Cape May Fall 2010

Cape May Spring 2010

Our semi annual trip to Cape May was, as usual, a very relaxing time especially for Pam who relishes some time w/o phones ringing, professors complaining and the usual rigmarole of day to day work. Weather was clear and down right cold for a few days as the wind typically blows in off the ocean which is still in the 50's temperature wise. Clear skies also make for drab sunsets so the lighthouse photos are less than spectacular. Others on the blog from prior years are much better.

Cape May is very much a seasonal town with not a lot going on between Labor Day and Memorial Day. Guess that's what we enjoy most about the off season plus it becomes affordable! In season equals $$$$$$ ;o)

There're back!

In spite of the very cold temps of late, our H'birds arrived. Bet they wish they were back in sunny Central America!
It seems a few males precede the main flock which dribble in over the next few weeks.
If you feed these tiny guys, it's a good idea to put out a least one feeder now (one part table sugar/4 parts water without need for red food coloring as most feeders have enough red
on them) which ups your odds they'll stay. I generally don't start working with them for a month or so to let them settle in and begin nesting and the jury is still out on my arm. I got
the miserable splint apparatus off my arm (YES!!!) but as of now don't have enough strength or dexterity in my hand to handle lenses etc. and droppin' one isn't something I care to do!

One of our prior hummers lookin' me over. Incredibly, they can make a 4000 mile round trip flight and return to the same feeder year after year!

Ditch Patrol 2010

The shortened version of the DP 2010 got underway in early April. Am going to have to have surgery on my elbow next Wed. which will basically put me out of commission for about a month at least. Have a non MS related ulnar nerve compression at the elbow that needs fixin' so I don't lose most of my L hand function.

This beauty is Sanguinaria (commonly called "Bloodroot") that is about our earliest spring wildflower not counting the little Crocus that is
cultivated. I looked for it for years before finding a small group of this uncommon flower over in Wilderness battlefield last year. It's absolutely gorgeous
with the pristine white petals surrounding the bright yellow stamens. These belong to the Poppy family and to a group of plants called spring ephemerals
(ephemeral meaning transitory or quickly fading) in that they complete their brief life cycle in early spring before the trees set their leaves.

Blue!

We've had the pleasure this winter (thanks to all the snow) of seeing Bluebirds at our suet feeder! Except for once, I cannot recall ever seeing one visit our feeders in 23 years and have often wondered how they survive periods of bitter cold and snow. The brilliant blue of the male contrasts sharply with the snow. The distracting background in the pics is a snow covered Hemlock about 15 yards behind them which I couldn't do much with. The female is much duller with some bright blue in her wings. These are members of the Thrush family that included the Wood and Hermit Thrush, the Veery and Robins. Have attached a number of different "poses" of the male as subtle changes in head position etc make some shots more pleasing. What gorgeous little creatures! Enjoy!

Let it snow!

The winter of 09 will go down in the record books as one of the coldest and snowiest ever! I used to love the cold and snow but with my current physical limitations it's just a huge hassle! Pam has had to take on the snow removal chores with the help of a marvelous machine called a snow blower with which she's got quite proficient. I happened to be in Home Depot several years ago in March when they threw a half price clearance tag on snow blowers. They didn't have to ask twice!
Above are a few shots of Pam at work with her trusty supervisor Sam looking on. Is quite amusing to watch him in the snow. He gets a running start and dives in going completly under if there's a lot. Does the same thing with large piles of leaves.

Happy New Year 2010!

Pam and I want to wish our MANY friends and family a very happy New Year! We know of several family members and friends that have had a very trying and difficult 09 and are more than happy to bid the year good riddance. Our prayers are that 2010 will be much better!

Love,

bruce and pam

Shot the photo above several years ago on a bitter cold, windy and snowy day very much like last Friday. Amid the bleak snowy woods this Cardinal, his feathers ruffled by the wind, sure added a touch of elegance to an otherwise dismal day.

Christmas

Christmas, a time to pause and celebrate the birth of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

Christ’s Birth Announced to Mary

Luke 1:26-38

²⁶ Now in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, ²⁷ to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. ²⁸ And having come in, the angel said to her, “Rejoice, highly favored one, the Lord is with you; blessed are you among women!”^c]">[c]
²⁹ But when she saw him,^d]">[d] she was troubled at his saying, and considered what manner of greeting this was. ³⁰ Then the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. ³¹ And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bring forth a Son, and shall call His name JESUS. ³² He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Highest; and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David. ³³ And He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of His kingdom there will be no end.”
³⁴ Then Mary said to the angel, “How can this be, since I do not know a man?”
³⁵ And the angel answered and said to her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Highest will overshadow you; therefore, also, that Holy One who is to be born will be called the Son of God. ³⁶ Now indeed, Elizabeth your relative has also conceived a son in her old age; and this is now the sixth month for her who was called barren. ³⁷ For with God nothing will be impossible.”
³⁸ Then Mary said, “Behold the maidservant of the Lord! Let it be to me according to your word.” And the angel departed from her.

Luke 2:1-20

Christ Born of Mary

¹ And it came to pass in those days that a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered. ² This census first took place while Quirinius was governing Syria. ³ So all went to be registered, everyone to his own city.
⁴ Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David, ⁵ to be registered with Mary, his betrothed wife,^a]">[a] who was with child. ⁶ So it was, that while they were there, the days were completed for her to be delivered. ⁷ And she brought forth her firstborn Son, and wrapped Him in swaddling cloths, and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.

Glory in the Highest

⁸ Now there were in the same country shepherds living out in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night. ⁹ And behold,^b]">[b] an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were greatly afraid. ¹⁰ Then the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people. ¹¹ For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. ¹² And this will be the sign to you: You will find a Babe wrapped in swaddling cloths, lying in a manger.”
¹³ And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying:
¹⁴ “ Glory to God in the highest,
And on earth peace, goodwill toward men!”^c]">[c]

¹⁵ So it was, when the angels had gone away from them into heaven, that the shepherds said to one another, “Let us now go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has come to pass, which the Lord has made known to us.” ¹⁶ And they came with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the Babe lying in a manger. ¹⁷ Now when they had seen Him, they made widely^d]">[d] known the saying which was told them concerning this Child. ¹⁸ And all those who heard it marveled at those things which were told them by the shepherds. ¹⁹ But Mary kept all these things and pondered them in her heart. ²⁰ Then the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, as it was told them.

Cape May 2009

We were later than usual making our semi-anual trip to Cape May this fall and I'm REAL late getting the photos of the gorgeous LH posted. Cape May is very much a seasonal town with not much going on between Labor Day and Memorial Day. As info and specs on the lighthouse are posted elsewhere on the blog (click on lighthouses) I'll just go with this years pics.