dawnkinster

February 4, 2023
by dawnkinster 45 Comments

Deer reader

When I left you and the birds last I was headed to the back regions of Kensington Metropark in search of deer. It’s almost guaranteed to find one or two back there if you’re quiet. If you’re not quiet you won’t see any. But they’ll be watching you.

*This little guy was the one that got my attention by his incessant whining as I was walking through the woods.*

As I worked my way toward the back a woman coming the other way said she had seen two beautiful does in the furthest back corner of the longest loop. Since I was headed that direction anyway I smiled my thanks. I knew they wouldn’t still be there when I arrived, but I also knew there were some back there.

*This guy chimed in, so I had to stop and feed them for awhile.*

Somewhere.

On the way I had a few birds begging for treats, so I stopped and tossed them a few peanuts. I was busy doing that when a guy came up the path. He apologized for interrupting my bird photo shoot. I said no problem, there would be lots of opportunities to get more pictures.

We talked for awhile. He said there was a thicket to the right around the next corner where he often saw multiple pairs of cardinals. I thanked him and got back to work shooting my birds.

I had only seen a couple of deer far off in the woods so far, and I was pretty sure I wouldn’t see many more. But a whole lot of cardinals? That would be fun!

*She was pretty far away, but I was glad to see at least one deer that morning.*

And then I rounded the corner, and saw the guy down at the end of a long slope, taking pictures with his phone of several deer that were standing around quite close to him. I stopped so as to not startle them.

*There was a group of about six does hanging out together.*

At first they were focused on him, hoping for a handout. Then they noticed me.

*She decided to smell the air to see if I was a threat.*

The guy moved on and now I was the main attraction.

*There was a buck too, but he wasn’t interested in me.*

I know they wanted something to eat, but all I had was seed for the birds. Not nearly enough to feed the herd. I moved on trying not to startle them, until I came to the thicket around another corner, quite a ways from the herd of dear, where the cardinals lived.

*She could flip one ear back to listen for things behind her, while keeping one ear and her eyes focused on me.*

There was only one that I saw that morning, but he delighted me by flying up to a sunlit branch.

I had the camera up to my eyes, trying to figure out the best shot when I heard footsteps. I thought maybe another person was coming along the trail so I pulled off a few shots of the cardinal, knowing he’d fly away.

And then I lowered the camera and glanced back to see who was coming.

*The whole herd was coming down the trail, following me.*

I guess they hadn’t given up on me. I felt even worse that I had nothing to give them. One in particular was out front. I thought he was a youngster, less wary, perhaps more hungry.

*She was asking with her eyes. I imagine some people do feed them, but I don’t think very many people walk this far back in the woods.*

I stood and watched them as they gave up on me and wandered a bit looking for something to eat.

*I’m sorry, girl. I hope you made it through this cold snap out there.*

Then I moved as swiftly as I could away, climbing a hill and making a couple turns as soon as I could to put some space between me and them. I found myself next to another thicket that had all sorts of birds, including a cardinal couple.

They were interested in me but not interested in getting too close. In fact, Ms. Cardinal took great delight in not giving me a clear shot to a great image.

*Yep, that branch across her face was deliberate on her part.*

She flitted from here to there.

*She moved and her face was showing, but now the branches covered up her beautiful body.*

Always making sure there were twigs and branches between her and me…

…while making sure she showed enough of her beautiful colors to keep me intrigued.

*She had a lot of spots to hide, but she couldn’t hide her beauty.*

She let me chase her down the trail, always keeping something between us.

*Yep, she won the game, bet she’s still smiling.*

After awhile I just gave up and went on down the trail. It was getting late and I was a long way from the car.

But there were a whole lot of birds waiting for me, so it wasn’t a fast trip back to the car.

No, they dropped out of trees and flew around my head as I walked, landing on my camera lens if I ignored them.

*Missed the bird, but I liked the image anyway.*

They were everywhere. I was surprised because usually that far back in the woods, where fewer people walk, the birds are not as eager to engage.

