Award Time, Part 2

It is now time to post and pass along two more awards that I've received from two great bloggers. I apologize to both of you for being so late with this.


I received this beautiful award from Nikola at Nikola's Book Blog. He has a fantastic blog and I encourage everyone to visit and say hi.

I would like to pass this along to 5 fantastic bloggers who are must stops for me on a daily basis.

Bella at A Bibliophile's Bookshelf

Celia at Adventures of Cecelia Bedelia

Beth at Beth's Book Review Blog

Carolyn at Book Chick City

Wendi at Wendi's Book Corner

I received this award from Ceri at Not in the Pink. She has a wonderful blog that I can't stop visiting so I highly encourage anyone and everyone to to go over and say hi!

Here are the rules for this award:

1. Each Superior Scribbler must in turn pass The Award on to 5 most-deserving Bloggy Friends.

2. Each Superior Scribbler must link to the author & the name of the blog from whom he/she has received The Award.

3. Each Superior Scribbler must display The Award on his/her blog, and link to This Post, which explains The Award.

4. Each Blogger who wins The Superior Scribbler Award must visit this post and add his/her name to the Mr. Linky List. That way, we'll be able to keep up-to-date on everyone who receives This Prestigious Honor!

5. Each Superior Scribbler must post these rules on his/her blog.

So I would like to pass this along to 5 bloggers who always entertain, enlighten, and encourage their readers. They all have strong personalities and distinct voices that are always a treat to experience.

Sheila at One Person's Journey Through a World of Books

Jaime at Revenge of the Book Nerds

Elena at With Extra Pulp

Jennifer at Rundpinne

Carol at Carol's Notebook

Senators Restore Abstinence Education Funding

Just how stupid are these Senators? It's been proven that abstinence-only education doesn't work. So would someone tell me why two Democrats and all ten Republicans on the Senate Finance Committee voted to restore funding under the guise of "health care reform?"

A Senate committee voted Tuesday night to restore $50 million a year in federal funding for abstinence-only education that President Barack Obama has pushed to eliminate.

The 12-11 vote by the Senate Finance Committee came over objections from its chairman, Democratic Sen. Max Baucus of Montana.

Two Democrats - Kent Conrad of North Dakota and Blanche Lincoln of Arkansas - joined all 10 committee Republicans in voting "yes" on the measure by Republican Sen. Orrin Hatch of Utah.

The measure would still have to pass the full House and Senate. Hatch said abstinence education had been shown to work, though Baucus disagreed. Obama had proposed in his 2010 budget to direct money spent on abstinence-only education to broader teen pregnancy-reduction programs.

An alternate measure offered by Baucus also passed. Baucus' measure, which passed 14-9, would make money available for education on contraception and sexually transmitted diseases, among other things, in addition to abstinence. Lawmakers will have to reconcile the two measures, both approved during debate on a sweeping health overhaul bill, as the legislation moves forward.

Geezz ... when will these idiots get it?

Favorite Fictional Characters --- Fran Fine

She was working in a bridal shop in Flushing, Queens,'Til her boyfriend kicked her out in one of those crushing scenes.What was she to do? Where was she to go? She was out on her fanny...So over the bridge from Flushing to the Sheffield's door.She was there to sell make-up, but the father saw more. She had style! She had flair! She was there.That's how she became the Nanny!

Who would have guessed that the girl we've described,Was just exactly what the doctor prescribed?Now the father finds her beguiling (watch out C.C.!).And the kids are actually smiling (such joie de vivre!).She's the lady in red when everybody else is wearing tan...The flashy girl from Flushing, the Nanny named Fran!

Doesn't that song alone bring a smile to your face? A big grin from ear to ear that threatens to consume your entire being? Well if not, it should. For 6 years Fran Fine, played by the wonderful Fran Drescher, came into my living room and made me smile in a way only she could. Besides, how can you not love a character devoted to Barbara Streisand?

She was loud, boisterous, flashy, sexy, and charming all in one package. From the moment she walked into the Sheffield's life, magic happened. She brought a new energy and vibrancy to the their lives and they were blessed and happy for it. The children blossomed under her care and tutelage, Maxwell seemed to start enjoying life more, Niles gained a partner in crime, and C.C. learned she had no chance with Maxwell. By the end of the show Fran and Maxwell were married and had children of their own and I couldn't have been happier for them.

I was sad when the show finally ended but I was grateful for the opportunity to watch a brilliantly funny show produced by and starring a great actress and comedian.

