Backyard Birds 2020

 So, the last day of 2020, and I photographed a new-to-me bird in the backyard.  Today's addition is a Northern Flicker:

That makes 20 bird species seen and photographed in my yard over the course of 2020.  I feel like that's a pretty good crop, and I'm particularly pleased with several of the images.

There's 32 images of the 20 bird types in a Facebook Album:

Backyard Birds 2020

And here's the list of birds:

• American Goldfinch
• Blue Jay 
• Brown Headed Cowbird
• Cardinal 
• Carolina Chickadee
• Carolina Wren
• Dark Eyed Junko
• Downy Woodpecker
• Eastern Bluebird
• House Finch
• House sparrow
• Indigo Bunting
• Mourning Dove
• Northern Flicker
• Pileated Woodpecker
• Red Shouldered Hawk
• Red-bellied Woodpecker
• Ruby Throated Hummingbird
• Tufted Titmouse
• White Breatsed Nuthatch

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Now Would Be A Good Time To Laugh More

 I was poking around my image file folders, and foud this one in a subdirectory labeled "blog".  The EXIF data says the photo was taken  mid afternoon on February 28, 2008, with my (since retired) Nikon D70.  

This was taken along main Street in Edwardsville, but I don't remember what was happening in the world to inspire the sign, but suspect it was related to the Global Financial Crisis.  Or maybe the US presidential primaries?  

Anyway, I thought the sentiment was apropos now, as we slog though a global pandemic and slog past a divisive US Presidential election.

This small version is all I can find, my unprocessed (straight from camera) files from back then seem to have disappeared, or are (more likely) languishing on a long retired computer somewhere in the basement.  If this was posted on this blog, I can't find the previous post...

Instant Throwback Pt. 3

 Another in the continuing series of images from my 365project entries over the past 6 years and logged all of the photos that received a designation of "Popular" and/or "Trending".  I'm posting them to Instagram, trying to (pretty much) match the day of the month.   Here's where I've posted batches.   

These were posted to my instagram between December 16 and December 22:

12/16/2019

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12/17/19

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12/05/2020

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12/19/2019

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12/20/2018

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12/20/2020

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12/03/2018

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12/14/2018

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Sang What?

 So, I was listening to the Bee Gees song "Run To Me" this morning.  From 1972, the song reached #16 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart (US), and was top 10 in much of the world.  Really solid song, great harmony, perfect example of the pre-disco Bee Bees. 

Anyway, as I listening, the lyrics caught my attention:

"Run to me whenever you're lonely. 
Run to me if you need a shoulder
Now and then, you need someone older

So darling, run to me"

Wait...  "Now and then, you need someone older"??  What exactly do they mean by that?  Especially considering that the oldest brother  Gibb (Maurice) was only 26 when it came out.  Just how much older is he talking?

But I think I'm overlooking it.  Older is a good rhyme with shoulder after all.  And there's certainly no shortage of songs about young girls, so many that are a LOT more creepy than this line.

So:  nevermind.

Silver Lake

 So, my daughter called on Christmas Eve morning, to ask if I wanted to join in a hike with the kids.  That's an easy "Yes", so we trekked off to Silver Lake in Highland for a wander. Of course, it was in the 20's, with a strong breeze, and about 25-35 degrees colder than the previous day.  So the grandkids lost their enthusiasm quite quickly.

But we managed probably a bit over 1.5 miles (total), not too bad with a could of cold kids.  And it was a great break from Christmas preparations.  Photo location is somewhere around here.

Instant Throwback, Pt. 2

 I posted a few days back about my thing of posting "Popular" and "Trending" photos from 365project over at Instagram.  Details here.  

In my previous post on the topic, I included the first 5 instagram posts.  Here's a few more, with the original posting date (to 365project):

12/04/2020

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12/10/2018

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12/10/2020

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12/12/18

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12/04/17

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12/14/19

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12/15/19

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BetterPhoto.com

 Way back when, I was a pretty active participant in a photo site called BetterPhoto.  We're talking 2003-2009 kind of "way back".  A bit of a long story why I stopped, and doesn't really matter.  In early 2015, I started posting to 365project, and  I'm still pretty active there.

Anyway, I recently saw (through Facebook), that one of the folks I met through BP (BetterPhoto) has been posting there again so I thought I'd check it out.  Turns out they remembered me, and that quite a few of my old photos are still there.  It says I have 886 photos, and I can see 215...  but only display Most aren't displayed (since paid membership expired).  So I decided reactivate my account (as the free version), and poke around for a few days.  Maybe even step up to a paid account.  We'll see.  I expect I'll stay w/ 365project, though, I've enjoyed that site.

Anyway, always looking for new communities, If you have places you prefer, drop a link in the comments!

Here's a couple from the 215 that apparently received "All Time Editor's Pick" designation, sometime after I left... 

December 1970

   Fifty years ago this month, what what happening on the music charts?

During the 4 weeks of December 1970, there were 53 songs that spent time in the Top 40. As usual, lots of great stuff.

Three songs made #1 during the month.  Partridge Family' "I Think I Love You" started the month on top, completing a 3 week run at #1.  "The Tears Of A Clown", by Smokey Robinson & The Miracles was #1 for the next two weeks, and George Harrison's "My Sweet Lord" was #1 in the last week of the year.

Here's the top 10 songs of the month, ranked by average chart position over the 4 weeks of the month:

• The Tears Of A Clown - Smokey Robinson & The Miracles - 1.8
• I Think I Love You - The Partridge Family - 3.3
• One Less Bell To Answer - The 5th Dimension - 4.0
• My Sweet Lord - George Harrison - 5.5
• Gypsy Woman - Brian Hyland - 6.0
• Black Magic Woman - Santana - 8.5
• No Matter What - Badfinger - 9.0
• I'll Be There - Jackson 5 - 9.8
• Does Anybody Really Know What Time It Is? - Chicago - 10.3
• We've Only Just Begun - Carpenters - 10.8

Eighteen (18) songs made their Top 40 debut, here they are (listed by entering position):

• My Sweet Lord - George Harrison - 13
• Lonely Days - Bee Gees - 26
• Domino - Van Morrison - 27
• Your Song - Elton John - 28
• Groove Me - King Floyd - 30
• Pay To The Piper - Chairman Of The Board - 32
• If I Were Your Woman - Gladys Knight And The Pips - 32
• Knock Three Times - Dawn - 33
• River Deep - Mountain High - The Supremes & Four Tops - 35
• Only Love Can Break Your Heart - Neil Young - 35
• It's Impossible - Perry Como - 36
• Immigrant Song - Led Zeppelin - 36
• Border Song (Holy Moses)/You And Me - Aretha Franklin - 37
• One Man Band - Three Dog Night - 39
• Love The One You're With - Stephen Stills - 39
• Stoney End - Barbra Streisand - 40
• Rose Garden - Lynn Anderson - 40
• Do It - Neil Diamond - 40

Instant Throwback

I started a new thing this week, over at my Instagram page.  I did a review of my 365project entries over the past 6 years and logged all of the photos that received a designation of "Popular" and/or "Trending".  I'm posting them to Instagram, trying to (pretty much) match the day of the month.  I'll probably double up posts when there's more images than days of the month.

I'm hoping to do this as an ongoing project, depending on the reception.

Anyway, here's the first 5 posts, linked from the original 365project posts, with the original posting date:

12/7/19

12/13/15

12/6/18

12/3/20

12/8/16