As I got closer to the parking lot the birds because more assertive. I emptied my pocket of seed, sharing some with a squirrel or two along the way.

*Pretty sure he knew I had seed in my pocket.*

Eventually I made it out of there, completely stripped of all treats, but with a full card of wonderful images, and great memories.

Even though I didn’t gain an audience with the Queen of the Boardwalk.

February 3, 2023
by dawnkinster 22 Comments

The birds tell it like it is

It was sunny yesterday. Cold, but sunny, and there’s no way I wanted to waste a sunny day doing laundry. Plus I figured the birds would be hungry. So I headed out to my favorite park, dressed in layers, with cleats on my boots, and a long lens on my camera.

*The heron rookery waiting patiently for spring.*

I visited the boardwalk first, to see if I could garner another audience with the queen, but though she was in the thicket, she didn’t deem me worthy. It was early, but other small birds were more than happy to jump aboard the hand for breakfast.

*This little one glowed in the morning light.*

Ms. Redbelly, however, would only eat from the railing. Though she seemed very interested in what I was doing out there on such a cold early morning.

*“If I hurry I can come back for seconds!”*

I spent entirely too much time out there trying to coax the queen in, and finally my frozen toes and fingers insisted I move on or go home. I moved on.

*“No time to lose, the queen could snatch up the rest of breakfast if I don’t move fast!”*

I specifically wanted to hike the trails at the back of the park, looking for deer. But I think I’ll let the birds tell you the story.

*“Bout time you got here, lady. We’ve been waiting.”*

*“I’ll just let everybody else know you’re finally arrived.”*

*“My private dining table is at the top of this tree.”*

*“Hey! I’m wearing my red badge, I was supposed to get preferential treatment!”*

*“Those woodpeckers think they’re all that.”*

*“Yea, I don’t know what all the fuss is about. She drops plenty of stuff for all of us.”*

*“But she didn’t leave ANYTHING in my favorite feeder!”*

*“You silly little Titmouse, you didn’t look hard enough!”*

*“I’m TELLING! You always get the good stuff!”*

*“Seriously lady, I’m very disappointed in you. And I bet you don’t see any deer either, if you don’t get going.”*

And did I see any deer? Well, these demanding birds have taken up all my time.

You’ll have to wait and see.

February 2, 2023
by dawnkinster 25 Comments

Soup makes me smile

I made my mom’s hamburger cabbage soup this week.

I happened on the directions in my recipe box while I was looking for something else.

It’s quick and easy…

….and it reminds me of mom.

Which makes me smile.

January 30, 2023
by dawnkinster 21 Comments

Musical memories

My husband and I heard the Ann Arbor Symphony Saturday night at the Michigan Theater. We’ve been going to the symphony for years with my Aunt who lived in Ann Arbor. She attended and supported all sorts of musical venues both professional and at the University of Michigan. We was lucky to be invited to many of them.

This season I bought the tickets, instead of her, two of them, intending that she and I would enjoy the music together until she couldn’t any more, and then my husband would fill in. As most of you know she enjoyed the September concert, but then things took the turn we all knew was coming and she died in October.

Sitting in the audience on Saturday night listening to Mozart I imagined that the woman next to me was my Aunt.

It almost worked. If I squinted and looked up at the ceiling I could, out of the corner of my eye, still see my Aunt’s face turned up to the stage, enraptured by the music, totally immersed.

I tried to feel that way too.

But it wasn’t the same, and at the end of the concert I felt sad. I still feel sad tonight.

I know I should be happy and grateful for all the wonderful memories I have of concerts and musicals and theater we shared together. All the meals and laughs and conversations…but tonight I just feel sad.

And that’s OK. There’s plenty of time to smile about the fun things we did together, and I will someday soon. These early days in the grief process I’m just going to go with the feelings that present themselves. Sad, happy, a little of both, it’s all good.

I had her in my life for 66 years. It’s going to take some time to adjust to having her around in a different sort of way.

