Red-Breasted Nuthatch

I just updated my version of Photoshop Elements, to Version 9. Now I'm testing it with this image.

Partnerships

We traveled today to New Ipswich to watch Jessie compete with her horse Dixie. While I know very little about horses and riding, I do know that it takes much skill, hard work and long hours to create that special partnership of horse and rider. It's always a pleasure to watch Jess and Dixie. Congratulations on your accomplishments today!

Nuthatches & Blue Jays

The nuthatches and blue jays have been plentiful lately -- the juveniles are being tutored by the adults in  the ways of the world and the bird feeders.

We got a video camera recently and this is my first attempt, with both the camera and with iMovie. I have a lot more practice to do with the camera (definitely need to use a tripod or monopod) and with editing video.

Bue Jays

The young blue jays are back -- I think there are about 3 or 4 of them. They've been crashing through the trees, screeching from branch to branch, as they follow each other. They already look very much like the adults, although their backs are still somewhat gray.

But the big give-away to their "juvie" status is their begging.

This one had figured out the suet feeder and was doing quite well, until he decided that he might get catered to if he hollered and begged for awhile.

When he didn't get any response,  he went tearing off across the road with the rest of his siblings.

Memorial Day -- Let Us Always Remember

Memorial Day has always had a special relevance in my family and my husband's family, as we both grew up in the military. My father and my father-in-law were both career military officers, serving in the Army and the Air Force respectively, from World War II, through the Cold War era, through Korea and Vietnam. My mother-in-law served as a nurse in the Army. My uncle fought through North Africa and Italy during World War II. My husband's grandfather served in World War I and World War II. And our nephew has already served one tour in Iraq and continues to serve in the Army Reserve.

As an Army Chaplain, my father was often called upon to speak at Memorial Day ceremonies. Among the sermons that he kept, I found a Memorial Day address he gave in 1979, which was adapted from a sermon he first used in 1956. In the excerpts below, his words are far more eloquent than mine.

Memory's Price

"The observance of Memorial Day comes from a resolve within ourselves that our soldiers and sailors and airmen, who have given so much of themselves to protect our country and our way of life, as well as the cause of freedom around the world -- and indeed, for many it has meant the sacrifice of life itself -- that these men (and women) should not be forgotten, and that what they did for us should often be recalled. And that by an annual remembering of what they have sacrificed for us we can honor them and also in a way rededicate ourselves to the causes for which they fought and died.

" . . . Lest it become too easy for us to think occasionally of our heroic dead, and then to quickly forget -- I want to remind you . . . that memories do not come cheap, and that Memory always asks its price.

" . . . An inevitable first cost in paying for memories is tears and sorrow. . . . As nature has given us a memory so that we can recall the past, so she has also given us tears. . . . So to remember here today can cost us a lump in the throat, or a sadness in heart and mind as we remember. . . . It may cost us something to remember, but it is worth the price!

" . . . A second cost we must add to Memory's Price is the cost of honoring those who we remember.

" . . . To honor means to regard or treat with esteem and respect. If the living and dying of those whom we honor means anything for us we will want somehow to say so. Let there be not only silence but also the voice of tribute or an act of praise to give substance to our honoring of these.

" . . . A third part of Memory's Price is involved in what we call Dedication.

" . . . It is this dedication to the principles upon which our country is rock-based, that would most honor those we remember today: a resolve to have respect for our fellowman whatever his race or creed; to be honest and just in our dealings with each other; to have a home life where love for God and for each other is nurtured; to be an equal-opportunity nation!

" . . . Let us willingly pay Memory's full price, for our country will be the better for it, and so will we. Then Memorial Day will have best served its purpose."

excerpts from Memory's Price

© D. A. Morey

Odiorne

Thursday was my annual trip to Odiorne Point State Park. Plymouth Regional High School's science department has been making this field trip for many years (must be at least 20 years). I have gone with them for several years and even though I retired 2 years ago, I still get invited to help with the day. (There are actually two of us who have retired and return just for this trip.)

I described last year's trip here -- "I Must Go Down to the Seas Again."  This year we had about 30 students between the Environmental Sciences and Oceanography classes. It was a perfect size group -- all worked hard and had a great time.

What I most enjoy seeing is the students' experience of "discovery" -- accompanied by the constant call of "Mrs. Badger, come over here and get a picture of this."  (And, yes, they return everything they find back to its original position.)

Here are some selected images of what we found this year ---

The crabs were plentiful, including a female with eggs ---

We placed this crab back down on the floating seaweed and within a few seconds he was back underwater ---

And, of course, there is seaweed ---

And from this view of our state's Atlantic coastline, it was only a two hour school bus ride north to our beautiful lakes and mountains of New Hampshire.

I'm already looking forward to next year's trip.

Raspberry- and Rose-Colored Views

During this last week, I've had two season's firsts at my feeders -- the purple finch and the rose-breasted grosbeak. I haven't been able to get new pictures of either of the males, so I've had to pull a few images from past years.