Award Time, Part 1

I am so thuroughly backlogged on getting these posted and given out that I'm slightly embarrassed by it. I have so many that I'm going to have to do a few at a time over the next few days. I'm really sorry to all of those who gave me these awards that I haven't acknowledged it until now, please forgive me.



I received this really cool looking award from two great bloggers and I want to thank them. Michelle at Red Headed Book Child and Zia at My Life In Not So Many Words. They are wonderful bloggers/people and I encourage everyone to visit them immediately.

Here's what it's all about.

The Dragon's Loyalty Award is an award for the loyal fan/commenter, whether the recipient is a fellow blogger or just a someone who follows and comments regularly.Here are the rules:* If you have a blog, post it on your blog with a link back to the site who gave it to you.* Leave them a comment on their site, email, etc. to let them know.* If you don't have a blog but have a website, Facebook, MySpace, Twitter or other type account, post there with a link back.*

Pass this on to 3-10 loyal fans. So I choose to pass this along to a group of wonderful bloggers who have shown me nothing but kindness and friendship.

Deb at Bookmagic

Melissa at My World

Krista at Life or Something Like It

Michelle at The True Book Addict

Melissa at Scuffed Slippers and Wormy Books

I received this great award from two great individual bloggers and one fantastic group of bloggers. Alyssa, Jake, and Gregory at Teens Read and Write, Nikola at Nikola's Book Blog, and Michelle at The True Book Addict. They all have great blogs and I hope everyone stops by and discovers that for themselves.

I would love to pass this on to some wonderful bloggers who whether it's on their own blogs or through the comment's they leave on mine, bring a smile to my face every time I read what they have to say.

Michelle at Red Headed Book Child

Zia at My Life In Not So Many Words

Phyl at Bookishgal

Ceri at Not In The Pink

Staci at Life In The Thumb

Republican Heath Care Plan: "Don't Get Sick"

I think Rep. Alan Grayson (D-FL) may be on to something here. He has certainly pegged Republicans for what they are -- greedy, heartless bastards.

Marie Osmond: So What if my Daughter's Gay?

Good for you Marie! And BTW ... you look fabulous!

Casting: Miguel

Que actor seria belo o suficiente para encarnar este vampiro mestre de todas as artes?

Miguel

Um atraente e sedutor vampiro francês de olhos azuis e caracóis louros, que Eleanora conheceu e transformou na corte do Rei Sol. O mais velho dos Arcanjos, ridiculamente talentoso em tudo o que faz, música, pintura, escultura, etc. Um especialista em tudo a que se dedica.

O seu único defeito é que, sendo tão talentoso, acaba por se fartar depressa e abandonar projectos a meio para perseguir qualquer outro objectivo, na esperança de encontrar algo verdadeiramente desafiante, que atenue o tédio.

Teaser Tuesdays

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly meme hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading.

Here is how it works.

Grab the book you are currently reading
(anything at all)
Open the book to any random page.
Share 2 "teaser" sentences from anywhere on the page.
Please Make Sure They Are Not Spoilers!(Don't Give Too Much Away)
Just enough to pique our interest.
List the book and author so other participants can get their hand on it
if they choose to read it as well.

For This Week:

Lupie pulled back his eyelids ... and gasped in astonishment as she watched the completely white, film eyeballs -- the eyes of the dead -- transform suddenly back to the eyes of the living with a pair of pupils appearing like the dot that used to grow on old TV screens. The piercing monotone coming from the ECG screen next to the bed suddenly beeped back to peak-and-trough life.

From the story "Baby Homeless Broken Hearts Club" from the book Let Slip the Dogs of Love: Suburban Legends of the Living and the Dead by Eugene Kachmarsky

Sen. Jon Kyl: Men Who Make Me Crazy

Kyl: I Don't Need Maternity Care In My Health Insurance.
Stabenow: Your Mom Probably Did!

Thank you Sen. Stabenow!

Three days to Texas

I'm finishing the last of my packing today and leaving for Texas early tomorrow morning. I'm leaving a lot of stuff at Matty's, in the hope that I'll either be back to stay or be back to pick it up and move elsewhere. I'll sure miss my Matty.

I'll be offline for the next few days on the road, so take care and thank you so much for all your good wishes. I'll be sure to take pictures of my trek through the desert southwest, and maybe I'll even see some birds!

Mailbox Monday for September 28th, 2009

Mailbox Monday is a weekly meme hosted by Marcia at The Printed Page.

