HOO....love my Timmies...I want to thank Abi & Katrina for having me at their class and Mrs Hoecht for allowing me to come.....