Tuesday, May 21, 2013

Bird!

Hello, everyone!  It's me, Cammie.  As promised, I am here with a post more in keeping with our Serene Scenery Sunday type of posts.  We've just seen so many beautiful things lately, though, that we can't help but want to share them with you!  This post is all about the birds!

When we're out on our walks, we see lots of lovely birds!  We love it when we spot Cardinals!  I think this guy spotted us, too!

IMG_3197Cardinal
"Hello!"

This one looked like he was posing for us!

IMG_3564Cardinal
"Get my good side!"

And then his wife came over to check him out!

IMG_3566Cardinals
"I think you have a little piece of breakfast stuck on your beak!"

That wasn't the clearest shot, but we like it anyway!  (And don't worry, Mrs. Cardinal; we didn't notice his messy beak!)

We saw this Cedar Waxwing up in a tree:

IMG_3370CedarWaxwing
Cedar Waxwing

Mom's photo came out looking like a water-color, but we have no idea why!

We also recently saw a Brown Thrasher!

IMG_3349BrownThrasher
Brown Thrasher

He was singing a very pretty song!

We see lots of swallows swooping around on our walks.  This little on was resting up on a house gutter:

IMG_3390BarnSwallow
Barn Swallow

Mom said they're lots easier to photograph when they hold still!

We can see lots of pretty birds when we sit out on our deck, too!

IMG_3229Cam
"Birdie!"

The swallows love to catch bugs in the field back there, then perch up on the wires.

IMG_3367BarnSwallow
Barn Swallow

Look who else is doing a high wire act!

IMG_3221PurpleFinch
Purple Finch

Why are Purple Finches red?  And why are Red Bud Trees purple?  Hmm...

Our last shot is a Common Grackle at sunset:

IMG_3379GrackleAtSunset
Common Grackle looking not so common

Mom loves how the sunset is lighting up his feathers!

As always, you are welcome to visit our FlickR set to see more of our bird photos.  I hope you enjoyed going birding with us!

Camo!

Monday, May 20, 2013

Zuke's-Henge

Hello, everyone.  It's me, Cammie.  I know Zimmie told you that we have a lot of serene-type of photos to share with you this week, but I really think this is important.  I mean really important!

I'm sure many of you are familiar with the treats known as Zuke's, right?  So you know that they're really quite tasty.  What you might not be familiar with is Zuke's-henge!  That's right!  It's just like Stonehenge or Bonehenge but it's made of Zuke's treats.  Really.  Check it out:

IMG_4728Dave
Dave at Zuke's-henge

It's Davy!  It's my Davy and he was at Zuke's-henge!  It stood tall in our living room for at least 3.2 seconds and now it's gone!

How do I know?

IMG_4724Camo
"I can help with clean up.  Really."

I was an eye witness!  Dave can be really fast when he wants to be.

In other news, Zim helped Mom out on a photo shoot of old limestone buildings last week.

IMG_3151ZIM

That's the best shot Mom got.  Isn't Zimmie helpful?!?

Have a great Monday.

Camo!

Sunday, May 19, 2013

Serene Scenery Sunday

Ha roo, pups and kit-cats.  It's me, Zim, here with some photos I lifted off my mom's camera that are bound to help you find that inner Zen of Zim Zone.  Are you ready to get going?

Yeah, so there I was, strolling across the open field ...

IMG_3393Coyote

Just kidding.  That's a coyote!  A coyote!!!  Mom and her friend headed out to Tuttle Creek State Park again yesterday to do some birding and they saw my cousin there on the way in.  Isn't he handsome?

Mom saw this bird hard at work, building a nest on the walls of the outdoor chapel:

IMG_3401nest

Mom isn't quite sure what kind of bird it is, but thinks it might be an Eastern Kingbird.

A lot of the birds there were apparently teasing Mom and her friend - they'd fly by real fast, then zoom off before they could focus and shoot their photos.  That would explain this shot:

IMG_3404QUICK!LOOK!
"Quick!  Look!"

Mom said the Great Blue Herons kept doing fly-bys, so that could be what she missed there.  She did manage this one shot:

IMG_3453GreatBlueHeron
Great Blue Heron

They also saw Mrs. Red-Winged Blackbird:

IMG_3424Red-WingedBlackbird
Female Red-Winged Blackbird

... and her main squeeze, Mr. Red-Winged Blackbird:

IMG_3428Red-WingedBlackbird
Red-Winged Blackbird

He was nearby, watching over her.  Very sweet, Mr. B!

Here is a pair of Blue Winged Teal ducks that were swimming by:

IMG_3434BlueWingedTeals
Blue Winged Teals

Lovely couple, aren't they?  And remember - the family that dives together ...

IMG_3436BlueWingedTeals

... thrives together.  Or something like that.

IMG_3438BlueWingedTeal
"You have a little algae coming out of your bill, dear."
"Quack."

This shot is an Eastern Kingbird:

IMG_3458EasternKingbird
Eastern Kingbird

Mom said not only does she do better with slow, larger birds, but it's much easier when the leaves aren't on the trees, too.  I think she mentioned it took her 87 hours to get this shot.  Something like that.

Here's an Eastern Bluebird!

IMG_3478EasternBluebird
Eastern Bluebird

And here's another shot I got off her camera:

CollageMossSeamus
Border Collie Birds?

Hmm.  Funny looking birds, Mom!  Oh, well.  At least I know she and her friend were well-protected! Good job, Seamus and Moss!  I hope you two had a blast out there!

Mom was really happy to see some Baltimore Orioles.  They were hard to photograph, as they didn't sit still very long and hid in the trees ... but Mom and her friend were patient and persistent and Mom was able to get these shots:

IMG_3484BaltimoreOriole
Baltimore Oriole

IMG_3492BaltimoreOriole
Baltimore Oriole

On her way out of the park, Mom saw one hopping around in the field and stopped to take some more shots.

IMG_3524BaltimoreOriole
Baltimore Oriole.  Must be an outfielder.  (Ha roo roo roo.  Baseball joke.)

He did some yoga stretches on a pipe:

IMG_3546BaltimoreOriole
Baltimore Oriole stretching

Then struck a nice pose:

IMG_3533BaltimoreOriole
Baltimore Oriole - Money shot

There are also a lot of wildflowers in bloom now, and Mom saw a new one to her:

IMG_3558 New Jersey Tea
New Jersey Tea

Mom thinks it's New Jersey Tea, Ceonothus herbaceus.  All I know is I bet it's tasty!  (Not that I'd try to eat it or anything.)

That's a wrap for this week.  We have tons more of serene pix to show you, so I think we'll be doing some nice peaceful posts this week.  If you'd like to see more of the shots Mom took yesterday, they're all in this set on FlickR

Remember to take in all the beauty around you - and keep it serene.  Have a great Sunday!

Play bows,
Zim

Saturday, May 18, 2013

Armed Forces Day 2013

Armed Forces Day is a day set aside for us to come together as a nation and thank our military members for their patriotic service in support of our country.

 

To all of our troops, past and present - we thank you, we honor you, and we ask for God's continued blessing on each and every one of you.

From all of us here at Ao4 Headquarters - Happy (especially to our dad!) Armed Forces Day!

Friday, May 17, 2013

I Am Not a Zimstigator!

Ha roo, pups and cool cats!  It's me - Zim.  Well, sure ... I am the Zimstigator, but I'm not always the one who stirs things up around here.  Really.  Take yesterday, for example!

There I was, minding my own business in the dining room, when ...

IMG_4731CamZim
"Ohhhh, Zimmmmmie!!!  Want to plaaaaayyyyy?"
"Hey, Cam.  Nah, I was going to go run the vacuum so Mom doesn't have to."

Seriously.  It was just like that.  Or close, anyway.

IMG_4732CamZim
"Wouldn't you rather do zoomies?!?!?"
"C'mon, Cam.  I've gotta vacuum.  Then I'm going to mow the lawn."

She tempted me again and again, doing this:


IMG_4737CamZoom
ZOOM!

... and this:

IMG_4738CamZoom
ZOOOOOM!!!

THEN, she posts part of this video to Mom's FaceBook page:


The problem?  Mom's friends assumed I was the instigator!  Can you believe that?!?!  Me!  Cam's got them all snowed!  She looks all innocent and stuff there, and Mom's friends assumed since I was the one panting that I was the one Zimstigating!

Well, two can play this game!  I put together a video of my own!  Check this one out!


Hey!  Hey, wait!  Someone edited the end of my video!!!  Why that little... CAMO!  Where are you?!!?

Gotta run.

Play bows,
Zim

Thursday, May 16, 2013

Thinking Thursday

Hello, everyone.  It's me, Cammie!  Our backyard, as I've told you, is a very special place.  We go there to play or to explore or to work on training or to run, run, run ... and to to all kinds of wonderful things!    It's a very beautiful, tranquil place where you can sit and take in everything ...

IMG_3186Cam
"Ah... the sweet smell of the Old Fashioned Lilacs!"

... and think deep thoughts.

IMG_3167Cam
"Hey!  Hey, Fluffy Black Cat!  Is that you?!?"

Sorry.  I thought I saw Fluffy Black Cat over there.  Back to thinking more peaceful thoughts ...

IMG_3185Cam
Me.

It was very tranquil out there.  Lots of birds singing, the fragrant lilacs in full swing, and a nice breeze going.  And the sound of Mom calling my name.  Over and over again.  Hmm.

Unbeknownst to me, Mom apparently thought we were out there to work on training.

IMG_3192Cammie
"Yes, yes.  I'm comi---oh!  What's that?"

It's like she thought I wasn't paying attention or something!  Please.  I'm a Siberian Husky; I can multi-task!

IMG_3171Cam
"I DO see you over there, FBC!"

See?  I can think deep thoughts AND keep Fluffy Black out of our yard at the same time!  Oh.  And work on training, too!

Camo!