The only book I bought this week was The Man with the Golden Torc by Simon R Green. I bought this hardcover off the bargain table at Barnes & Noble.

I won In the Woods by Tana French from Michelle at Red Headed Book Child.

The last three books I recieved all came from the authors for review.

Let Slip The Dogs Of Love by Eugene Kachmarsky

Defenders Of The Scroll by Shiraz

Death Mill Mansion: A Lighthearted Comedy by Will Hartzell-Baird

The Winner of Under This Unbroken Sky

Using Random.org I drew the winner of the ARC of Under This Unbroken Sky.


And the winner is........

Wanda!

Congratulations!

I have emailed the winner who has 48 hours to respond. If there is no response a new winner will be picked.

Sunday Funnies

Os Arcanjos

A eternidade é uma quantidade horrivelmente longa de tempo e torna-se ainda mais angustiante se não tivermos com quem a partilhar. O acto de transformar e educar um novo vampiro é uma das maneiras de atenuar esta dor. Uma maneira dos estéreis filhos da noite se tornarem progenitores.

Eleanora Reeve, criou vários vampiros ao longo da sua existência, porém, três deles, em especial, estiveram destinados a serem os seus preferidos. Paladinos na busca de Eleanora por beleza e prazer. Chamou-lhes Arcanjos.

Os Arcanjos de Eleanora não são lutadores. Podem combater, mas não é para isso que a vampira os mantém. Para essa área ela têm outros aliados, muito mais poderosos, mas para a ajudar apreciar os prazeres da eternidade não existe ninguém melhor que os seu Arcanjos:

Miguel, o artista.

Rafael, o descobridor de maravilhas.

Gabriela, a leitora de almas.

Vampiros: Servos

  Não é uma regra absoluta, mas os vampiros que preferem não ser solitário patológicos, tendem a ter servos. 

  Alguns dos servos são atraídos com dinheiro, porém, a média adquirem-se pelo medo ou, infinitamente mais vulgar, promessa de serem tornados em filhos da noite. A promessa da imortalidade ou a simples e fascinante mística dos eternamente jovens, são incentivos suficientes para se deixarem seduzir.

  Quanto ao tratamento que os servos humanos podem esperar dos seus mestres vampiros dependem muito de filho da noite para filho da noite. Alguns pagam os servos, como qualquer empregador humano, outros têm-nos em condições de escravatura chocantes. É impossível prever, porém, uma coisa é certa, para aquele que não consegue atrair a atenção dos vampiros à primeira, e assim ganhar a imortalidade, a servidão é a maneira mais provável de obter uma segunda oportunidade.

Adventures in Babysitting

I absolutely love this movie. I think I saw it for the first time in 1987, the year it came out and I've watched it almost every year since.

What is there not to love? Babysitter is asked to babysit two kids while parents attend a party in the city. Older boys sex crazed best friend comes over and make a nuisance of himself. Babysitter's best friend calls from a bus station down town, desperately needing help so the babysitter packs all three kids in the car and heads downtown.

What ensues is nothing but lots of fun and chaos. There are gang fights, mechanics that look like Thor, car thieves, chases, prostitutes, frat parties, blues musician Albert Collins, even some scaling of a building trying to get to the parents in their high rise party.

This is one 80s movies that I don't think gets enough attention and acclaim. This is one of those movies that watching it once will turn you into a lifelong lover of cheesy 80's cinema.

Synopsis From Back Cover:

Christ Parker (Elisabeth Shue of Cousin Bette, Leaving Las Vegas) agrees to babysit after her "dread" date stands her up. Expecting a dull evening, Christ settles down with three kids for a night of TV...and boredom. But when her frantic friend Brenda calls and pleads to be rescued from the bus station in downtown Chicago, the evening soon explodes into an endless whirl of hair-raising adventures! Babysitter and kids leave their safe suburban surroundings and head for the heart of the big city, never imagining how terrifyingly funny their expedition will become.

Pumpkins Galore

The Dallas Arboretum is like a fairytale this time of year. The pumpkin could turn into Cinderella's coach. I'm going to let the pictures stand for themselves. It's magical. It's fabulous and an absolute gem of a venue.

I was born in October. Fall colors. Pumpkins. The splash of oranges and crimsons speak to me. The mums are going to burst here in a week or two. The colors are shloshing in my brain. I feel a poem coming on....

