Alcatraz in the Spring

One of our Spring day trips was to Alcatraz. We drove through pouring rain on the way to catch the train to San Francisco, and we wondered just how wet we would get on the Ferry and on the island. By the time we got to the Embarcadero, the sky had lightened, and the rain had stopped. The 10 minute ride over was a pleasure.

This is the last page article I read in my favorite Bay Nature Magazine about the colonies of birds on Alcatraz Island and wanted to see them. The gulls and cormorants were very visible as we walked around the buildings. Click on the link to see the art and notes of John Muir Laws. 

Our last exploration was in the gardens where we heard, 'Glub. Glub,' and then 'Gobble. Gobble.' Snowy Egrets filled the trees and bushes next to the path. These beautiful birds visit our local creek, but I'd never heard them 'glub and gobble.' I could have reached out and touched them! There was no way for me to get a good picture, so I borrowed both of these photos from the National Park Service site.

If you want to check out the historical and cultural sights on Alcatraz, go to this informative web site:

http://www.nps.gov/alca/index.htm

If you want to see more of what got me so excited, go to the same web site but to the nature and science section here:

http://www.nps.gov/alca/naturescience/index.htm

Wishing for Molted Feathers,

With Heart

Solar Sunday: Eclipse 2

Last Sunday evening I posted a picture of Karen taking a picture of the eclipse images made on the side of our house. Thanks to her generous sharing of her photography I can now tell you the very exciting story of the annular eclipse that evening. 

During supper we admired the shadows the trees make on the neighbor's house as we usually do.

We did a double take when we noticed the same curved eclipse images we'd just seen with our pinpoint viewer. Click on the first picture to see a closer view.

You only have to punch one hole into a piece of cardboard,

but I kept trying to get it just right.

We called this our HD plate.

After supper we checked to see if our trees made images on the side of our house and were thrilled to find more arcs of light.

I had to use my viewer one more time.

Karen and Mark called this a Mom-clipse.

Wikipedia has some great eclipse pictures from around the world. Check it out here:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solar_eclipse_of_May_20,_2012

Thank you Karen,

With Heart

Eclipse

Leaf shadows and eclipse images

on the side of my house

Wonder 

With Heart

Happy Mother's Day

Happy Mother's Day to you,

Mothers,

Daughters,

Aunts,

Sisters,

Friends,

And husbands, brothers, and fathers.

I have been nurtured by you.

Gratefully,

With Heart

Moth in the Morning

I'm excited for you to check out this discovery that my grandsons made in their garage in Oxford, MS.  Please click on this link to my daughter's blog where you'll see the pictures she took and read of their wonder of finding this huge moth right outside their kitchen door.

http://trahanshappenings.blogspot.com/

My grandmother job is to identify my grandsons' discoveries and send them a link. This picture is from the website I've included below. Now that you've seen the personal account of the find, now click on the next link to get the interesting facts about the polyphemus moth.

http://www.fcps.edu/islandcreekes/ecology/polyphemus_moth.htm

Scientifically Grandmothering 

With Heart

Rabbit Moon

It's a legend in many cultures.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moon_rabbit

It's a book, Bunny Rabbit on the Moon by Justin Chafe. Hear him read it.
http://www.bunnyrabbitonthemoon.com/

It's another book, Moon Rabbit by Natalie Russell. You'll find a reading activity and craft for children at this site:
http://adventuresinreadingwithkids.blogspot.com/2012/04/moon-rabbit.html

It's the image I've always seen in the full moon.
Can you see it?

Another photo of SuperMoon by Amy Ouchley

She can also see it.

Moonstruck

With Heart

SuperMoon From Louisiana

Here are two of my many blessings in life. My brother Bryan writes beautifully with his camera as you can see. And my long time friend Amy creates beautiful pictures with her words as you can also see. Her moon path is below her word picture.

What a moon! What a glorious moon that rose over the Ouachita River, up over the trees, a shining orb, making a golden moon path across the river, creating a shimmering, quivering moon path across the water, lingering over the swamp and illuminating its mystery. Then this morning out again to see it settling back down to earth after a night's work of moonshine.
~Amy Ouchley 

Thankful for Louisiana Roots

With Heart

SuperMoon 2012, California

SuperMoon as it rose over the backyard last night about 8:45

Supermoon! 

Scientists' nickname for an awesome event.

I saw it from my patio.

Perigee!

Our sky friend is near us,

Smiling as we gaze.

Moon illusion!

Is that why it seems

As big as the neighbor's window?

Moonset over the neighbor's house early this morning

Loving Sky Events

With Heart

Just a Tidbit

My brother Bryan texted me that he's tidbitless. I'm hoping this bit from my garden will help.