Nesting
...
Yesterday, we went out on a biking-and-birding trip with the East Bay Regional Parks. We rode around Alameda and Bay Farm Islands, chatting with the naturalist, and looking for birds.
The highlight of the outing was the egret rookery on Bay Farm Island. It was incredible to see dozens of Great and Snowy Egrets, nesting in two pine trees, smack in the middle of the suburbs. Some of the birds were in full breeding plumage, and we speculated whether they had found mates yet or not. I like to think that birds don't lose all their sexy when they settle down and start families.
The day was quite overcast and foggy, so photographing white birds against a glaring white sky posed a big challenge. Robb and I already have a date to revisit these birds some night next week, after I get home from work. You cannot imagine how impressive this sight is. Huge white birds, in huge stick nests, on the skinniest of branches. At least one youngster had ventured out onto a branch and looked completely stranded. Poor thing didn't have this flight feathers yet, and has clinging onto the branches in the most pathetic spraddle-legged manner. I hope that this bird would eventually make it back to the safety of its nest. (The birds pictured above are babies, probably Great Egret chicks.)
When we got home, Robb was in pretty rough shape. Because we were out with a group, and didn't know the planned route, Robb wasn't able to cycle at his own pace, or take breaks when he needed. He was in quite a bit of pain, and spent a significant amount of time flat on his back.
I had the opportunity to tackle some much-neglected housekeeping chores during this time. I'm a pretty poor housekeeper under the best of circumstances, and since Robb's accident I've become worse, rather than better. I have no excuse for this, other than being lazy and feeling sorry for myself. I need to get over this, because the apartment isn't going to clean itself, and we certainly can't afford to pay someone to pick up the slack for my own laziness.
The pathetic part is that I just look at all the projects that need to be done, and get really depressed and do nothing. Not a very good strategy for keeping happy.
I'm going to try to find a way to tame these demons, and keep the apartment in better shape. It is, after all, the season for building and maintaining nests.
Yesterday, we went out on a biking-and-birding trip with the East Bay Regional Parks. We rode around Alameda and Bay Farm Islands, chatting with the naturalist, and looking for birds.
The highlight of the outing was the egret rookery on Bay Farm Island. It was incredible to see dozens of Great and Snowy Egrets, nesting in two pine trees, smack in the middle of the suburbs. Some of the birds were in full breeding plumage, and we speculated whether they had found mates yet or not. I like to think that birds don't lose all their sexy when they settle down and start families.
The day was quite overcast and foggy, so photographing white birds against a glaring white sky posed a big challenge. Robb and I already have a date to revisit these birds some night next week, after I get home from work. You cannot imagine how impressive this sight is. Huge white birds, in huge stick nests, on the skinniest of branches. At least one youngster had ventured out onto a branch and looked completely stranded. Poor thing didn't have this flight feathers yet, and has clinging onto the branches in the most pathetic spraddle-legged manner. I hope that this bird would eventually make it back to the safety of its nest. (The birds pictured above are babies, probably Great Egret chicks.)
When we got home, Robb was in pretty rough shape. Because we were out with a group, and didn't know the planned route, Robb wasn't able to cycle at his own pace, or take breaks when he needed. He was in quite a bit of pain, and spent a significant amount of time flat on his back.
I had the opportunity to tackle some much-neglected housekeeping chores during this time. I'm a pretty poor housekeeper under the best of circumstances, and since Robb's accident I've become worse, rather than better. I have no excuse for this, other than being lazy and feeling sorry for myself. I need to get over this, because the apartment isn't going to clean itself, and we certainly can't afford to pay someone to pick up the slack for my own laziness.
The pathetic part is that I just look at all the projects that need to be done, and get really depressed and do nothing. Not a very good strategy for keeping happy.
I'm going to try to find a way to tame these demons, and keep the apartment in better shape. It is, after all, the season for building and maintaining nests.
Comments
And I'm a lazy housekeeper. I hate cleaning, my little guys don't help much unless I yell, and my husband is a slob. Therefore, my house is usually not in tip top shape. All of my friends seem to be able to keep on top of housework, which makes me a bit depressed. Sigh...
Bandaid
Not all of the ideas on that site work for me, but the fifteen-minute timer does.
The Dread Pirate Queen,
fellow theater gal and perfectionist.
I'm not sure the 15 minute timer would work for me. I think I can clutter more in 1 minute than I can pick up in 15.
-Spencer
The Dread Pirate Queen,
faithful blog reader.
PS check out The Fly Lady website. She helps you set the small goals and develop a system for home cleaning & decluttering. I think it's flylady.com
Suzi of SuziLivvi
It has been a lifesaver for me, for sure.
Don't be too hard on yourself - I think what makes the artistic type of people what they are - doesn't lend itself very well to having that super clean "model home" look - and who really cares anyway? You take the most beautiful photographs, and seem to do a great job focusing on the important aspects of life.
I, myself, skipped out on housecleaning to go see nesting Eagles with one of my adult sons, whom I rarely get to spend time with. Laundry will get done... but it isn't the end all of life.