SEP 10, 23 .. THANK YOU EVA .. TODAY'S GUEST CONTRIBUTOR

Eva is a neighbor and a friend who lives in our building. Eva has been an active Guest Contributor on dotnet, our other website. 

Last month Eva, and a friend, rented a cottage for a few weeks in the small town of Qualicum Beach on Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada.

Eva graciously allowed us to post some of the photos she and her friend took during their stay.

If you are like Patti and me, you don't know much about Qualicum Beach.

Guess where "we turn" for more information? Wikipedia and the Internet!

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Qualicum_Beach

https://www.google.com/search?gs_ssp=eJzj4tTP1TcwTq8wTTNg9OIrLE3MyUwuzVVISk1MzgAAcU8IuQ&q=qualicum+beach&rlz=1C1EKKP_enUS712US712&oq=Qualicum&aqs=chrome.1.0i355i433i512j46i433i512j69i57j46i175i199i512i664i665j46i175i199i512j46i512j0i512j69i60.13621j0j7&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8

Here we go, off to visit Qualicum Beach, BC.

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Hello Eva! Thank You for being our guest contributor.

Eva with her friend.

Eva called it their "cottage"! 

Man O Manischewitz Eva! What a "cottage"!

Man O Manischewitz! What scenery Eva!

Some wildlife on the island. Hello Bambi!

We will close with some photos of sunsets.

What a wonderful treat Eva. Thank You so very much.

Cap and Patti and all of our followers.

SEP 3, 23 .. THANK YOU .. TIM Mc BRIDE .. TODAY'S GUEST CONTRIBUTOR

Our friend and Ally, Tim McBride, visited us here in Anchorage last August the 1st. I published a Post about our visit on dotnet. You have probably read it BUT, just in case you want to check it out again, click onto the below link. 

https://babakaps.net/?p=54267

Tim and myself. Patti took the photos.

Tim sent me the below, five very nice wildlife photos, that he took on his way home from Alaska to Michigan.

Mother with her calf. Please don't ask me what her species is! Just look at her and her calf's eyes.

Thanks so very much Tim!

Short but hopefully sweet.

Cap and Patti

SEP 2, 23 (2/2) .. TREES ARE LIVING ENTITIES .. CREATED BY THE CREATOR OF THE UNIVERSE

 

This is Part 2 of a 2 Part series of Posts showing the effect some recent strong winds here in Anchorage had upon two neighborhood trees.

Part 1 follows this Post. If you have not seen Part 1, you may review it by clicking onto the below link, or by simply continuing to scroll down at the end of this Post.

https://bobbacaps.blogspot.com/2023/09/sep-2-23-trees-are-living-entities.html

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The Birch Tree immediately outside of our Condominium was not the only one affected by our recent strong winds here in Anchorage.

The below photos show a larger Evergreen Tree that was also blown down in our immediate neighborhood.

Wow huh? This was a much larger and healthier tree than our Birch Tree!

This Evergreen snapped cleanly and well above the ground! Our Birch Tree failed, in part, because it had rotted at its base.

A much larger mess than our tree created!

In the below photo, notice a white sign on the tall stump.

I have absolutely no idea of what the meaning of the sign is!

We will return to the sign two photos below.

Looking back the other way.

Voila! All cleaned up!

The landscape crew did not adhere to the wishes of whoever placed the above sign on the tall stump!

There you have it. The tale of two neighborhood trees that were recently blown down by some high winds here in Anchorage.

Cap and Patti

SEP 2, 23 (1/2) .. TREES ARE LIVING ENTITIES .. CREATED BY THE CREATOR OF THE UNIVERSE

 Very Good Captain? Now where do we go?

What is an entity? An entity is a thing with distinct and independent existence. That sure fits!

If trees truly are living entities, do they communicate with one another? Do they have friends? 

Enough of walking down that "path" that has absolutely no answers!

Here we go!

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As Patti and I sit in our front room, we look out at the below scene, one you all have seen for many years now.

I know! O.K. go pick yourselves up! Yes indeed, we had a sunny day!

The other morning, when I looked out, I could not believe what I saw! Look at the left edge of the below photo.

During the night, a Birch Tree, one of our "Tree Friends", without a sound, passed away as a result of some very strong winds that have been visiting us the past few days!

The below photos are close up views of where the poor tree broke off. They show the right end of the tree in the above photo.

You can certainly see that the poor tree "rotted" away at its base! Several years ago, a stolen car on the run, drove into the tree and Patti feels that this caused its eventual demise!

Looking back at the top of the tree.

We never heard one sound of a work crew with chain saws removing the tree! I wanted to do a photo shoot of that and totally missed the event.

Patti and I feel like we "lost a friend"!

Goodbye to our friend tree that has been here since Patti moved in 33+ years ago!

Cap and Patti

AUG 27, 23 (4/4) .. THE CRY OF THE WILD GOOSE

 Quandry : A state of perplexity or uncertainty over what to do.

Here's the deal. I find myself on the path of the Canada Geese. On August the 23rd I published, what I was certain to be a one time Post, about seeing Canada Geese here in Anchorage on the lawns of The Loussac Library.

Then the "calling" to publish a second Post on August the 25th resulted in my doing so. Thus I had created a two part series of Posts about the Canada Geese.

Then yesterday, on August the 26th, our Guest Contributor Michael added Part 3 to the mini-saga.