October Heat

October, burning leaves
it’s in my memory, inhale,
nose tingles
deep in my blood,
burnt leaf smoke oozes from my pores
airy wisps of ash encircle my head
seeps into my hair.
erie figures drifted in and out of the haze,
rakes in hand
swooshing crimson, orange, and yellow leaves

today, October in the South
air-conditioner whir kicks on at six
wheezes to a halt late evening.
dollars fly about the room
distilling humidity, cooling tepid air,
I sweat.

step on crunchy grass
wind chimes still
flags slacken, droopily oppressed
scurry back indoors
soul compresses

yearn for fire reds, golden, and deep oranges
brown, drab leaves herald fall this year.
it can’t be October.
pumpkins will explode in this heat,
melt into a pumpkin pie
not glow with Halloween candles.

thanks for indulging me. Isn't this gorgeous? Go now -enjoy Autumn at the Arboretum.

http://www.dallasarboretum.org

Yep - bobbing for pumpkins...........how cool is this?

Fall Fever!

Joanne

44 of the Most Random Questions

I saw this at another blog and Matt seemed like he had fun doing it so I thought I would give it a try myself, that and I'm just a little bored right now.

1. Do you like blue cheese? If Gorgonzola counts than yes, if it doesn't then no I don't.

2. Have you ever been drunk? If my younger days, more times than I can count. Now that I'm a little more mature and grownup, not really. I rarely have a drink now and when I do I only drink 15-20 of them, not even close to drunk stage for me. Just kidding, at most I will have 2 drinks in a evening anymore.

3. Do you own a gun? No, never have and never will. I think the world would be better off without them and I would like to see them all melted down for flower pots.

4. What flavor of Kool Aid was your favorite? Hmm....as a kid what flavor didn't I like, Kool Aid rocked. Now the few times I buy it for my son it's normally Tropical Punch or Orange.

5. Do you get nervous before doctor appointments? Since I still hate going to the doctor, yes.

6. What do you think of hot dogs? They are OK and I only like them 3 ways. First is with mustard, onions, relish, and sport peppers. Second is with mustard, ketchup, and mayo. Then you put crushed potato chips and mozzarella cheese on top of that. Then you put it on a two sided electric grill to melt the cheese, so gooooood. Third way is cooked on a stick over a campfire.

7. Favorite Christmas movie? Oh gosh another long answer. Christmas in Connecticut, White Christmas, The Ref, Nightmare Before Christmas, the ABC Family Channel movie Snow, The Tangerine Bear: Home in Time for Christmas, The Christmas Toy, How the Grinch Stole Christmas (Cartoon version), The Year Without a Santa Claus, Rudolph's Shiny New Year, Nestor The Long Eared Christmas Donkey, Frosty's Winter Wonderland, Twas' the Night Before Christmas, Rudolph and Frosty's Christmas in July, A Charlie Brown Christmas, He-Man and She-Ra Christmas Special, Jack Frost (Rankin & Bass animated version), Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer, Santa Claus is Coming to Town, Frosty the Snowman, Frosty Returns, and The Little Drummer Boy.

8. What do you prefer to drink in the morning? Milk, orange juice, water, or hot tea.

9. Can you do push ups? Yes all the time and I hate it.

10. What’s your favorite piece of jewelry? Silver Italian horn necklace.

11. Favorite hobby? Well since I started a book blog I would have to say reading.

12. Do you have A.D.D.? No

13. What’s your favorite shoe? I have two pairs of Merrell Chameleon 2s I really like and I just got a pair of Auri Gulfstream in green that I love.

14. Middle name? Michael

15. Name 3 thoughts at this exact moment? That this is taking longer than I thought it would, my left shoulder is hurting, and I'm loving this pistachio ice cream.

16. Name 3 drinks you regularly drink? Hot tea, water, and cranberry juice.

17. Current worry? If my son will feel better in the morning.

18. Current hate right now? Those who belong to the Birther conspiracy, people who need to talk about who they are sleeping with on their cell phones while they are standing in front of me in a line, my headache that seems to be never ending, and eggplant.

19. Dum da dum dummmm what is that? A really annoying sound that I wish would go away for ever.

20. How did you bring in the new year? At home sick on my couch eating popcorn with my then 5 year old.

21. Where would you like to go? Bangladesh, South Africa, and American Samoa.

22. Name three people who will complete this? Anyone who wants to.

23. Do you own slippers? Yes, nice and furry ones.

24. What color shirt are you wearing right now? Purple

25. Do you like sleeping on Satin sheets? No, I can't stand the feel of them. I love high thread count cotton and then flannel in winter.

