Take a walk with me...


...this post is loaded heavily with images. I purposely sized them small for loading time in mind. If you'd like to view them larger, click on any image to take you to the lightbox filter for an enlargement slideshow... ...AND... my hodgepodge answers for our hostess, Joyce, are below all the photos. Please scroll down.


Early one morning this past week, Bud and I drove up north off Interstate 37 and stopped at a favorite wooded area in hopes of seeing a Lazuli Bunting that was reported there. Well, we didn't find it, but never-the-less it was a good walk. Quiet, still, and no other people around!!! Way too early. It was a dismal morning. No rain, but the clouds were heavy and gray. As we walked around all three ponds [two with water, the other long dried up from the drought over the years], went to the long, still running, wide river and traipsed the opposite sides of the ponds. Birds we did get in our sights were the usual ones, cardinals, indigo buntings, red winged blackbirds, sparrows, lesser scaups, tri-colored herons, egrets, a northern harrier soaring quietly above us at one point, kingbirds, scissor-tailed flycatchers, a couple of turkey vultures perched on a roof of a boat ramp along the river...and hidden, sleeping on a tree branch, a chuck will's widow [a nightjar].

...so, come walk with me through the forest. I call it a forest only because on a day like the day we were out and about, the dense woods are dark and deep. Always, I think of days of yore, the time frame of King Arthur and the knights in shining armor and their black horses with the long flowing manes and tails dancing in the wind as they ride through the forest in times of war or perhaps on their way to the castle. As I peer through the dense growth of green and brown and all the deep shadowed crevices, I am hoping to see Lancelot upon his steed watching me. See if you feel the same way as we step into the days of yesterday---


last photo in this series...the one with the dark shape on the branch is the nightjar bird!


...the only silver armor we saw was on the Scissor-tailed Flycatchers...





linking to: Nature Notes, Wild Bird Wednesday, Our World Tuesday
and
I'm really stretching the 'old' for Rubbish Tuesday.
Not only the trees are old, but the Nueces River according to Texas History:
    The Nueces River, although not explored in its entirety until the eighteenth century, was the first Texas river to be given a prominent place on European maps.



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HODGEPODGE
linking to: Wednesday Hodgepodge


1. April showers bring May flowers or so the saying goes. Are you blooming where you're planted as we begin the month of May?
Blooming, but not much in showers. Rain showers that is. Which makes me wonder....'another drought headed our way?'  Figuratively, I'm blooming in my life...right where I want to be; no other place.

2. On a scale of 1-10, with 1 being no big deal, and 10 being full scale panic, rank your fear of spiders. Probably a 2. Really no big deal. But still, they're spiders and creepy.

3. May is National Salad Month (who knew???)...besides lettuce, what are two must-have ingredients in your favorite salad? Fresh, raw zucchini and shredded carrots.

4. [Joyce's daughter, not mine] I mentioned on my blog last week that my Daughter1 will be moving to Washington State after she is married. Of the following sites in the Northwest, which would you most like to see in person-Crater Lake (Oregon), Seattle (Washington), Vancouver (British Columbia), San Juan Islands (Washington), Mt. Rainer (Washington), Oregon Coast (Oregon), Mt. St. Helens (Washington), or Olympic National Park (Washington) I love the Oregon Coastline...so it'd be my choice.

5. This coming weekend marks the 140th running of the Kentucky Derby...when did you last race (literally or figuratively) to cross a finish line? I can't remember...guess it'd have something to do with my job from long ago, so that would be before retiring. Years ago like I said. In most recent days, I'm thinking racing to beat the traffic light before it changes to yellow/red.

6. What is something little you love? I love "little" sweet gestures from Bud...like: Taking me out to dine. Telling me my outfit is cute, or that he likes my new haircut [just had it cut yesterday]. It's always good for me when he compliments me on my prepared meal. Little things like this, I love. And, if you're wanting something living that I love that's small, our two kitties...Tahoe and Winston.

