Change Is Hard

…but change is certain.

Author Archives: dawnkinster


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Randomness

I was looking for something specific in my old blog posts and came across this one, when husband and I visited the Detroit Institute of Art (DIA) on a cold January day back in 2014. It doesn’t seem like it’s been 8 years since we were there. We need to go again.

It was a fun winter adventure.

Time is flying by, and standing still at the same time as we shiver through another January. Today is the last day of the month, finally, and I’ve always said February is short, and then it’s kinda almost sorta spring.

We’ll see.

From another winter, but they’re predicting we’ll get snow this week.

This day last year I had just arrived in Alabama for a few weeks respite from the cold. I wish I could be there now, but I promised Katie I’d stick around. And I can’t take her so far away from her vet these days. I know she’s missing adventure just like I am.

I miss this place.

I went to the post office this morning to complain about shoddy mail delivery. All I got was rolled eyes and a statement that they couldn’t do anything about my lost mail. I didn’t expect they could, but I did expect an apology. What happened to customer service?

How I felt at the post office

Katie is feeling better today than the other night when I thought maybe it was time to let her go. I’m sure she’ll post more about how she’s doing soon. She’s getting her nails done this afternoon, but I doubt she’ll feel that’s much of an adventure at all.

I got to go on a walk with my friend Deuce, but it was so cold we only stayed for one picture!

We’re still being safe here, I’m ordering my groceries online and picking them up with no contact from anyone. I miss browsing at the grocery store, but I don’t miss the frustration of empty shelves, the lack of checkout lanes open, or pushing a cart through a slushy parking lot in a blizzard. I may stick with this online thing even after covid.

We’re all puffed up against the cold.

Do you think there will be an ‘after covid?”

I was going to write a post about the word game Wordle. But randomness flowed instead. If I think about it there’s a connection there. But that’s for another post.

Hoping for a warmer day.


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Bird stories

Who knew that one partial day of bird photography could turn into three blog posts? Well. To be honest, I know I take way too many pictures, and then I have no place to share them but here. So you are once again subjected to my interpretation of bird life.

I’m sure the birds don’t mind me sharing their inner most private thoughts.

“No I will not stand still so you can get your focus right.”

As I was leaving the nature center, fingers and toes frozen but happy that I saw the eagle and all the other birds, I noticed a flury of activity centered on a stairway railing.

“Hurry up, we’re calling this meeting to order in a minute!”

Someone had left a pile of seed on a post and the blue jays decided to share the spoiles. Most unusual as they aren’t usually known for sharing anything.

“As Chairman of the Board I reserve the right to the peanut.”

No one else was invited to the feast. They seemed to be an exclusive club, and were definitely showing their true colors.

“This is ours!”

There was much flapping and jeering and jostling for position among them. But when another bird tried to join in, they became a united front. Only jays allowed.

“We can vote on it, but historically resolutions to allow chickadees into our group has never been approved.”

Beautiful bullies, those jays.

And then I was driving home, wishing the eagle had stayed a bit longer, but happy with what I had. And out of the corner of my eye, as I crossed the last bridge before the park exit, I saw this:

Looks like Swan Lake to me.

So I turned around and parked at a lot above the river and walked back down. Because who can resist swans and blue water on a beautiful winter day?

I spent a lot of time watching them come and go, and then I walked over to the other side of the bridge and saw this lovig couple.

“This salad bar is boring, I’ll just freshen up over here.”

Well, actually, he was busy eating and she was thinking that a bit of grooming was in order. Typical. But then he puffed all up.

“Looking bigger and more beautiful, I’ll keep my girl all to myself.”

Was he just showing off for his lovely partner? Or was there a something more suspicious?

“I wouldn’t go down there if I were you, looks like this part of the river is already occupied.”

A flock of swans flies overhead. Could that mean danger? Would he have to defend his sweetheart?

“This looks like a fine place to take a break, plus there’s a cute girl over there!”

Oh no! A brave interloper lands! He must be dealt with swiftly!

“Let me introduce myself. I am the supreme ruler of this part of the river, and you are trespassing!”

With no time to spare the original swan was on the case.

“Not on my watch, buddy!”

The offending swan, uttering his apologies, immediately moved on.

“Sorry, man, I’m outta here!”

Life got back to normal on this little part of the river, and the two love birds lived happily ever after.

“Well, OK then. The nerve of some swans.”

The end.

When I got back to the car a lone bluejay greated me hopefully.

“Thanks for visiting our park, lady! You got anything to eat?”

And I smiled at him, shook my head and waved goodbye for now. I’ll be back. I know they’ll be waiting for me.

“Well. If you don’t have anything to share I’m outta here too.”


