A TANKA POEM

HUMMINGBIRD

Early morning light

Stormy weather beyond the

window warm inside 

Looking outside Hummingbird

Astounded me looking inside 

THE MOUSER

Dori

Me

     Yesterday we had a wonderful late afternoon when we arrived  in Jerome for the art walk. Sally went to the Jerome Artist Co-op to help out with setting up the food and refreshments, while Dori and I tour the town, under a cloudy sky and chilly breeze blowing down Mingus Mountain. We were planning to sharpen our photography  skill, and though I was disappointed in my landscape shots of San Francisco Peaks in the distance to the north, I was pleasantly surprise with Dori's. So much so I made a video of  a mouser of a cat bringing his prey up to a secure spot for dinner.

Please visit:

http://www.jeromeartwalk.com/

http://jeromecoop.com/

http://jeromeartists-davidson.blogspot.com/

http://chuckables.artistwebsites.com/

URBAN HIKE

Periwinkle Watching Creek

Sally and I walked the Greenway Trail along a small portion of Granite Creek near downtown Prescott yesterday and we took Barney. Although, it was more of a stroll on a sunny, warm afternoon through a park, it gave me pause to think what this creek must have been like before Prescott was founded in 1863. And now what is left of its natural setting. Nonetheless, we still had a great afternoon strolling along from Granite Park to the Junior High School and back. Barney definitely loved the walk, it was a new one for him. 

SICK

     I do not like being sick! The plans I had this week-end went by the wayside when a bit of a cold drug me down. Sniffles, well more like snot running out of a tap, my nose, aches, sluggish, just plain moving on impulse power this weekend. So much so, yesterday after coming home from work, I cowered in my easy chair and slept most of the afternoon away and decided to take it easy this morning instead of heading out for an early photo shoot. However, did take a shot of an African Violet my wife has in her studio this afternoon. Had to feel productive and creative. 

A MUCH NEEDED HIKE AND WORKING WITH MY NEW CANON T3I

A Fence No More

Today, March 15th, '14 Sally and I took a much needed day hike on trail # 161, the Huckaby Trail. Smack in the Sedona, Red Rock, Oak Creek area of Arizona. And Barney our dog tagged along with us. It was nice, although I did not dress for the occasion, it was a bit warmer than I anticipated. The trail offered a bit of a challenge with slight up and down hill climbs to make it interesting. But ended nicely at Midgley Bridge on Highway 89A just north of Sedona and Oak Creek passing through. Barney loved that.
      I brought two of my cameras. One the ol' steady 'Canyon' veteran the Canon SX280HS I used while Sally and I was working our way to Midgley Bridge. The photos and videos I will use to make my You Tube video. The Canon t3i I saved for the trip on the way back and I think I may have made a mistake using it at the time of day, early to mid afternoon, and that really isn't  a good time for taking photo's of landscaping. Especially that of Red Rock country. So I played around during the hike and used a ND8 filter shooting a scene of Oak Creek and Midgley Bridge in the background with the intent of making Oak Creek looking frothy. Make the small rapids stand out. And for the hike back I used a rotating polarize filter to soften the glare of the afternoon sun. I hope.
     Having said that we'll see when I load the computer up later with the photographs. I'm in the process of bringing a new CPU on line.


FOLLOW-UP MARCH 16TH, 2014

     Finally had an opportunity today to review the 67 photo’s I had taken yesterday on the Huckaby Trail. I can say the afternoon sun was indeed harsh for photo’s in the Red Rock country. However, I did find seven favorite and one I am considering titling ‘ A Fence No More’.

MINERVA

     We do not know what killed Minerva, the veterinarian on duty explained Minerva did not appear to have suffered from trauma of a vehicle hitting her; however,  she was exhibiting  signs of  having maybe drink some antifreeze common among feral cats and some dogs. Sally and I soaked in this knowledge, my mind, thoughts, feelings did not want to go beyond the possibilities of just that. Minerva in her wondering found a puddle of coolant under a vehicle and lapped some up; unknowingly, poisoning herself. And we had two kittens, Wilburforce (aka Furr Ball) and Runt, our favorites, unaccounted for. 

     A deep sadness sank in our hearts when we gave the vet permission to euthanize Minerva. Sally and I stayed with her in a quiet office, stroking her soft fur, when it dawned on me this was the first time Minerva had anyone hold and pet her. And even now as I type this, it tears, rips, and crushes my heart to think about. Knowing especially, I felt,  Sally and I were so close to domesticating Wilburforce and Runt for possible adoption.

     That has been our goal ever since our six black cats had moved onto our front porch and made a home of our home. Yavapai Humane Society would not take them as feral cats; nevertheless, they had an awesome program called ‘Barn Cat’.

http://www.yavapaihumane.org/index.cfm?fuseaction=cms.page&id=1099

In short, after Sally and I discussed it, she set her sights with some help to catch and have our  black cats spayed or neuter and released back at our home. A win, win. We didn’t have to worry about new kittens and our six black cats could stay with us. We would take responsibilities for them. Sally worked so hard to catch them and at this time we still have one, Houdini, that needs to be caught. He’s the wily slick one. In addition, elderly friends of ours down the street have been working with Sally with their crop of feral cats.

     Having said all this, I  want to share that over the last several months our family of black cats have become our family members, each with different personalities and antics, all with the lust for life. We lost four of the six and now we have another one, a gnarly, battled scared, one eye black cat we named Moshe (aka Ghost).  And so I want to close by saying have your family pets spayed or neutered. Keep your area cleared of anything that is poison. And have fun with them.     

Please visit;

http://chuckables.artistwebsites.com/

http://jeromeartists-davidson.blogspot.com/

      

GOODBYE MINERVA

MINERVA

GOODBYE MINERVA

No human kindness 

has ever touched or pet you

until today when

I picked you up from the street

dying from maybe poison

And we held you at

the vet's one last time stroking

your head and ears sad

beyond belief of what is 

happening to you dying

You died peaceful  in

 my arms and though you never

shared the warmth of our

home we hope you leave knowing

human kindness we loved you