Last week Mike moved all the campers
to make room
for the new 5th-wheel.
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PS: Due to my not thinking, what else is new, and the fact that today seems to be a Federal holiday, I can’t finish the banking thing today so won’t be able to get the new 5h-wheel until later this week. Sure is hard to take care of business during the holidays. Just impatient. A virtual tour will be coming.
Having lived in some form of RV for the last 13 years meant downsizing Christmas decorations, especially a tree. And although I fought against the “fake” tree as a pre-teen it’s almost funny how I fully support the idea now. My mother would certainly laugh. Any way, my first tree measured 6 inches (15.24 cm) and came with some tiny baubles glued on from, but of course, a thrift store. Probably cost me a couple bucks. Really, I’m not cheap, just thrifty.
A couple years ago I bought a 12 inch (30.48 cm) tree with optics at a thrift store for $5 and decorated it with clip-on rhinestone earrings. I really do like the idea of packing the tree away in a plastic grocery bag which I always forget where I put the following year.
This year, Mike was pushing for a REAL tree. What? Why kill a tree? No he meant a LIVE tree we could plant later. We have no space. Yet once again a thrift store saved the day when I found a 24 inch (60.96 cm) tree complete with star, stand and red ribbon for $3. The first decorations added, Stacey’s felted acorns. (I love these, thank you.) Next I dug out some spun glass ornaments I’ve had–and rarely seen–over 25 years. And finally the rhinestone earrings. We’re both happy with this tree.
And yes it’s small. Maybe too small to shelter the gift of love we exchange. Or the newer 5h-wheel we’re looking to buy. But at the growth rate of Christmas trees, in a couple years, we’re going to need a bigger house/RV.
Happy Holidays!
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OK, so I don’t Really consider myself a birder. I do like to watch and try to identify them. Even take a photo when able. (Birds are usually much faster and flightier than I.) I don’t count the birds. But I have a treasured old field guide which I’ve marked in for years.
I’ve been seeing this little bird flit in and out, so fast it’s very difficult to get a clear look let alone a photo (sorry this one’s not good).
At first I thought it was a tiny White-crowned sparrow because of the black eye line. But it’s much smaller, with a buff colored belly and blue-gray upperparts.
Central Arizona seems to be at the edge of its winter/summer range. According to National Geographic the red-breasted nuthatch is “common to abundant. Breeding: northern and subalpine conifers, particularly spruces and firs. Occasionally breeds south of mapped breeding range, usually in conifer plantations or residential neighborhoods with conifers. Migration: irruptive; often moving in 2- to 3-year cycles but variable. Northernmost migrate annually; southernmost are generally resident.”
Illustration by H Douglas Pratt
The local plants are oaks and manzanita, not too many conifers. Maybe I’m just being more observant this year, but I don’t remember ever seeing this little sweetie before. Sure hope it returns to I can try for more photos.
Then Sunday morning a mid-sized bird swooped onto the top of the phone pole. I zoomed in to see it pecking at the wood. Appears to be a female Williamson’s sapsucker. She sat with her back to me but later flew off showing the soft yellow belly.
According to wikipedia: “The female is completely different in appearance: mainly black, with a pale yellow breast, a brownish head with black streaking and fine barring on the back, breast and sides. Originally, the female was considered to be a different species and named the Black-breasted Woodpecker by Cassin.”
They are permanent residents in some parts of their range and migrating birds form small flocks traveling as far south as central Mexico. Yet again central Arizona is at the edge of their winter range.
The species took its common name from Lieutenant Robert Stockton Williamson, who led a survey expedition to identify the best route west for a railway to the Pacific Ocean and collected the first male of the species.
So now I’m researching what it takes to ebird. I’m not really good at numbers…but if I start keeping track, these are two lifers.
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