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Eagle search part 2

Before we were so beautifully interrupted by the cardinal seige, I was conteplating the continuation of an eagle search. I’d already been to the Great Lakes National Cemetary where I’d seen, from far away, the resident eagle and his nest. But it was still early and a beautiful day, maybe another eagle was waiting to be discovered at my favorite park.

What is this, you ask?

Should I go look for it? Well of course I should.

So after some more mental arguing about other things I could be doing, mostly involving housework, I jumped back in the car and headed south to Kensington where eagles had been sighted at the heron rookery.

“Don’t bug me lady, some nice people left me some lunch and I’m hungry!”

Not that I thought I’d be so lucky to find one there in the early afternoon. But it’s my favorite park and how could I go wrong, I knew I’d find something!

“I don’t know why you people get so excited over an eagle. I’ve got much better colors.”

I took my time driving through the park, pulled up leisurely in a parking spot at the nature center. Even sat there awhile and looked at the eagle pictures I already had in my camera.

Then I looked up and spotted a big bump in the top of a tree. And me quite a ways away, with the wrong lens on the camera. Talk about unprepared.

“Geeze lady, an experienced photographer pays better attention to the details!”

I hustled over there, stopped at the first bench on the boardwalk and switched my lens, hoping he’d stick around long enough for me to get a shot, even if it wasn’t optimum.

“Ahem. Were you looking for ME?”

He did. And he watched me the whole time too.

“You do realize your camera is focused on the branches, not me…right?”

And apparently, when I took too long, he decided he’d had enough and he flew away…

“I’m outta here.”

…way over to a dead tree on the other side of the lake. With his back to those of us still photographing from the boardwalk.

“There’s more privacy over here and the light is better anyway.”

I stayed and talked with another photographer while we waited to see where he’d go next. We hoped he’d come back to the rookery, but he decided to take a trip over to the back side of the lake where he was a tiny spot in the sky, lazily circling, checking out lunch prospects.

Hey lady! Pay attention! I’m being especially adorable down here!”

So I walked a bit on the trails, but they were covered in slippery ice and I was wearing old sneakers, so I didn’t stay long. I did manage to get some shots of some other, very cute, birds while I was there, and I’m sharing most of them here.

“People overlook us doves all the time, their loss, I always say.”

But..wait…did I show you the blue jays? Or the swans? No? Well, you have to see those. I guess another birdy type post is in order.

You can’t see too many birds…right?

Right.

“I did my head feathers special for this photo shoot too…darn people always want to take pictures of the big birds…”


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Descent of the cardinals (and their friends).

I interrupt my eagle search to bring you this morning’s craziness right here at home. We’re getting a light snow. It’s cold. Katie and I were napping as the early morning light began to invade our dreams.

“Come on over, there’s plenty for everybody!”

I glanced outside and was both amazed and guilty as I saw birds all over the empty feeders, searching frantically for something, anything, to eat.

“Hey! Can we get a little water over here?”

Stuffing my naked feet into an old pair of sneakers, and throwing on a sweatshirt, not slowing for a coat, gloves or boots, I ran outside. Katie waited in the comfort of her palace, watching me intently.

“I think this lady serves the best oilers in town.”

My freezing fingers fumbled with the seed bin lid. The birds stayed close, not flying to their usual safe places, sitting on the deck, in the honeysuckle bush, the beech tree, hovering around my head.

They were too hungry to be afraid.

“Don’t judge me, I’m having a bad hair day.”

I filled the thistle feeder, the oiler feeders, the suet cage and then spread seed along the railing so that all of them could eat without having to wait their turns.

“I think I’ll head over to the quieter thistle feeder. These cardinals are crazy”

And they did. And in return they let me take their pictures.

“Yep, she puts on a great spread. She was a little late today, but it was worth the wait.”

I’d say it was a even exchange.

“I heard there was a ‘one shot, one treat’ rule around here. I already gave you my one shot.”


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Seeking an Eagle

Today, while much of the rest of the United States was under various weather advisories, we had sun. It was cold, but the wind of the past few days has blasted off toward the east coast. Nineteen degrees farhrenheit (-7.22 C) and blue skies just begged for a photography adventure.

And I knew just the place.

Maybe this is the eagle!

Not far from me is a National Cemetary; I’ve taken you there before. But lately I’ve been hearing about an eagle hanging around the acres and acres of gleaming white headstones. I’ve been out there a couple times hoping to find him, but couldn’t find the nest and never saw the magnificent bird.

Since it’s so close to home, and it was a pretty day, I figured I wouldn’t be disappointed if I failed again. And you know me, I’ll always find something to take a picture of!

