Paris again

I've been working slowly through the Paris photos and enjoying the good memories of our trip there. Here's a few that I like from a variety of places.

Sunday morning walker outside our apartment window.

The Eiffel tower seen through plexiglass with 'peace' in many languages on it.

Fascinating to watch the kids play together.

Fresh flowers at a liberation placard.

A Socialist party office - as seen from bus 69 in the Marais District.

Humming with the Hummers!

We have a family member that hums when she eats - Kendall!  Some of us call her the Hummer!

But unfortunately I'm not posting about her, but about the remaining hummingbirds dining at our deck. The rufous have gone and the remaining birds are getting chubby off the feeder, perhaps stocking up for a long flight. The Cornell University website on birds recommends to keep the feeders out for those stragglers headed south. The birds are apparently following signals related to the amount of light in a day and keeping the feeder full will not delay them but rather help them, according to Cornell.

Here's one of our friends from yesterday..

Muted

Today was filled with 'muted' light - nothing too bright or sharp and very few shadows. The colors appear more saturated to my eye and so they come out that way in my finished photos.
Murphy and I went up to Murphy's pond at Summit park; he didn't go swimming there but did get around quite a bit.  Then off on a drive down Jeremy Ranch road, just meandering along looking for wildlife and beauty.
We came back over East Canyon and had a nice view of the valley from the top.  Every time I go this way I come home feeling very expansive!!

Back at the Refuge

I had these photos to post yesterday but the butterfly got me so excited that I had to post it's photos first!

Murph and I wandered around the refuge a bit in the morning, mostly by ourselves. If you are focussed on wildlife only you will be disappointed quite a bit of the time.  But when you look for beauty it is everywhere.  Here are a few examples.

Buddleia and Danaus plexippus

What those weird words in the title??!!?

Buddleia is the name for Butterfly Bush.  Danaus plexippus is Latin for the Monarch butterfly. And together they made my day this afternoon.
It is not often that the butterfly stops and lets the photographer take all the photos he/she wants - but this one did. I kept moving closer to it, and got about 4 feet away before it flew - but it came back after a few minutes.
Anyway - enjoy the riot of color and design!!

Golf day

I am not a golfer - realized a while back that my money was better spent on other things. But I volunteered for the Zions golf tournament the last couple of years to take team photos and today was the tourney! Warm and warmer weather with increasing winds got me a nice red face!
The Canadien Geese were out in force, at once a pain in the butt and then very beautiful and cute.  Here's a few early morning shots as the sun rose and then the birds played along with the golfers.

Refuge Morning

Murphy and I visited the Farmington Bay Wildlife refuge this morning just as the sun was lighting the marsh. The grasses are changing color, putting on their winter clothes; the birds are losing color - Avocets - and eating heartily for their trip south.

The full  moon set over Antelope Island just as we got to Goose Egg Island.

The American Avocets and the Barn Swallows were both out in force today, along with a number of unidentified flying ducks! And the Great Blue Heron was warming himself in the morning sun - I've not see this before.  Makes me want to reach out with a long finger and tickle his tummy!!

Fall is here and the water is low and lower, big carp are swimming in the shallow water and showing their dorsal fin as if they are trying to scare things. It was a beautiful morning and Murphy was feeling good enough to take a nice walk on the dikes!  So good to be getting back to normal with him.

Sandhill cranes wander in the morning sun.

Steam rises from a warm water place.

Moon setting over Antelope Island.

Synchronized eating!!

Avocet emerging from the grasses.

Matching colors - sky and earth

Fall like weather is settling in with an occasional hot day in between. 49 degrees this morning and I had my fleece pants and long-sleeved shirt on for morning coffee on the deck. Very nice!
With all the variability in weather this summer, I wonder what fall and winter will bring. Whatever it is, it will be beautiful.

Here's sky and earth matching colors - the rose from our back yard and the clouds seen over SL valley from the deck of our friends, Peter and Judy Atherton. We also were visited by a mule deer in their backyard while sitting out on the deck - Murphy was a little interested but not too much.  He and Peter scared it away.

Home again Home again Jiggity Jig

Thanks to Anne Dugan for the post title today - an old nursery rhyme, I believe it's about the three little pigs that went to market and you say it as you play with the little toes of the baby!

Jet lag, goofiness, relaxation, tiredness, and energy all are part of the transition back home.  12 hours on the planes was a long time, flights were good and no real problems encountered on the trip home.
The kids were glad to see us, Murphy is doing very well with his legs and we have taken several walks together already. Fuzzy is hanging close to Murphy and us except for his afternoon naps when he disappears into the garden on the hill below the deck and sleeps. Leo is, well, Leo!

 The evening before we left, Josette, our landlady, came over for final instructions.  She was a dear and friendly person, very helpful and exquisitely French.

Last, but not least, a wonderful water lily graced the pond all day today. Then this evening the moon rose and the clouds were fantastic.  Back to life in Utah but always holding great memories of our trip.

Paris Day 10

Our last full day in Paris was spent revisiting d'Orsay to get Diana a birthday gift, attending Mass at St. Suplice to hear the wonderful organ, walking by the Seine, a quick tour of Val du Grace and relaxing with a final meal at La Rotonde. It began as a sunny day but was raining lightly as we made our way home about 11pm.

Here are some of the scenes from the day:

Flowers and sunshine as we walk to the RER station.

Our constant reference board when at an RER station.

Sunday driving in the old beauty happens in Paris also.

Saint Suplice is a beautiful and serene place. Incense during Mass created the light smoke trails.

A final view of the delightful  river Seine and surrounds.

We had a good time watching these two cats play in the plants and with each other - on the 4th floor across from us. They would sit and stare at the human traffic below - I kept thinking that they were deciding which person to jump on!!

Val du Grace started as a convent, became a military hospital and now is a church and museum plus whatever military stuff goes on.

Medical history is very intriguing - mixing bowls, potions, doctors cases, microscopes, etc..

I've wanted to photograph a staircase like this for a long time - finally found one.

The church at Val du Grace has several beautiful frescoes and intricately designed altar pillars.

Lisa and Sean are off to an early flight this morning, ours is a bit later but we do get into SLC about 9pm today.