January 26, 2023
by dawnkinster 39 Comments

How to enjoy snow

Once upon a time I lived in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula where snow arrives early and stays late. You learn how to enjoy it or it will beat you down.

Your choice.

Of course I was younger then.

I learned how to use a U-per Scooper to clear my parking place, and how to snowshoe and cross country ski. It was all self defense, of course, but I learned to love most of it. Maybe not the U-per Scooper so much.

*The back yard looks more exotic with snow.*

I’ve lived in lower Michigan for 37 years now, my bones have become more brittle and I’m more careful when choosing my adventures. Lucky for me we don’t usually get snow in the amounts I remember from up north.

Even luckier for me I’m retired.

*“One picture one treat, lady. I heard that was the rule around here.”*

Yesterday, during our all day gentle snow I didn’t have to be anywhere. Husband cleared the driveway multiple times.

My only responsibilities involved keeping the birdfeeders full. In return I got to watch dozens of beautiful birds all vying for a spot to grab a snack.

*The feeder looked Victorian with it’s cap of snow.*

At one point I counted 8 male cardinals in my shrubs, on the deck railing, and on the feeders at the same time. There were lots of females as well, they’re just harder to see. I couldn’t count all the blue jays, titmice, goldfinches, chickadees, starlings, nuthatches, ravens and woodpeckers.

*“I guess I’ll share my favorite tree with the others. This time.”*

Today looks like more of the same, in the bird world anyway. It’s stopped snowing, but it’s still wildly beautiful.

I even took a walk down the road, wearing grippers on my boots, for a little look see.

*Didn’t have to go far to see I liked the yellow against the white.*

Yep…beautiful down there too.

I wish you all could experience it from a lazy-boy chair inside a nice warm house with big windows and a lot of birds to entertain you.

Winters in Michigan. Be careful, or they’ll get the upper hand.

*And then the sun showed up for a moment or two.*

But if you can learn to enjoy them…well…then you win.

January 25, 2023
by dawnkinster 25 Comments

Wordless Wednesday

January 23, 2023
by dawnkinster 32 Comments

Grocery blues

I thought a lot about my mom this morning.

I’d put off going to the grocery store as long as I could. We were out of everything. Cereal, bananas, Kleenex (DARN I forgot that this trip!!) meat, lettuce, tomatoes, lemon juice, frozen peas, everything! I stalled earlier in the morning, doing other little tasks, waiting for it to be late enough that the store might have a cashier working. I hate scanning my groceries when I have a full cart.

Anyway, I was thinking about my mom and how she shopped for a family of 6 on a much smaller budget than mine. I don’t remember her complaining about it, though I don’t remember her complaining about much of anything. I do remember her hollering when she pulled into the garage for those of us home to come help her put the groceries away. And her lament about how much it was, on average, per paper paper bag filled with groceries. Seemed like it was always more than the week before.

I hate going grocery shopping. First there’s the list making, which involves pulling out cookbooks and determining a menu for the week. That alone makes me want to wait at least another day.

Then there’s the traipsing around the store, dodging those big carts pushed by the professional shoppers, mostly teenagers, who are picking groceries for those smart enough to order online, and the pallets of food sitting in the aisles waiting to be put on shelves, and the little old folk comparing prices while their cart sits in the middle of traffic, (I’m not one of those!) and the preschool kids hanging onto an adults hand while whining. No, the grocery store is not somewhere I want to be.

I try to organize my shopping list in the order of the store so I don’t miss something (like Kleenex) or have to backtrack too often. That kind of works to get me in and out fast, even with a longer list like today. But by the time I get to the frozen vegetables I’m usually in a decision overload mental crisis, and just grab a couple bags of something and hurry over to checkout.

Where I wait.

