Passion: Melange of flowers from my garden...

Montage of flowers from my garden...

My heart blooms to see them blooming.......:)

Birds: Raptors at San Diego zoo.......

Raptors at San Diego zoo..........

This mighty bird of prey is a Harpy eagle (Harpia harpyja). I saw this huge bird with about 7  feet wing span ....captured from the rain forests. This white bellied, slate grey plumed bird had feathered crests atop head, strong legs and impressive talons. Despite being far away from its natural habitat and in captivity, the bird was agile, awe-inspiring, regal and a visual treat for sure.

A pair of California condor...  I learnt that these mighty birds of prey are endangered due to reckless human activities. Lead toxicity resulted from consuming the bullet-hit animal carcasses are the main threat dwindling the numbers of these scavengers. Integrated effort of several zoo authorities, wildlife society and Peregrine fund deserve accolades that they are  striving to conserve the bird from extinction.

Pretty secretary bird...just look at the eyelashes...

and the mohawk...

Steller's sea eagle......

Passion: My garden on a rainy day.....

It was September....
After 8-9 months of dry spell, it rained...
My garden plants seemed to love it...some shots..
Portulaca...

Red salvia...

Allamanda...

Cucumber..

Vinca....

Aeonium.....

It was October....
It drizzled again..

Thought: Does the universe conspire..to realize dreams....

Many years back, when I was reading Paul Coelho’s ‘The Alchemist’, I was stuck in the first page or so. 

Reason? Well,the protagonist Santiago slept under a sycamore tree. And I had no idea how a sycamore tree looks like. If I can’t visualize something, I have trouble relating to it. 

I was disappointed, but read any way. 

--- 

Half a decade has elapsed. I am living in South California all these years, where sycamore happens to be the most dominant native species. 

Tons of my pleasant memories are woven around these magnificent trees…spotting the evergreen mistletoes, woodpecker acorn pantries, bluebirds, the squirrels…and what not..
I was having a nice ‘solitude’ stroll by the autumnal sycamores.. this thought came to my mind..So, “does the universe really conspire to make your dreams come true?”.

Place: Cabin in Ashford, where we stayed during Mount Rainier visit..

While on road trips, we generally stay in motels...
For our Mount Rainier National Park visit, we booked a cabin...
It was in Ashford, few miles before the Park entrance....
The green shingle wood cabin was situated on a hillock, amidst cedar grove...
With fireplace...

kitchenette...

Nice green view through the windows..

Car parking...

After the days of hard hiking....in the evening I would rustle up some quick, appetizing dinner..

and breakfast before embarking on another day of hiking...

while sipping tea on the wooden porch..

It was late August...so, the adjacent meadows were covered in wildflowers..

In the evening some deer would arrive to drink water from the buckets that the housekeeper  kept outside..

Fellow travelers who were living in neighboring cabins would be relaxing on the porch...with their dinner being grilled under the open sky...

Birds: Ptarmigan........

Ptarmigan (Lagopus muta)...also known ass snow chicken...a game bird..I had heard about it...
Saw its taxidermy modesl in the Longmire museum while in Rainier National Park...
So, whats interesting about the bird?
Its plumage change radically, as season changes..
Winter looks...

Summer looks...

Now, is not that amazing?

Plant: Arched trees.....

Trees generally grow erect or send out angular branches....
But, sometimes, they turn curved....under the weight of constant rain, draped moss, insect attack, human intervention etc..
Some of my observations...
A big-leaf maple in Olympic National Park...

A coast live oak in Irvine regional park...

Observation: Quadcopter..........

A quadcopter (drone) flying over the park in Laguna beach....

A kid watches in surprise..

Bird: Scaly-breasted Munia.......

Scaly-breasted Munia (Lonchura), a sparrow-sized brown -colored bird.........
I had spotted it in Uppern Newport bay ...San Diego river preserve..
And now in the thickets of Jeffrey open space trail in Irvine...

Collecting grass strands to mend the nest, as South California rainy season is imminent..