This Red-Shouldered Hawk is perched on a palm tree just over the fence in the open space.
I often see these majestic birds of prey soar high overhead or perch like this on tree branches. Its rising, whistled kee-rah is a distinctive sound. They hunt small mammals, amphibians, and reptiles.
I hope he’s looking for his next meal…he’s the very real definition of hawk-eye!
On a side note, could the sky BE any bluer? I think not.
(PS All photo credit to Enchanted Seashells)
In my dreams…
Those Enchanted places
Where the past shall always be
Where the past shall linger
Quietly, in the present.
Poem by Athey Thompson
Art by Lucy Campbell
No, I’m not narcissistically describing ME, lol, but this little Thanksgiving cactus (zygocactus) with its dazzling, almost glowing, salmon pink showy blooms, is all dressed up to become the centerpiece at dinner.
Up close.
Glittery sparkles on the water like a million diamonds.
#Tamarack #PacificOcean #California #PhotoOfTheDay
Have you ever grown beets? They’re humble and rustic, sweet and solid, packed full of heart healthy nutrition, even the leaves.
Beets are full of antioxidants that fight cell damage and reduce the risk of heart disease. They’re one of the few vegetables that contain betalains, a powerful antioxidant that gives beets their vibrant color. Betalains reduce inflammation and may help protect against cancer and other diseases.
No part of this beauty is wasted, whether it’s cooked or shaved raw in a salad.
My mom used to make borscht, a Ukrainian cold beet soup, because my dad loved it, but I thought it looked and tasted disgusting, especially since she topped it with a dollop of sour cream.
I now think that I might have been mistaken about my revulsion for borscht, well maybe…except for the sour cream, which I still don’t like.
I’ll scrub and slice the beets, then steam them with the leaves just until tender, to enjoy eating unadorned just like they are, fresh and wholesome. YUM!
I rescued this treasure at the thrift store, an adorable penguin box crafted of Capiz shells from the Philippines. Used extensively for jewelry and even window panes, it’s the shell of the oyster, Placuna placenta.
The way the light hits it is stunning and artistic for such a small thing.
I love little boxes.
And bowls I can fill with owl and hawk feathers I discover in my garden or on walks.
This sort of reminds me of Mary Oliver, “Someone I loved once gave me a box full of darkness. It took me years to understand that this too, was a gift.”
No darkness here as you can see, but I guess I’ll have to fill my box of nothing with something, probably and predictably rocks or seashells, and then it will no longer be a lonely box of nothing.
Looking west from the deck, the vibrant sunset is reminiscent of my favorite passionfruit and mango shave ice.
Rain might actually fall in a couple of days from Tropical Storm Hilary, the reason for those beautiful clouds. A new weather forecast says it might turn into a hurricane which would definitely bring stronger winds along with sky water. We would only feel the remnants–Baja California would bear the brunt–but I’d be really happy for the rain!
The new moon, under 1% illuminated, turns skies dark tonight as we anticipate the second full moon at the end of August.
As I walked around the neighborhood I had to snap a pic of this mndblowing geometric perfection.
Agave
Be the wild one, my friends.
And, she
Be the wild one
That wanders the woods
Wanting for silence
But for, the song of the birds
Photo credit to Enchanted Seashells
A little poem by Athey Thompson
Taken from A Little Pocket Book of Poems by Athey Thompson
Enchanted Seashells by Princess Rosebud 