If I’m lucky there is one lane open, usually a new person is running the register. I feel bad for them. Today there was a customer finishing up an order, a total of $300+ who was paying for it with assorted gift cards some of which didn’t work. It took awhile. Then she was getting $20 back. The clerk handed over the receipt and the $20 and the customer decided she didn’t want a $20 bill. She wanted 3 fives and 5 ones. The new clerk didn’t know how to open her cashdrawer once the transaction was over. It took awhile longer.

The woman ahead of me, with her full cart on the conveyer just smiled at me and rolled her eyes. It’s good to be retired.

By the time I got out of there with my order and loaded it into the back of the car, then unloaded it onto my kitchen counter I was feeling really sorry for my mom. In fact, on one of my many trips from the garage to the kitchen, while passing the back bathroom I noticed my reflection in the mirror. Mom looked back at me. Neither of us seemed happy.

I don’t know how my mother did it, shopping and cooking for a big family night after night. After night. I have it easy in comparison. I know I could order online, and I have, though what I get isn’t always related to what I thought I ordered. And I could even have the groceries delivered. But I’d miss the inspiration of seeing something on sale and figuring out another meal on the fly, or that impulsive quart of Ben and Jerry’s. (No, I didn’t even go down the ice cream aisle today, I faded out at frozen tortellini.)

So I guess I’m writing this as a sort of rant, and now that I’m done I should feel better. But you’d think after spending $150+ my fridge would be more full. I don’t know how big families survive these days.

I’m sorry, mom, for not appreciating you more back in those days. Grocery shopping is exhausting, I think I’ll go take a nap.

Something you never got to do.

January 21, 2023
by dawnkinster 35 Comments

Wise soul

I went for a walk this morning, down a neighborhood road I haven’t ventured since Katie left. The road we took our last walk on that day. She and I went up to the first neighbor’s mailbox and then turned around at our usual spot, I remember she met a snapping turtle laying eggs that morning and I let her watch for a bit.

So many memories on that short piece of asphalt.

I went past our turn-around this morning, unleashed from an elderly dog, up the road further and around the corner where she and I had rarely ventured.

“Oh sweetie-girl” I thought.

“It’s OK, mama,” she replied, “next time it won’t hurt so much.”

She’s a wise one, that Katie-girl. Yes she is.

January 20, 2023
by dawnkinster 18 Comments

VanGogh in America

I got to see the VanGogh exhibition at the Detroit Institute of Art Wednesday, thanks to a friend who had tickets. Given the show is sold out I feel very lucky.

My husband, two friends and I drove down to Detroit in the morning, a few hours before our ticketed time to view the VanGoghs. We wanted to wander the rest of the museum first because there’s so much to see there.

*Waiting behind the Q-line to turn into the parking lot for the DIA.*

We saw a lot of really interesting and pretty stuff in the couple of hours that we wandered the other galleries.

*Mother and child, one of several we saw during our visit.*

There were a lot of sculptures, many of them were Mary and child. But there were others as well.

*In the middle of a room, surrounded by huge paintings stood a pensive Abe.*

And of course lots and lots of paintings, from different periods of time and from all over the world.

*I loved the light in this, and his face as he looks at the image of someone he loved.*

We visited one of my favorites, which turned out to be one of my friend’s favorites as well.

*This is a wedding dance, with so much going on that you could stand in front of it for a long time and see more and more.*

But we were there to see VanGogh, or Vincent as he signed his work, so I’ll show you a few of those.

*This one, the Novel Reader, is involved in a court case to determine just who owns it. You may have seen that story in the news.*

Most of his famous pieces were there, but I was just as interested in those pieces I hadn’t seen before.

*This one, called The Picnic, reminded me of my parents who went on a picnic for their first date and have a photo very similar to this painting.*

Some were small, in different mediums that his big oil canvases.

*This was the only watercolor I saw in the show.*

But of course there were a lot of large oils as well, including this one that isn’t what you think.

*Called Starry Night, different than the other starry painting we’ve seen so often.*

I loved the rows of trees in this one, they reminded me of the olive orchards in Italy. Turns out they were olive trees in France outside the hospital where he lived for a year.