26. Can you whistle? Yes, but not in tune.

27. Favorite color? Almost any shade of blue and green.

28. Would you be a pirate? Not if I had to wear an eye patch and have a peg leg. I also hate parrots and need to shower at least twice a day, so I'm thinking no.

29. What songs do you sing in the shower? I don't

30. Favorite Girl’s Name? Ehlana

31. Favorite boy’s name? Aidan (of course) or Damian

32. What’s in your pocket right now? Nothing, I empty them when I come home.

33. Last thing that made you laugh? Picturing myself as a pirate.

34. Best bed sheets as a child? Mikey Mouse, Minnie Mouse, Donald Duck, Daisy Duck, and Goofy at a County Fair.

35. Worst injury you’ve ever had as a child? We were building a fort in our neighbors back yard and all the other kids went inside leaving me holding a board, about the size of a door, up against a fence. Well when you are 8 and bored, 5 minutes seems like a year. So I let go, turned around, and started walking away. If fell on me and the boards I was walking on had nails sticking up. So I had two nails go into the right side of my face and tear it up a little. I still have a 1.5 inch scar by my ear.

36. Do you love where you live? Love the place I physically live, I could do without the Kansas part though.

37. Revenge of the Nerds or Fast Times at Ridgemont High? Can I say neither.

38. Who is your loudest friend? We are no longer friends because of that loudness.

39. How many dogs do you have? None right now, but I really, really, really, really want an Irish Wolfound.

40. Does someone have a crush on you? The few I know about are not ones I want to have a crush on me.

42. What is your favorite candy? Jelly Belly jellybeans, especially the juicy pear and margarita ones

43. Favorite Sports Team? Denver Broncos.

44. What song do you want played at your funeral? The Lady of Shalott by Loreena Mckennitt.

Casting: Monk

Quem estaria à altura de encarnar este ancestral mestre marcial?

Monk

Um vampiro chinês com mais de quinhentos anos. Nos seus tempos de humano foi Guarda Imperial, assim como um vigoroso praticante de artes marciais. Isto não só lhes conferiu um vasto role de técnicas mortíferas como uma concentração inquebrável.

Ninguém conhece o seu verdadeiro nome. Monk é uma alcunha que lhe foi dada há séculos devido à sua austeridade e falta de traços distintivos. Careca como um ovo, olhos castanhos e sobrancelhas finas, não se distingue de qualquer monge budista.

Pouco se sabe do seu passado além do facto de ter sido Guarda Imperial e que, em algum ponto, ainda como humano, terá abandonado esse cargo. Ele recusa-se a adiantar mais pormenores. Os mais inquisidores especulam, mas nenhum é ousado o suficiente para lho perguntar.

Monk não é um vampiro complexo. Leal e incapaz de actos manhosos, vive para o combate. Não interessa qual a causa, para ele a luta é um fim em si mesmo. E, acreditem, quando se pratica artes marciais à mais de 500 anos atinge-se um nível incrível.

The Agatha Christie Challenge --- The Man in the Brown Suit

This book was the 5th in my journey of Agatha Christie's books and by far the most enjoyable so far. I had read this book years ago, which was enough time for me to forget how like able the main character is.

Anne Beddingfeld is the type of character you long for in a good mystery. She is fearless in action, quick on the uptake, and a hopeless romantic. She is the daughter of a famous anthropologist who specialized in studying the primitive man and when he passes away she is at an impasse in her life. All she knows is that she wants to have adventures and she feels the place to start is is London. When the opportunity presents itself to move there, she jumps on it without a moments hesitation. That willingness to "just go" is what drives this entire book.

From the streets of London where she witnesses an untimely death to South Africa where everything comes to a head, Anne's drive to be the thick of things is what makes her so lovable. This is a grand adventure filled with suspense, laughter, love, and even a likable villain. I'm not sure if we will see Anne Beddingfeld again but I sure hope so.

Synopsis From Back Cover:

How odd, Ann Beddingfeld thought, that the stranger caught her eye, recoiled in horror, and fell to his death on the rails of Hyde Park Underground Station. Odder still was a doctor in a brown suit who pronounced him dead and vanished into the crowd. But what really aroused Anne's suspicion was when she learned of the doctor's link to the murder of a famous ballerina, a fortune in hidden diamonds, and a crime-lord embroiled in blackmail. And most frightening of all was the attempt made on Anne's own life. But she is unable to resist the lure of an isolated mansion that could hold the solution to a bizarre mystery-eve if she becomes it's next victim.

