27 Saturday Feb 2021
Posted in Photography
A young squirrel was looking hungrily at our squirrel-proof birdfeeder.
Young squirrel.
“Please, I will only take one!”
At the refuge, a Turkey Vulture was flying in the clear blue sky.
Turkey Vulture.
After a while, it landed not too far away and I drove there to shoot many photos of it. It is not the best looking bird but it is probably the best scavenger, cleaning up the countryside of road kills and dead animals that it sees or smells from high above.
Turkey Vulture.
Turkey Vulture.
24 Wednesday Feb 2021
Posted in Photography
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In the last few days, temperatures have managed to climb into the thirties and low forties, causing snow to melt everywhere around us. I was watching a birdhouse in our backyard and saw droplets of water from the snow on the roof make their way to the ground.
Snow melt.
Snow melt.
Snow melt.
21 Sunday Feb 2021
Posted in Books, The Siege of An Loc
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The war between North and South Vietnam.
All I ever had known about it that it was a very unpopular war as far as the USA was concerned.
This book tells us how the People of South Vietnam fought to keep their country free from the Communists in North Vietnam.
It looks to me that South Vietnam governed their country with respect of their people who did not want to fall under the Communist regime of North Vietnam.
They fought valiantly and courageously with the help of the Americans and succeeded until the U.S withdrew from it all and left them to fall in the hands of the Communists who received all the help they needed from Russia and China.
It broke my heart to read how it ended.
The Author is very knowledgeable about the various battles and regiments involved with the Siege of An Loc.
It is so well written it kept me spellbound.
I am recommending this book whole heartedly.
The above review was written by Meta on 20-Feb-2021 at Goodreads.com: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/55120699-the-siege-of-an-l-c?from_search=true&from_srp=true&qid=NjAvvL3zm3&rank=1
21 Sunday Feb 2021
Posted in Books, Village Teacher
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Village Teacher by Neihtn, who also writes as Nguyen Trong Hien, is a well-written novel set in Vietnam in the late 19th or early 20th century while Vietnam was under French colonization. Teacher Tâm has traveled to the Imperial City of Hue to take the national examinations, challenging tests that help the country choose its leaders. He meets Giang, the daughter of a powerful Frenchman and a wealthy Vietnamese woman. The teacher becomes the student as Giang begins teaching him to write Vietnamese in Romanized script without using the Chinese characters. Outside forces begin to intervene in Tâm’s life in many ways, and the reader is taken on a journey through Vietnamese history, language, and customs as the Village Teacher and those who love him fight for his life and his rights.
This is such a beautiful historical love story. The author is an expert in Vietnamese history and I…
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18 Thursday Feb 2021
Posted in Photography
As I write this, snow is falling steadily outside, with as much as 9 inches (about 23 cm) expected, and another snowstorm is forecasted for this weekend.
Recently, I saw the following Bluebird at the refuge. It came back too early and looked disappointed at the cold and bleakness of winter.
Bluebird.
Nearby, a Great Blue Heron who did not migrate offered some advice.
Great Blue Heron: “Hang in there, kid! Spring will be here before you know it!”
Bleeding Hearts from Spring 2010.
11 Thursday Feb 2021
Posted in Photography
Winter Wonderland at its best!
View Original Post on my Blog Here
A few weeks ago I had the fortune of spending a week or so in Bryce Canyon National Park as a winter storm passed through and transformed the magical landscape into a pure Winter Wonderland. I’d been waiting to spend some time there and hoping to catch a good storm but this year has largely been mild in SW Utah. Finally, a series of storms promised fresh snow and it coincided with my available time. Two separate storms followed by blue skies passed through during my time there and I had a chance to hike during and after these storms among the hoodoos. The days blurred together as each day was a little better than the last.
Bryce Canyon in the Winter is really a magical place, particularly after a storm. The landscape itself is overwhelming and strange when it’s clear of snow…
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02 Tuesday Feb 2021
Posted in Photography
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Snow started falling Sunday afternoon, then all day Monday, and this morning, Tuesday. Our area received 13 inches (33 cm) in all, not a record but still a lot. I went out to take the following photos as everything looked so beautiful covered in white.
Our snow covered deck.
This hibiscus bush looked so colorful just five months ago.
The woods in the back of our property.
Branch from a white pine tree.
Conifers heavy with snow.
neihtn 