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Posts Tagged ‘Mother Nature’

You’ve Heard of Puppy Love, Haven’t You?

Posted in Uncategorized, tagged , , , on December 18, 2010| Leave a Comment »

FAB FOTO FRIDAY

I know the heading says Friday but as you can see I am once again a day late!  Even though recently I had a Squirrely Saturday, I love  these little creatures (as long as they stay outside) and luckily so does Murray.  I think this series is remarkable not only in content but also because he was able to shoot it in rapid sequence.  What do you think?

 

gray squirrel, Central Park, New york city

The Chase

photo by Murray Head

Central Park, New York City,

I'm Going Home

photo by Murray Head

 

squirrel hole, tree, Central Park, gray squirrel

Are You Coming Out or Not?

photo by Murray Head

 

squirrel hole in tree, Central Park

C'mon!!!

photo by Murray Head

 

squirrel nest in tree, Central Park

OK Then, I'm Coming In.

photo by Murray Head

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What’s Your Favorite Sound?

Posted in BY THE WAY, Smooth or Crunchy, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , on December 9, 2010| 6 Comments »

I don’t know why I ever try to define anything that is my favorite.  It goes so against my Gemini twin-like indecision!  Like I could ever pick ONE movie that was my all time favorite.  Noooo I am the poster-child, er in my case, woman of Variety is the Spice of Life. I can’t make up my mind quickly when I’m in my favorite ice cream shop so I always get two scoops in two different flavors.

I don’t think I have a favorite song, I have a couple.  And now this??  What is your favorite sound? This is an attempt, an avenue, an opportunity to get more readers more involved in the blog postings.  Blatant? Maybe, but I’m pretty up front about it!.

So please send me your favorite sound or sounds because honestly I have more than one and I’m going to tell you all of them, so you can do the same.  I would love to post them and you can leave them here on the blog or email me at pbenjaytoo@gmail.com.

And how does someone choose a favorite sound?  Is it because that particular sound engenders a nostalgic memory or feeling?  Does the sound serve some need of yours?  Well let me tell you about my favorite sounds and maybe you can relate to them or you’ll get to thinking about the sounds in your life and what they mean to you.

I love the sound of ocean, the crashing of waves and the gentle lapping of waves on the shore.  However best of all I like the sound of the water splashing up against a bell buoy when you’re sleeping on board a boat.  That sound along with the gentle rocking and rolling of the boat surely must be a memory embedded from the womb.

I love the sound of thunder!  The rolling, rumbling gathering of nature’s forces that climax in a vibrating thunderclap really excites me.  There is a majestic power in this lightning-charged explosion of air and the booming, banging, cracking and crashing of thunder puts me ever in awe of Mother Nature.

I love the sound of silence. The deep, dark, thick silence that surrounds the cottage on a winter night.   The stillness is secure, safe and cozy to me.  Peter hates it-well, born and bred in the City, this kind of silence is totally foreign to him.  He can’t fall asleep, he says it’s too quiet.  I say, “that’s how it’s supposed to be”.  I can snuggle my head into my down pillow and let the darkness and silence envelope me and drift into sleep…the sound of the silence filling my head until dreams replace it.

And I love the  sound of a cat purring! As an adjunct to my love of the  sound of silence, when in the City, I love to have Nora sleep on top of my pillow and purr and purr.  She is my very own sound machine.  All I have to do is rub her belly or stroke her head and she is off and running on another round of a fairly loud purrrrring.  Sometimes she purrs herself to sleep before me!

And so I ask you again, What Is Your Favorite Sound? Please share them with us.

 

purring, Nora

Nora

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FAB FOTO FRIDAY – “I’m Ready For My Close-Up”

Posted in Fab Fotos, New York Speaks, Only in New York, tagged , , , , , , , on December 4, 2010| Leave a Comment »

Don’t you wish you had a powerful lens like the one used to take these photos?  All you need is a bright sunny almost-Winter day in Central Park, the lens and of course the eye for spotting these little feathered creatures and the patience to capture their beauty.  I often  refer to the beauty of our world by saying Mother Nature, however, I’m really thinking that only God could create this beauty.  Today we are going to get some close-up photos of these wondrous feathered beings, and maybe a squirrel thrown in for good measure.

Nuthatch, Central Park, New York City, Murray Head

A Nuthatch - Bird not house

photo by Murray Head

Central Park, New York city, murray head

What Kind of Bird Is This?

photo by Murray Head

Central Park, New york city, Murray Head

"Who was that masked man"?

photo by Murray Head

Central Park, Murray Head, New York City

" A Girl's Gotta Eat"

photo by Murray Head

Blue Jay, blue sky, Central park, New York city, Murray head

Mr. Blue on blue

photo by Murray Head

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New York City – Urban Aviary???

Posted in BY THE WAY, New York Speaks, Only in New York, tagged , , , , , , , , , on October 24, 2010| 1 Comment »

I’ve been living in New York City for a long time and I admit that I don’t spend a lot of time in Central Park. So when I heard a beautiful bird song the other day, I stopped dead in my tracks.  It was a clear sweet sound and then it abruptly changed.  A lyrical trilling followed and then a distinct chirping… I couldn’t believe my ears but it sure sounded like a Mockingbird. Further investigation into a bush-like tree along the sidewalk and sure enough it was a Mockingbird; Peter and I saw the long tail and watched the little throat pulsate and the beak move as this lovely bird sang out.

What a great thrill it was and a surprise too!  Of course I know there are birds in New York City and those that read this blog steadily know I have posted many photos of birds taken by my friend Murray Head. He has shot photos of all kinds of birds from Egrets to Warblers, from Hawks (probably Pale Male) to Herons and Buntings to Thrushes. BUT those pictures are taken in Central Park where wildlife abounds and this was outside an office!

Anyway, this little ornithological treat got me to thinking about birds in Manhattan and I remembered something very, very interesting.

Several years ago, I was waiting on a corner  to cross the street when I heard a bird chirping and it sounded like it was right above me and it was.  I looked up and there sat a bird on the crosspiece pipe of a street lamp.  As I watched, the bird hopped to the end of the pipe and then disappeared inside the hole at the end.  What??? Yes! The bird went into the pipe.  I waited and soon the bird reappeared and took off but there were still chirps coming out of the pipe.  Amazing I thought.  A bird had built a nest inside the pipe where it was really safe from marauders and other dangers.  Wow, Mother Nature and the little sparrow’s survival skills were pretty impressive.

I mentioned it to Peter and he told me that he had seen this urban phenomena many times.  After that incident, I kept my ears open for the sound of birds on street corners and over and over again I did see birds housing themselves on City property.  Bird squatters I guess.  These spunky little Sparrows found a home in urban New York City.  It’s not that we don’t have lots and lots of tree-lined side streets because we do and I would guess there are bird’s nests in them but I’ve never seen one  and we have a LOT of street lights!!

Manhattan street light, New York City, sparrow nest

Home Sweet Home

Think about this; not only is the bird really protected from the elements in his little pipe house, there’s usually a trash can on every corner so I’m sure there is fairly endless supply of food crumbs for the picking as well as nest-building materials.  Just goes to show you how adaptable living creatures can be to their environment.  You do what you gotta do to survive wherever you are and whoever you are…reminds of the Country Mouse and the City Mouse.

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