Missing the handheld camera, but fighting through with my phone....

 I will be taking a short sabbatical from my blog. I am really missing my cameras (TG4 turned out not to be all that tough!) and I can't catch meteors with those anyway, so I'll be holding off posting for a while. Please do check back with me in the new year...i am hopeful I'll get the camera biz sorted out.

I will leave you with a recent event: I was on my early morning walk and noted a chicken acting strangely. We have MANY chickens on Kauai and it is unusual for one to keep still when a human approaches. It was soon obvious why the chicken was so still: It had monofilament fishing line wrapped around its feet!

I can only imagine what was going through its bird brain, as it occasionally struggled against its bonds. Fortunately, I had my box cutter in my vest pocket, so with 3 tries at freeing it, I was finally able to get close enough to sever the line that was wrapped around its claws. I think it knew I was helping it, as it didn't move at all, even when I got closer.

Eventually, I was able to get close enough to cut the last of the line and the chicken squealed a relieved yell and ran off. 

And my neighbor said: Why did you do that? It would only have been replaced by a million other chickens! Call me crazy: the thought of that bird struggling against its bonds forever was just too horrible. 

Have a wonderful Thanksgiving and Christmas. Thank you for faithfully reading.

Aloha!

Some disappointments yet God shines through!

 We have been awaiting the results of my brother's targeted biopsy. They are in: he does have prostate cancer.

The good news is that this cancer is slow moving. He will meet with the doctor specialists and choose a treatment plan. The other good news is that God will direct his path. I trust in that.

The other disappointment is that my one remaining camera is on the fritz. (I must look up the origin of that phrase! So if I have photos, they will come from my phone, at least until the Olympus is fixed.

The other good news is that the 24 hour prayer vigil for prisoners in Albuquerque went well. I felt a peace and joy while praying for my scheduled time. I don't normally enjoy praying on cue, but this time, the prayers felt directed and very much received.

Now let's see what photos might be worthy of sharing.

Well, they say that insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results. I'm there! Somehow, my saved pictures are in some mystery universe. Suffice it to say, the most excitement in recent times is my meteor views, and none of those is documented with my camera. My little Olympus TG-4 just isn't designed for astronomical photos. But I have seen over 900 meteors since I started counting. You will just have to take my word for that. 

And have a great week. We are having rain. Of course we are! This is supposed to be the best night to capture Orionid meteors. I am thankful that I have seen as many meteors as I have; and I will be able to go back to bed for some more snooze.

Pardon me?

 I am about to embark on getting hearing aids! Once I got over the concept that I was getting older, it turns out to be easier than I thought. AND, found out that my insurance covers most of the cost! I had been told that my company would NOT cover, so was surprised and happy to find out we can save $$ by changing where I get the hearing aids.

So I won't have to continually say "Pardon me?"

Clouds along the Waimea river on Kauai.

I don't know who owns this horse, but it is pretty. 

Two Stilts at the beach. 

Apparently, this Stilt cannot read the warnings.

She was doze-y...wanting to fall asleep but not miss anything.

She is a very pretty Boxer girl.

Moorhen. Perhaps awaiting rain; normally the bird would be standing in running water. But we are in somewhat of a drought.

Rain next to Niihau.

I am glad to have my base pass back; that 1st year really raced by!

Thanks for reading. I am approaching 900 count on my meteors, so it is exciting for me. Even if it is messing with my sleep!

God sat down

 A friend was recently discussing with his father whether God could actually sit down and solve problems with humans. I do feel that God is present; not too sure how He sits down when He is Spirit! But I'm ok either way, as long as He communicates with us, His people!

Lots of meteor sightings recently. We have moved into the Orionids apparently (as predicted...how do they know?!) Nice meteors, some really clear. I am still debating whether  the cost of an astronomy camera would be worth the cost. Not for meteor viewing, though. By the time you see the meteor through your lens, it's gone. Video would be required, I'm thinking. So that's the reason you won't see any meteors in my posts, even though I may see some in the early morning hours.

Nene geese. I have begun thinking of them as Nay-Neigh. That's just how I roll. When you are retired, you will have time to play with words, too. Hopefully.

Stilt. This one was really upset with me and kept trying to tell me so!

A shorebird that never got close enough so that I could even hope to i.d. it.

A group of Coots.

She likes to watch me leave. Not sure how to take that.

I do like the freckles on her chest.

A pair of pooches I met on the walk. The white part Pitbull was deaf. Apparently, being a white dog sometimes mean your hearing gets compromised.

Lizard for you know who. Sat still for the pix too!

If you are not already turned onto meteor viewing, get on out there and look toward Orion when it's really dark. Much fun. And thanks for reading.

Are you Sirius?

 I actually heard myself looking up at a star and saying "Are you Sirius?" Of course, it made me smile. And also understand why people sometimes have difficulty learning English! So many spoken words can be spelled differently and with totally different meanings. Think about a cloudbank. A place where you take your clouds to deposit them? Perhaps in Heavenly Savings bank? And because I heard the ocean this morning while star gazing, oceanhear rather than oceanview. Maybe taking things too far.

But I broke an important barrier this week: 806 meteor sightings! It seems like a lot, doesn't it? And there are some other Meteor Showers (now there's a picture: stepping into a shower and being bombarded by meteors) coming up before the end of the year, so here's hoping.

No pics though; my camera isn't zoned for catching many astronomical things.  The Moon was up and clouds, so things combined for the stars to show.

I am definitely entranced with pink clouds. It helps when they have cool designs too.

God's rays

And pretty shaped clouds

We used to see rolled hay bales when we lived in Texas. 

It is sometimes easier to add a cloud to the Moon...

A gardener near me has mad skills with roses. Of course, it helps that God made them to begin with!

Two light poles and the Moon

If featured in the Orsay, I would call it Nuage avec oiseau (cloud with bird.)

Nene on the wing

There is always a powerline to get in the way..

but God's rays shine through

I love these flowers, even if I can't get into the yard to snap the photo.

Talk about mad skills...lovely orchids

The bees LOVE this fluffy growth at the top.

Surveying her domain.

Jupiter and the Moon. Moon diameter is 2,159.2 miles. Jupiter is 86,881 miles. But being closer, the Moon looks much larger!

Moon and Jupiter with the help of clouds. Moon is at the top.

*

Oddly shaped clouds

One of the loose dogs. We worry because they can prey on the birds.

Another one. They can roam around a lot, as there are fields nearby.

Jupiter and Moon

I liked this cactus against the sky.

I agree with this sentiment. 

"Why did he go and leave the box of treats behind?!"

"No, really! I want to know!"

Well, the meteor time is coming up. Time to sleep so I can awaken by 1:30!! Thank you for reading. Now, get on out and enjoy the skies!