I thought I’d start off the blog with a colorful picture. This above is the display of Fiesta dinnerware at our local Fred Meyer store. I just adore the lovely colors that Fiesta continues to put out. Linda and I have been collecting Fiesta ever since we lived in Lumberton. We even have some old pieces of it up in a closet. I am hoping that Santa Claus brings me some of the new color, Butterscotch (top plate in the stack on the lower left). It is absolutely stunning!
The blog is a day late this week (again) because I spent the majority of my time yesterday on the phone with Apple Support. I am still trying to get my iMovie program to open up. After talking at length to three different people between 9:30am and 4:00pm yesterday, I still cannot get it open. But apparently I am not the only one, as it seems this is a problem that has been reported by multiple customers. Everyone I talked to seemed to think that my massive amount of video in the program (over 400 gigabytes, yikes!) is part of the problem, but I don’t think it’s just that. All of my problems happened after an update, so I think something in that update is causing the problem. I just hope we can eventually get it resolved so I can access all of my previous videos and download new ones. If I ever get back into my media files, I am going to do my best to clean them up and get rid of anything that I absolutely don’t want to keep. So, everyone keep your fingers crossed that a resolution will be forthcoming.
Even though I don’t have any videos to bore you with this week, I can still download pictures. I do have a few of those to share this week, although we have had some dreary weather, which doesn’t make for very interesting photos. I did manage to get one very good picture of the male Anna’s Hummingbird that has been coming to my feeder. He is so cute with his colorful gorget!
The other two hummers, which I believe are females, are still coming as well. I wonder if they are sisters, because sometimes they calmly sit on branches of the lilac bush, close to each other. And then other times they are off chasing each other all over the front yard. Sounds just like sibling rivalry to me.
We saw the little Ruby-Crowned Kinglet this past week, hopping along the golden currant bushes outside our living room window. I even caught a quick glimpse of his red topknot, which is always a treat because he rarely shows it. Of course, there are no pictures because the little rascal is just too fast for me. We also spied a little wren of some kind out there, but once again, I couldn’t get a picture. Those tiny birds sure are quick on their feet (and wings). The Scrub Jays are putting in appearances on a regular basis now. As soon as they show up anywhere close to the feeder, all the other birds scatter. Probably because they are about three times as big as all the other birds…and they tend to be bullies, too.
I learned a new technique this past week for editing pictures. It’s probably not something I will ever use, but I thought it was interesting. I found out how to outline any part of a picture, turn the background transparent, and then paste the cutout with the transparent background on top of a different picture. To test this out I took the Jay in the lower part of the picture above, cut him out and then moved him over to an out-of-focus picture that I had taken of the tree across the street.
It is OBVIOUSLY a cut-and-paste job, but a funny thing was it instantly reminded me of the Captain Kangaroo Show from back in the late 1950’s and early 1960’s. They used to do something very similar with actual cardboard cutouts that they would then somehow move around in front of pictures (using wires, maybe?). It was all very low-tech, but totally believable to a young kid.
PARTING SHOT
Summer Girl has finally started getting back on the big bed on a regular basis. She refused to get on it all summer long, mainly because I had the ceiling fan running and I think it scared her.
Join me every Wednesday (barring any unforeseen circumstances) for more from the Southerner in the Northwest.
Southerner in the Northwest 
The Fiestaware is so festive and the hummingbird photos are gorgeous!
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Thank you so much, Susanne!
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Great photos! I never tire of watching hummingbirds.
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Me, too!
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You jiggled my mind completely with Capt Kangaroo. It was one of my favorites as a little! And yes, your photo does bring back a memory or two. There are hummers still around here, the feeder is empty and keep hoping they’ll move on. We’ve had temps in the 20s and that isn’t healthy for the little fliers! Granted, it pops back up to the 50’s during the day, but it is definitely cooling off out there. Juncos are everywhere, too and the gold finches are gone. Signs of autumn!
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Our local Audubon Society members have commented that we have the Anna”s hummers in our area throughout the winter, so to put out heated feeders for them.
Glad you got the Capt. Kangaroo reference!
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