An inquisitive old fart with a camera
General observations, generally during dog walks
By far the biggest DTOTB (Dead Thing On The Beach) we’ve ever seen. Interesting that a week or so ago I paused for some while watching a flock of birds diving for fish 100 meters offshore. From time to time I saw what looked like a fin. From this sea lion? It was about the same location.
I haven’t been back to the beach since (that’s now our alternative, not main, dog walk) to know current status. As it was, I made a point of walking upwind of it. I’m not that curious.
Erosion around tree roots on the beach. There’s also a dog in there.
The beach was quite filthy today, with a mix of organic stuff—shells and some kind of eggs—and the ubiquitous plastic.
For some reason (it not being tourist season), beach cleanup crews had been at work, as evidenced by the bags everywhere waiting for the tractor that will carry them away. So of all of that expanse of beach, where do you suppose my dog decides to take a shit?
You’re right if you said on top of one of those bags, and not only that, exactly where someone will reach to pick it up.
You really have to wonder.
View out the front door a few minutes ago.
A bug our dog found in the firewood near the stove. I was able to get it outside before he initiated an asymmetric play session with it.
First frost of the year. Very pronounced in the neighbor’s front yard, but the camera thought it more interesting to focus on the branches of the closer bush. Oh yeah, and something about having left it in macro mode the last time I took a picture.
Yesterday these still trees were pretty in the afternoon light with a cloudless sky. The last time I walked here it was cloudy, with strong and gusty winds…I felt a little uncomfortable, for some reason.
Mushrooms spotted on the dog walk today.
Until we moved to Uruguay, I thought all trees sort of got along. Then I noticed the small pear tree in the front yard had branches growing toward the neighbor’s bushes, then reversing course and curving in the opposite direction (photo except I gave up on it and removed it recently).
Likewise the lemon tree in the backyard apparently doesn’t like the pine (look closely). And the entire anacahuita to its left is leaning away from the lemon tree.
So I decided to remove the pine branch infringing on the lemon tree’s space, but spotted a nest. It’s the middle of winter, so no chance there would be birds in it, but got out the taller ladder to be sure.
This is the nest.
Lots of wind recently, and this morning I noticed another nest in the grass.
The pine tree provides shade, which is good, but I had thought about cutting several meters off the top. Didn’t do it mostly because it wold be very messy, given pine sap. However, this past year I have become aware of how birds just love its dense foliage. I won’t be removing more than necessary.