7. Would you say you are more of a visual, auditory, or kinesthetic learner? Elaborate. Oh, definitely I'm a hands on learner, so kinesthesia is my answer. I remember learning to crochet and watching my mother as she tried to teach me as I watched her...didn't get it...until I took yarn and hook in my hand to learn. But...coming right down to the nitty-gritty of it all a kinesthetic learner is all of the above...physical, visual and auditory all combined. Right?

8. Insert your own random thought here.
I finished a book last week, and I must say that I wasn't all that impressed with the author's ability to create a romance.  For me, there is just something with a male's point of view on sexual encounters and romance that makes me shake my head in despair.  LOL  Other than the romance side of the novel, the rest wasn't all that bad.  The book, Magnolia City by Duncan Anderson, caught my eye on the bookshelf in the bookstore after reading the inside flap...it was about Houston, Texas in the 1920s.  Now, not knowing the history of Houston, I really can't say just how accurate his depiction of Houston was...still, I was intrigued.  Again, putting the romance aside from the story, it was okay.  It had to be okay, I finished it.  LOL  The oil boom, discovering oil in NE Texas, some familiar towns in my area, bootleggers, the stock market crash, family differences and secrets....high society and old money, all well and good.  I'd give this book only a 4 out of a 10 score tho...because of what I mentioned already and no need to go further.  Definitely not a keeper; it's in the closet waiting to be traded in at the used book store.  My new read is entirely different from the oil wells of Texas.  Another subject I'm interested in and that's the history of Lincoln's assassination...with a twist.  It's a non-fiction.  The subject: the actors and stagehands and how their lives were affected after Booth shot the president in Ford's Theater.  So far I've only read the preface and a chapter or two and I'm really hooked!!

...the preface found through Google Books, I share here from the book Backstage at the Lincoln Assassination: [it will be enlarged if you click on it]

120 comments:

  1. Anonymous4/29/2014

    Enjoyed seeing your pictures. It is nice time to have a walk in the morning to get the fresh air and to feel relaxed!
    I have enjoyed reading all your post and i am a follower of your blog. I wish you to visit my blog and be a member of mine!

    ReplyDelete
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    1. ...thanks, and thanks for the invite!

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  2. Anni, what an enchanting walk in the forest! Each and every one of your shots is just remarkable! Loved them all! I really enjoyed your answers to your Hodgepodge too!
    Enjoy your day!
    Nancy

    ReplyDelete
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    1. ...thanks Nancy. I think I would have enjoyed your weekend also!!!

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  3. Scissor Tailed Gnatcatcher and Nightjar, along with such beauty in the place you shared, made for a very good morning start for me ;)

    ReplyDelete
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    1. ...glad you enjoyed your morning walk with me Mary!

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  4. Your photos are amazing. I think my favorites are of the bright yellow flower (is that a sunflower?) and of the Scissor-Tailed Flycatcher ~ great job! Think nothing of playing catch up with your visitors, no worries here. Just enjoy yourself! Have a good week!

    ReplyDelete
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    1. ...yes, a sunflower.
      thanks for allowing me time to catch up on your posts! Last week was a busy one.

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  5. I enjoyed going through the dark forest with you, Anni. And I just finished a pretty good book myself, I went looking for more by the same author. It's called "May We Be Forgiven" by A.M. Homes. You might enjoy it, but maybe not. :-)

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    1. DJ....I will look for your book recommendation! Thanks.

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  6. That was a beautiful walk through the woods. Loved the Flycatcher. I hope you get some showers to help break that drought. I enjoy reading things about Lincoln sounds like a good read. I'll keep that in mind when I finish the books I have now.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. ...so far, the book is unique and very interesting.

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  7. i am a hands on learner... and this is a place that i would love to wander... loved all the photos of your walk...something little i love is anything that is really small, like a baby's tennis shoes or doll furniture... baby clothes, not the baby though. tiny things i just love no matter what it is. miniature is what i like

    ReplyDelete
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    1. ...everything in miniature, huh? I agree that baby shoes are uber-cute!!