Reading this book I came to realize I'm probably not going to get through all of Agatha Christie's books in a year, like I originally planned. I think that will be OK though. I'm having a great time with it and if it lasts longer that I thought it would that just means I get to have fun for that much longer.

Last view of the Pacific

make sure to click for bigger on all these, especially the little crab

If you read my other blog, you already know that this whole California thing isn't working out for me. I haven't been able to find work, and time (aka money) has run out. It's been a fun adventure (despite the constant stress of looking for work, money, bills, etc.), and I've seen a lot of new birds (22 lifers since leaving PA), but it's time to pack it in. California has always been my dream, but it's just not a good time for dreaming, I guess. I'll be moving back to Texas for a while to live with my parents (or perhaps my sister), which will be nice. I haven't seen my parents more than a handful of times in the last seven or eight years, so I'm looking forward to spending some time with them. My mom loves to go birding, and San Antonio should yield some amazing birding, especially during the migration, so watch for some exciting posts in the coming weeks. I'll also be driving down through the Central Valley of CA, through Arizona and New Mexico, and a long way across Texas, so I'm hoping to see some raptors and things along the way.

Today, I felt like I should see the Pacific one more time before I go, so I went down to Muir Beach near Muir Woods. I was tempted to do both, but I didn't have a lot of time so I chose the beach. I had been reading about tidal pools and the wealth of life one can find in them, and I'd read that Muir Beach and nearby Slide Ranch were two good places to go.

It turned out to be one of those occasions where the expectations way outdo the reality; that seems to be the theme these days. I'd seen pictures of starfish, urchins, live "eccentric" sand dollars, sea slugs, etc. in my Audubon California guide, but that's not what I saw at Muir or at Slide. Maybe it's the wrong time of year, but I saw only limpets, snails,seaweed, and such. It's possible that we're too far north here for the good stuff.

Still--it was beautiful out there among the rocks. Some highlights:

Muir Beach

a young gull -- Ring-billed?



I don't know what this green rock is, but I like it. Serpentinite?

After a few hours at Muir, I went north about a mile or two to Slide Ranch. Here, the cliffs were a little daunting but I was all over those rocks like a little mountain goat! (a little mountain goat with weak ankles, a banged-up knee, puny muscles, and a tendency to fall down a lot, that is--but I only fell once!)

That handrail and a rope (starts where the handrail ends) are pretty much the only reason I made it down (and back up) alive.

I knew the tide was going out all afternoon, and low tide was supposed to be around 7:30, so there was a little beach when I first got there around 6pm.
The "sand" was more like little crushed rock, blackish gray.
Here, you can see some of that tidal pool life -- snails.More of those purplish round snail things -- Periwinkle? Dogwinkle? They were round, though--not long and conchy like the periwinkle and dogwinkle things in my book. But they have this pretty little abalone-like pearlized bit right at the center of their little spirally shell. Very pretty.

I started to notice, as I watched all these individual gulls who would just land on a rock and stare out at the water, that a lot of them had pink legs and feet -- Herring Gulls?
I'd only seen one Herring Gull before (assuming these are more of them), back in Cape May 2007. It was interesting to watch them as they gazed out at the water; one of them tried perching on a low rock and perhaps trying to find a meal splashing by, but the water was too rough for him and he gave up.

And hey, I managed to get this terrible picture of a couple of Black Oystercatchers:


I couldn't believe it, but this Black Phoebe was down on the beach with me, hawking for insects then coming right back to its perch:I never imagined a little flycatcher would be down there, but he was. This is definitely the same bird Matty Boy and I saw in Oakland, and I'm positive (gulp--I hope) that it's a Black Phoebe. Look at this funny little pic:That's some attitude!

I also saw these guys near the parking lot at Slide Ranch--are they House Finches or Purple Finches? They look too plump and small to be House Finches, but I could of course be wrong:

For a brief moment, I thought I had something exotic like a Pine Grosbeak, but you can see the little finch bill on that guy on the left in the first picture. Let me see if I have a better one... this one's brighter but not much better.

This little guy was peaking out at me; some kind of hermit crab? A big one?

Look at all the little barnacles and limpets and tiny snails on this one rock. Which reminds me: I really your help to learn more about cameras so I can deal with the horrible backlighting (glow) issue that results from taking pics on foggy/cloudy days. It's distracting. I'd like to be able to capture some features of the sky behind things, but the auto setting certainly doesn't always work, and I don't know enough about all those manual settings. F stop? Aperture? (that doesn't seem right) Exposure? I don't know. Suggestions?

After getting back up the cliff: