Category Archives: Photographs

Kestrel (Sparrow Hawk)

Posted on August 1, 2015 by | 13 comments

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I got out early this a.m. to feed the bulls and change my irrigation water, bringing my camera along to take advantage of the early fall light. A few good photographs to draw upon this coming week for the blog. The Sparrow Hawks were busy this morning, but tricky photographing. Automatic focus is a must as I tried to capture this one in hover mode with my 400 mm lens. I couldn’t help but think of our constant commenter and falconer, Richard, as I was photographing, and include these enlarged (and slightly fuzzy) photos for him.

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Weekly Photo Challenge (1): “Inspiration”

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Posted in Photographs, Ranch Journal

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Blackberry Patch

Posted on July 31, 2015 by | 5 comments

 

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Under monsoonal cloud cover and smoke from a fire on the North Fork of the Kaweah yesterday, the girls and I picked wild blackberries this morning after we got our chores done.

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Posted in Photographs, Ranch Journal

LEARNING TO LIVE WITH HUMANS

Posted on July 30, 2015 by | 2 comments

 

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One hundred ten degrees,
a kestrel lights where water sprays
the onion bed and bathes—

then soon its mate,
or so it seems at a distance
in the fuzzy heat.

Now in the morning black
my desk lamp brings
gnats to the window glass,

and tree frogs on a slick,
perpendicular hunt, vying
for positioning, carefully

lifting one foot at a time.
I imagine now the herd
of tree frogs seeking cover

at the kestrels’ landing,
great hops into the thick
onion stems and berry vines

dripping with wonder:
new habits on a timer
every summer evening at six.

 

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Posted in Photographs, Poems 2015, Ranch Journal

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ROADRUNNERS AT DAWN

Posted on July 29, 2015 by | 3 comments

 

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In the early stillness
when sky is white
above the ridgeline,

hollow coos
of Roadrunners
spill off dark hillsides,

a sprinkle of sounds
almost like a song
for themselves—

or for all of us
who have endured
these years of drought

to rise early yet
to carry on
upon this earth.

Blessed are the birds—
may their gods
be ours.

 

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Posted in Photographs, Poems 2015

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HIBISCUS 2

Posted on July 26, 2015 by | 4 comments

 

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No easy lift-off
with a dust coat of pollen
for a bumblebee.

 

 

WPC(2) — “Close-Up”

 

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Posted in Haiku 2015, Photographs

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SUMMER 2015

Posted on July 25, 2015 by | 8 comments

 

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July dragonflies,
near collisions of color
even in dry times

 

 

WPC(1) — “Close-Up”

 

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Posted in Haiku 2015, Photographs, Poems 2015

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GIANT

Posted on July 21, 2015 by | 2 comments

 

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Checking water, hillside springs
plumbed to troughs, a coyote pup,
on the lope and looking back

as if heading home, is common.
Beyond the den, this is his home,
this is his water—we are

unknown intruders, enigmas
making rounds in these hills,
following trails to waterholes

where wild waits
and congregates
as it shrinks into August.

With our eye, we measure
flow at the end of rusty pipe—
with our lungs, blow water

backwards to the spring box
to clear debris and sediment,
seldom clean. Yesterday,

I got to be giant
with two tree frogs dancing
on my tongue.

 

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Posted in Photographs, Poems 2015, Ranch Journal

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BLACK-WHITE FACE

Posted on July 21, 2015 by | 7 comments

 

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The best of both breeds,
hybrid vigor well-beyond
their English parents.

 

 

 

WPC (2) ‘Half & Half’

 

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HALF & HALF

Posted on July 20, 2015 by | 9 comments

 

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Half full, half empty—
but differing perspectives
to prove fences work.

 

 

 

WPC (1) ‘Half & Half’

 

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Posted in Haiku 2015, Photographs, Poems 2015, Ranch Journal

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108 Degrees

Posted on July 18, 2015 by | 4 comments

 

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None of the girls seemed opposed to having a little party yesterday now that our cattle work was done. Allie Fry, who is heading off to Fresno State next week, wanted to learn to rope and Terri Blanke, who coaches the youngsters before the Three Rivers Lions Club Team Roping, is helping her with the basics that evolved into a competition that included Robbin and I. An athletic quick study, Allie surprised us all.

We smoked pork ribs all afternoon, put eggplant and peppers on the barbecue, then put wild blackberries that Allie and I picked after feeding and irrigating in the morning on vanilla ice cream for dessert.

Thank you girls, we got the work done.

 

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Posted in Photographs, Ranch Journal