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  8. Trees are old. Link it up. :)

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  9. #6. I love the answer and I do believe our B's were cut from the same cloth and had great Mom's too. Small things mean so much. We seem to have a feline fetish here too.
    I've never seen a scissor tail in person...very handsome bird
    Hugs Cecilia

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    1. How was your "B"s birthday celebration surprise once y'all got a chance to celebrate?

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  10. I love, love your pictures. They are always so well done and vividly show the beauty of the place we call home down here. You inspire me to pay more attention to our flora and fauna.

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  11. Lovely walk in the forest. Thanks for sharing it with us. We're having storms again today, so home bound we are!

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    1. I wouldn't mind spending time at home...if only it's raining!!! Thanks Amy.

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  12. What a grand forest Anni! I love getting "lost" amidst the trees. Lovely scissor tail. We are slowly starting to bloom here, but everything is behind schedule.

    ReplyDelete
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    1. ....well, with the winter y'all had, I can understand the delay in Springlike weather!! Glad you enjoyed it all Karen.

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  13. I surely enjoyed the woods walk. Textures and colors catch me every time!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It's such a pretty area...the only thing that concerns me when we walk this area is the threat of water moccasins.

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  14. Beautiful photos. It really dose look like a forest in those pictures: green and dense (and looks humid). Too bad you didn't see the Lazuli. I've never seen a Lazuli and would love to see one.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. ...you and me both, they're such a rarity!!! Someday soon, for both of us, I hope.

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  15. Anonymous4/29/2014

    This is an awesome post! I will walk with you anytime.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. ...thanks! Well then, come on down to my place.

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  16. i just love the scissor-tails and their burbling courtship songs and dances. :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. ...me too. We are privileged living in Texas, aren't we?

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  17. Love the time travel...thanks. And thanks too, for my 'gold star' on Rubbish Tuesday.

    ReplyDelete
  18. Replies
    1. ...I'm glad to know you enjoyed the images!!

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  19. Lovley forrest and a nice bird too ,Nette

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  20. Love walks in the woods and I have a very active imagination, too. I haven't thought of Sir Lancelot, tho. :) Great photos! I enjoyed seeing the scissor tail. And, it's always interesting to read the Hodgepodge Q&A's. The books both sound interesting!

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    1. I always have a knight in shining armor in my daydreams. [rofl]

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  21. Your forest looks beautiful and great photos of the flycatchers as well.

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  22. I love walking in the woods. The flycatcher is very pretty.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. ...it was so very nice this time 'round, quiet and we had the area all to ourselves that day.

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  23. Love your photos, as always. I hike through your lens! I also enjoyed you Hodgepodge. Watch for mine tomorrow! The book on Lincoln does sound intriguing! Keep us posted, please! Oh, and I think you are right, that kinesthetic learning would certainly include visual and verbal... hmmmmm.

    ReplyDelete
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    1. I'll make sure I stop by to read your responses in Hodgepodge. Thanks Terri.

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  24. It must have been a most beautiful and peaceful walk. I love the scenes you have posted.

    ReplyDelete
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    1. ...thanks Ruth...glad you enjoyed the walk.

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  25. Beautiful shots of the scissor-tailed flycatcher. They are so regal looking. I miss them from my Dallas days. We don't see them in Baton Rouge. :( Your forest photos are incredible.

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    1. ...thanks Gail. Y'know, you can always make a short two day trip to Dallas from Baton Rouge...the scissor-tailed are in breeding colors right now and extra gorgeous.

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  26. Thank you my for stopping by my blog. You have posted some beautiful pictures here and I enjoyed them all.
    Beth

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  27. I could almost smell the damp leaves mouldering underfoot in the deep shade. I liked the way the thumbnails popped right up into the slideshow. Quite and experience. Sorry I have not been very active online the past two weeks, as we have had a house full of guests and then my wife Mary Lou's brother passed away on Easter Sunday and now we are headed for his wake and funeral in Arizona, thence to our second home in Illinois.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. First, sorry for your family's loss. Have a safe trip.
      and
      Secondly, glad you enjoyed the post today Ken.

