Winter- Inner Harbor, Baltimore

With this dreary weather today,

I decided to post this digital art piece to remind us it could be worse...

all of this rain could be snow ;)

This was from this winter when part of the Inner Harbor was frozen

and a fresh coat of snow and fallen over night, covering the sidewalks

surrounding the water.

Smile.  

It's Friday and warmer temperatures and drier weather are sure

to be just around the corner.

xo

The Blackbird

I do not know which to prefer,

The beauty of inflections

Or the beauty of innuendos,

The blackbird whistling 

or just after.

~Wallace Stevens

Thirteen Ways of Looking at a Blackbird

This blackbird landed upon a branch 

while walking with my daughter yesterday.

She sent my attention to it, suggesting that it would make a lovely image

what with the lighting and the bare branches and its clear outline

set apart from the limb.

I happened to agree with her.

xo

Eutaw Street, Baltimore City

I went to the Hippodrome Sunday night to see 50 Shades,

the official parody of the book 50 Shades of Grey.

It was oh so hysterical

and

oh so inappropriate!

While I loved the show,

I loved being in the city even more.

I never ever want to move to the city,

as I am country girl at heart,

but I LOVE visiting and walking around.

There is something so invigorating about the 

noise, activity, and people.

Speaking of noise, if you look carefully,

on the far side of the road a fire truck is wailing up the street

the moment I snapped this image...

on my iPhone.

Yep, this is an iPhone image because they won't let you take a 

pro camera into the Hippodrome, of course!

I can't wait to have a chance to get back to Baltimore!

Rose Breasted Grosbeak

Every spring for a few days each year, 

I am lucky enough to see these beautiful, shy birds at my feeder.

I so wish they would stick around for the summer, but alas,

despite Maryland being on the map for their "summer" range,

they are never spotted here in my rural Harford County location for more than a few days.

They have a beautiful song that is similar to an American Robin song,

only happier and more cheerful.

I had to shoot this image with my 400mm lens through glass

because they are very shy and cautious at the feeder.

Despite sitting still and quietly for an hour on my porch,

waiting for them to fly down to the feeder 

from their high perch in the cypress trees,

they never obliged my patience.

It's ok, though.

I don't mind enjoying them for a few days with 

my eyes and ears instead of the lens.

It makes their visit that much more special.

For more information about the Rose Breasted Grosbeak

and to hear their beautiful song, please visit 

the Cornell Lab of Ornithology.

xo