I’ve recently discovered birding. Not sure why I’m so very fascinated with these lovely creatures, but suffice to say it is possible I’m taking it much too seriously. I have books, binoculars and – at last count - five feeders outside our kitchen window. Now, mind you, the feeders are really only about 20 feet away so the binoculars are overkill to say the least. We live in an historic district right in the middle of the city (in NC), so not your usual birding paradise. That being said – looky at who showed up this past Sunday for a visit:

According to my new friends Phil and Ron from our local paper they are juvenile yellow-crowned night-herons. Seems there is a colony residing in the park just down our street.  According to Ron, “They must have fledged very recently and their naivete explains why they showed up in such an unlikely place for night-herons – porch railings and car roofs, of all places!” They stayed around for about an hour and a half, then wandered playfully across the street – on foot.

The picture above is a decent shot of the female perched delicately on the back of one of our cars, with the male in the forefront seemingly very aware I was stalking him from the window.

He put on quite a show for us, preening and posing, and at one point noticing his reflection in the windshield.

We are off later today to take our youngest blue duck (aka The Kazakh Comet) to see Walle-E, the latest (and from what I’m initially reading, one of the greatest) Pixar Animation Studios creation.

Via Jeff at 2719 Hyperion

Wall-E is the right movie at the right time. It is at its core a sincere and simple love story devoid of sarcasm and cynicism, but framed within a cautionary fable that gently, though still pointedly, presents a post-apocalypse future brought about by environmental neglect and commercial over-consumption. It is a visually stunning combination of art and design that conveys an astounding emotional depth through not just its deftly animated central characters, but via landscapes and panoramas at times hauntingly surreal and and at other times dense in high tech polish.

I have never been secretive regarding my adoration, admiration and respect for Hillary Clinton (please, no hateful comments – that time has passed). I voted for her in our primary. While Barack Obama certainly has my vote, he still has work today on the unity front.

That being said, let’s go get’em Democrats. We need, and have to have, this election. It simply can’t be McCain.

Like my father always says, there are two sides to every story, then the truth.

I agree with some comments below, some I do not. You be the judge on the Unity Roundup:

Obama, Clinton Join Together

Breaking News: Obama Bombs

Praiser for Hillary from Obama’s Wife

Obama, Clinton to promote unity in Unity

Clinton legacy presents quandry for Obama

Netroots/Obama Honeymoon Over

 Penny Prtizker, Obama in the name of unity

Tensions Persist between Clinton, Obama

 The Secret is Out: Obama and Clinton Get Along

Think what you want, but I adore my dear friend Jeff’s blog, 2719 Hyperion. If he isn’t passionate and breathtakingly knowledgeable about a subject, then I truly don’t know who is….

Some of my favorite sections:

The Studio Christmas Card Collections

Theme Parkeology

What a Character

When you get a few minutes, check out his blog. If you are planning a vacation along those Disney-lines, rush over there. You’ll discover all the kind of things you never knew about the Magical World of Disney.

Quote of my day:

Another interesting bit in that article: Dobson also will not vote for McCain. It would be wonderful if the fundagelical right would simply recuse themselves from all elections henceforth in that way.

Ha. Exactly.

Now that Hillary [Senator Clinton to you, or can't you respect her just a little?] is back in fundraising mode, in an effort to pay off her tens of millions of dollars in debt [seems you missed this tidbit - "Many of you also know that my campaign is facing debt. That happens when you're outspent...I have also loaned money to the campaign which I consider an investment...I'm not expecting anybody to help pay that back."] wracked up by continuing her campaign to damage Obama [because he is soooo far behind McSame, you see] long after she’d already lost the race, Hillary and her people are putting out this talking point that Hillary took on the “highest and hardest glass ceilings.” I don’t buy it. [No. You simply don't get it.] Maybe because I grew up in Chicago, but blacks had it far worse than women where I lived, and they still do where I live now. That doesn’t mean women don’t face prejudice [nice disclaimer], but compare a 16 year old black guy to a 16 year old white woman [let me count the ways why this doesn't even make sense as the cornerstone of this cute little hit job], and tell me who in America faces a higher and harder ceiling [plenty of people face glass ceilings, again - not your point - imo] ? I don’t like to compare suffering [really, you don't??], and debate who is more worthy [protesting a little too much?], but this talking point is a little offensive to blacks and anyone else [like Sen. Clinton?] still fighting for the rights in America (last time I checked, Hillary could get married.) [I'm a lesbian, I get the marriage inequality thing] Also, this totally misrepresents Hillary’s campaign [but you never would, would you? *wink*], and why she lost. She wasn’t the feministh candidate [w.h.a.t.e.v.e.r.] until she saw that she had lost the race and needed a Hail Mary [this is where you really take it to a new level]. And, she didn’t lose the race because of the glass ceiling [is she saying that? really, is that what you think, you sly feminist, you?], she lost because of a failure to plan, and hubris. Name one state in which Obama did better than Hillary because she was a woman and he was “only” black? I had promised myself I wasn’t going to let her annoy me any more. Ugh.” [Ugh is right. I am now promising myself I'll not let you annoy me any more.]

[emphasis clearly mine]

 

 

Screw you. And your orchids.

Sincerely,

Crack #17,458,002 in that pretend glass ceiling

Dear Taylor Marsh:

Posts like this are the reason you rock. Profiles like this are the reason I keep on coming back. And, thoughts like this are the reason we need you.

Thanks,

Jennifer

Speed-Oh!

I, for one, thinks she looks incredible. Perhaps we should be more concerned about this?

What is wrong with him? Oh, right.

After many aborted attempts I am back. In all fairness, I doubt I was missed. And – truth be known – this isn’t the first time I’ve made a return, then vanished yet again (just look at the date of the previous post if you don’t believe me).

In any event, I’m giving it a go. I don’t expect anyone to follow along until the second post magically appears.

I feel terrible. I did promise Blue Gal that I would keep blogging. I stopped. I started. I got a job. I love my job. My partner is wonderful. I feel guilty I don’t blog. I quit my part-time job. I’m back to blogging. I still love my “day” job.  P.S. My day job is the poster, not the seeker.

Maybe I can multi-task.

What prompted the pounding of the keyboards? Good question. Perhaps I’m settled into my job. Maybe I miss the spam comments. Truth be told – I have no idea. I think a little time simply goes a long way. The Kazakh Comet is starting school, turning 5 on Friday. The political machine is spinning. College football season awaits. A trip to Savannah is around the corner. Our oldest turns 18. A precocious pound puppy – sorry, Lily – has found a home. The Bionic Woman springs to life. Terry Fator rocks. Mariska Hargitay is still ruling Law & Order: SVU. Fred Thomson thinks he is a “contender.” Coffee still starts my day.

Change is good. I’m really trying.