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  28. It really does look like a midevel forest, and the pictures are totally timeless. I love that scissor tall! I am a hands on learner as well. Nothing else is right for me.

    ReplyDelete
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    1. ...me too as you already know. Just watching someone [I'm thinking watching the exercise videos now] it's all backward to what you need to do. LOL

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  29. First of all, that is a gorgeous, sweet bird with that tinge of rose. I hope you get the rain you need. I wish we could send all our extra rain this week in a pipeline to your place, but I hear pipelines are out. I'm not much for fiction, so the Lincoln book sounds way more interesting to me, even historical fiction.

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    1. so far, the book is VERY interesting. A whole new 'look' at the subject.
      I too wish you could send the rain you don't need to us.

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  30. I thoroughly enjoyed the walk and I don't even feel a bit tired from all the exercise :) Love that scissor tailed flycatcher. What a cool looking bird

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  31. Nice walk with you. I like tomatoes and onions (if I'm not going anywhere but to the cows) in my salad. I'm not very afraid of spiders other then Brown Recluse and Black Widows. Always like your entries.

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    1. ...thanks Paula.
      I used to fear spiders, but I've finally convinced myself they're much smaller than I am.

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  32. Hi Annie -- love those scissor-tail flycatchers... couldn't believe them the first time I saw them (of course when we were staying in Texas near where you are). Those black birds in my post are definitely skimmers. I did a whole post on them for WBW last week... I will put a link to that post for my name when I send you this. (I need to go in and retitle the collage...I just made an album called rescue birds because they were pictures I almost threw out and then decided I could use them in a collage.)

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    1. ...thank you Sallie. I just viewed your skimmer post.

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  33. Pretty walk thru the forest.. Sorry you miss the bunting! I love the scissor-tailed flycatchers, another bird I would like to add to my life list.. Pretty photos, thanks for sharing your walk.

    ReplyDelete
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    1. ...come down to Texas Eileen...I'll take you on a photo op of the TX birds.

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  34. That looks like a beautiful walk. Great shots.

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    1. It's nice to know you enjoyed this post Carver

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  35. What a lovely walk! Thanks for taking us along.

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  36. I loved walking with you through the forest - especially after your preliminary right up.
    I like the small things Bob does too - as you said complimenting a meal is always nice!

    ReplyDelete
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    1. ...yes, after working on cooking, it's always nice to sit down and know we're appreciated. Glad you enjoyed the walk Mari

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  37. I love the scissor tail!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. They ARE gorgeous birds...especially this time of year when their breeding colors are more intense.

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  38. Great scenery with lots of bird. I like all the little things you love.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. ...the small things in our day should be appreciated I think!!

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  39. Danke Anni
    solch Vögel habe ich hier nie gesehen..kenne sie nur vom Namen her
    LG vom katerchen der sich sehr über diese Bilder gefreut hat

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  40. Hi Anni Thank you for taking us for that lovely walk through the forest.I love the scissor-tailed Flycatcher.

    ReplyDelete
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    1. ...thank YOU Margaret, for visiting with me today!!

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  41. Hi Anni, I loved the photos. Your foliage is so different from ours and the wildflowers were beautiful, so colourful. I enjoyed the photos of the scissor-tailed flycatcher. Very unlike anything we have here. It fascinates me how different the birds are in other parts of the world.

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    1. I enjoy bloggers that share their country's birds from all over the world!! So unique to each area of our globe!!