What about those globby shapes over in those trees?

Right near the entrance I saw a bird in the top of a dead tree. Could that be the eagle? Naw…just a big crow.

Then toward the back of the cemetary I saw a bunch of blobs high up in the trees, could those be eagles? Naw..just some clumps of leaves, maybe squirrel nests.

I wandered around some more, but saw nothing else that looked promising. Still, I wasn’t sad, it was such a pretty day…

The sun makes everything beautiful.

…and the moon was setting. I always enjoy a late setting moon.

Moon over Michigan.

And then, just as I gave up and turned the car around to go, I saw this out of the corner of my eye. Could it be?

If that’s another squirrel nest, it belongs to a really big squirrel.

I put that car in park fast and was out of it, moving as quickly as I could across the lawn, then creeping into the woods. I had to pass two signs that warned me not to trespass, hoping to get a shot before someone arrested me.

Taking a break from this year’s remodel project.

And I did. But the eagle knew exactly where I was too, walking on all that crunchy snow I sounded like a herd of elephants making my way through the woods. I only got a couple shots before he took off.

He flew in a big wide circle, and then vanished into the trees.

“Tourists! A guy can’t catch a break around here.”

I didn’t have any stellar shots…but I got to see an eagle fly.

“See ya later, lady!”

On the way home I took a different back road, and realized almost right away that it wound along the back of the cemetary. And guess what?

Well, duh. The view, with the morning sun is way better over here.

There’s a much better view of the eagle’s nest from back there!

And on the way I got to see a barn.

Red barn, white snow, blue sky. Perfect.

When I got home I was still excited about seeing the eagle and having such a good time with the camera on such a pretty day. And I’ve heard there’s an eagle out at Kensington, my favorite park.

That’s not so far away either. The sun is still shining.

Too pretty a day to spend inside.

Should I head out there? What are the odds that I’ll find an eagle just sitting around waiting for me to discover him?

What are the odds?

Guess you’ll have to wait and see.

Eagle or no eagle, always good to stop by this place.


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Barn music

I’m having trouble with my clarinet. Some of it is me having to play through a mask. But most of the problem revolves around sticky pads. For several notes when I move my fingers there’s a delay in the movement of keys.

This farm was the reason I got off the freeway.

In normal times that might not be a huge problem, as I’d be one of twelve or so clarinets. But at Tuesday night’s rehearsal we only had two clarinets so I could hear myself, and it wasn’t good.

These two caught my eye right away.

Wednesday I drove my clarinet to a music store about an hour away. Of course nothing was sticking when the technician checked it out. I told him the problem only becomes noticible when the instrument is warm, after I’ve been playing for half an hour or more.

Snow and red barn.

He nodded and took it into the back room, I guess to give it a stern talking to.

I loved the little dormer.

In a few minutes he brought it back, saying the pads were dirty and he cleaned them. Of course, until I try to play it for awhile I won’t know whether the issue is fixed.

I guess I should get to practicing.

I turned around to get this image.

So where do the barns fit in? Well, I drove through farm country to get to the music store, and had my camera with me. I got off the freeway and wandered around those snowy fields for a little bit before hustling home.

Sitting alone on a corner.

I figured that way I wasn’t wasting all that gas just to get a couple key pads cleaned.

Right?

Right.


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Reading in times of covid

I thought I had lost my love of reading somewhere in the middle of this past year of covid testing and isolation. But Goodreads says I entered the year not enjoying my very first book, Writing in Flow, Keys to Enhanced Creativity by Susan Perry.

“I just couldn’t get into it. I’ll try again.”

I didn’t try again.

And the last book I reviewed, Anything is Possible by Elizabeth Strout didn’t fare any better.

“I love her writing but I’m glad this one is done.”

There are other reviews for the thirty-four books I read in 2021, but I don’t have the patience to go read the reviews I wrote to find out how many I actually enjoyed. And when I puruse the list I can’t remember the plot to any of them.

In October when I finished the Strout book I had no idea that I wouldn’t read or review another one the rest of the year.

Not reading is troubling. I have always loved to read. I miss reading. You’d think in times of stress that reading would give me an escape, that I’ve be buried in books.

And, in fact, I have plenty of books to read. I’ve started several. There are books about my camera that I need to read, books I’ve seen on daytime television that I’ve purchased impulsively, a book my aunt lent me sits on the table next to my chair.

I have no “number of books read” goal for 2022. Rather, I think, my goal this year will be to find again the pleasure of reading. I should probably start soon. January is almost half over. Who has a recomendation for something light, happy, hopeful or heartwarming?

I could sure use a librarian about now.

My anti-reading dog.