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  42. What a treat to walk with you thru the forest seeing all that glorious nature has for us to see. I loved that you mention Lancelot. I am always pretending I am back in those exciting days when I am out in the countryside or on walks when it is misty and magical. When traveling in Ireland I would always pretend I was “the queen of all I surveyed” whenever I saw old castles. Thanks for a beautiful post. genie

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. ...sounds like the two of us of are the same heart and mind with imagination. Makes life a bit more fun.

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  43. Great pics., again, Anni! Loved seeing them! If you get a chance, you might be interested in the first pic. I posted yesterday. It's one I took of a red-tailed hawk in our backyard that caught a chipmunk and had it in the tree with him. I was thrilled to be able to get a photo of it! Wonderful answer to #6. It is the little things that mean the most.

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    1. I'm on my way....
      I viewed it!! What an impressive hawk! It's beautiful, as is the swan in the lake behind your property!!

      Thanks April.

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  44. The Lincoln book looks intriguing! Love your answer to "the little things"...so sweet! Beautiful pictures! :)

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  45. I'm surprised at how many of us aren't answering a 10 to the spider question! I thought everyone but me was terrified of them.
    Those little things are nice ones!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. ...spiders I'd much rather encounter compared to ANY snake!!

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  46. I wish I could walk where you walk! Beautiful photos. Sweet and sweeter still are the little things you mentioned. I love those, too. Kittens...my favorite little animals. I have to force myself not to pick them up when they are offered to be given! It was so nice to visit you today :)

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    1. me and my kitties...we tend to keep each other's company all the time.

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  47. Lovely birding with you and hubby ~ Great Post and shots ~ for OWT ~ xoxo

    artmusedog and carol (A Creative Harbor)

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  48. A lovely walk through your wood there Anni. A bit scary at times with those spiders though. I saw the Chuck Will's Widow hiding there too - amazing birds.

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    1. Ya, spiders....more the web, walking through them in the woods, is nasty!! YOU saw the Widow? Good!!

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  49. Loved the walk through the woods. It has been way too wet here for us to get into any woods yet. I have actually stopped reading 2 books because I was not enjoying them.

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    1. Rarely do I stop reading...it has to be really REALLY bad for me to stop.

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  50. Your definition for a kinesthetic learner makes me think it might describe me after all. when you put it like that it sounds like the best and easiest way to learn, audio, visual, and hands on combined.

    Blessings~

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    Replies
    1. Yep, when you think about it, kinesthesia is making use of all in reality. Mind, physics such as hands on learning, and verbal.

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  51. looks like a lovely place to walk and those scissor tailed flycatchers are amazing looking birds

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  52. your walk produced many great images... it's always nice to take a walk when no one else is around too. sorry you didn't like Magnolia City but it's good you found another one you'd enjoy.

    also, it sounds like your birding convention went well and had an exciting visitor to grace everyone's presence. glad you were able to get a picture of a bird you hadn't seen before. have a great day~

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  53. Hi there:) Green! So much green in your photography! Very nice. The Scissor-tailed Flycatcher is on that list of mine. What a strange and lovely tail on that bird. Happy birding!

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    1. You can see a lot of 'em in Texas. [And I think Oklahoma]

      Thanks for taking the walk with me Chris.

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  54. Thanks for sharing your walk through those lovely photos,

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    1. ...thanks for coming along and keeping me company Pat.

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  55. as always, lovely photos. I'm envious of all that green our woods are still bare

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. ...well, this week, things look a whole lot different. Getting mighty brown.

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  56. love that scissor tailed flycatcher. So beautiful.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. ...it is a very pretty bird!! Thanks.

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  57. I enjoyed my walk as your photos take us right there.... I would love to visit thar area of the country ... Anywhere....hopefully we all dry out soon, but not drought... Michelle

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    1. ...it must be nice to say "hopefully we'll dry out"....:-)
      Thanks Michelle, for hosting.

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  58. I am definitely a visual person. Messages that I hear don't sink in even if you tell me a million times but once I see a visual of it, I can remember for life!

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    1. Oh ya, me too....altho it's the messages that need to be repeated over and over, not visually for me.

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