My Quandry : Oh My, Oh My! I either continue down this path and be finished with it or know that I will be sorry if I do not finish it.

So here I go with Part 4 of what I really believe will be the final part of this particular Cry Of The Wild Goose series of Posts.

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Do you all remember Frankie Laine? If you do, then I am relatively certain that you remember his song, released in early 1950, The Cry Of The Wild Goose. 

Because of Parts 1 through 3 and Canada Geese, Frankie Laine's great hit song has been ruminating in my mind.

THE CRY OF THE WILD GOOSE

My heart knows what the wild goose knows,

I must go where the wild goose goes.

Wild goose, brother goose, which is best?

A wanderin' foot or a heart at rest?

Tonight I heard the wild goose cry,

Wingin' north in the lonely sky.

Tried to sleep, it weren't no use,

'Cause I am a brother to the old wild goose!

Woman was kind and true to me.

She thinks she loves me, the more fool she.

She's got a love that ain't no use,

To love a brother of the old wild goose.

The cabin is warm and the snow is deep,

I got a woman who lies asleep.

She'll wake at tomorrow's dawn,

She'll find, poor critter, that her man is gone.

(Oh, you wild goose.)

My heart knows what the wild goose knows,

I must go where the wild goose goes.

Wild goose, brother goose, which is best?

A wanderin' foot or a heart at rest?

Let me fly, let me fly, let me fly away.

Spring is comin' and the ice will break,

I can't linger for a woman's sake.

She'll see a shadow pass overhead.

She'll find my feathers beside my bed.

Wild goose, brother goose, which is best?

A wanderin' foot or a heart at rest?

Written by : Terry Gilkyson

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We have now arrived at the reason for this Part 4 of 4. 

I have been visiting the Jack Miner Bird Sanctuary located in Kingsville, Ontario, Canada, since the 1940's. If, when discussing Canada Geese, I don't at least mention Jack Miner's name, I am doing a disservice to you my followers.

On November 1, 2014, on dotnet, I published a Post about Jack Miner's. So if you are interested, and choose to do so, by clicking onto the below link, you will see what Jack Miner's Bird Sanctuary is about. 

https://babakaps.net/?p=9079

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And That Is That for Canada Geese Says Baba Kaps!

Big Smiles .. Cap and Patti 

AUG 26, 23 (3/4) .. A TRUE STORY ABOUT AN ENTIRE FLOCK OF CANADA GEESE

Isn't life itself and the Universe interesting? 

I recently published AUG 23rd one single Post about Canada Geese at our Loussac Library here in Anchorage. Then that first Post grew to a two part Post on AUG 25th. And now, AUG 26th, Part 3? One of our best friends and associates shared with us his below true story about the fate of an entire flock of Canada Geese, an event that happened here in Anchorage.

The floor is yours Michael, our Guest Contributor!

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What a joy to see your two recent Posts about Canada Geese, perhaps the last until they head south to warmer nesting grounds. A short term parking lot enroute South? A short layover? I’m glad you and Patti got to take in their majesty and amazing perseverance of survival. Their millennial migrations from the South, and Northward to the Artic climes! I always felt emotionally saddened and a bit depressed when the Geese would fly in endless formations heading southwards, their voices honking and communicating with all who could hear. It signified not only their departure, but more importantly, winter was not far away! Even after residing in Alaska for 21yrs, I am a California native (Angeleno), I never got comfortable with the long cold winters and snow. Yet I became employed between two corporations and for 16yrs (5yrs w/GCI in Anchorage) I commuted through all seasons!

Here is my Canada Geese tale. Their goose was about to be cooked. However, as they were flying overhead they had no clue about what was about to happen to them all!

One windy, blustery autumn day, I clocked out at my office and began my 40 mile commute home. As I left Anchorage, I traveled up Tudor Rd. I’ll guarantee you, the winds were howling! As I approached the intersection of Boniface Parkway and Tudor Road, I stopped at a red light. I was mesmerized by Geese that were attempting to stay aloft overhead in wind gusts perhaps 30-35-40mph. They were close to the ground on Tudor Road, gaining and losing height, as they attempted to remain airborne.

If you can visualize this : the 12-24 Geese were hovering overhead but the winds were threatening to blow them into the high-tension-power lines that stand maybe 100ft. tall! I thought "Oh, no! If they hit those lines they’re gonna get fried!" And as I watched them avoid the power lines, suddenly, from above, a hellacious downdraft hit them and smashed all of them into the grassy parkway and parking lot in front of the Alaska State Troopers Office. 

And I watched and I waited. None of them moved! Holy Schmoley! I was dumbstruck and dismayed that we had a disaster happen in front of me. I quickly drove my car to the Troopers parking lot entrance, parked it and at a hurried pace started towards the Troopers front door. 

Then! To my surprise and amazement, along came a chap who grabbed 4-5 of those geese, slung them over his shoulder and happily skipped off into the sunset. I supposed he had immediately recognized ‘DINNER!’ Maybe 3 or 4 free dinners! It was the craziest animal mass death I had ever witnessed. 

Still, I went forth into the Troopers Office and reported the incident that had just happened out in front of their office! Strangely, no one seemed surprised except me. A California native. A flat-lander! Needless to say witnessing this mass carnage brought it home to me the harsh extreme conditions that wild creatures must face, challenge…and on better days, survive. This wasn’t one of those days!

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Wow! Thanks so very much Michael for sharing the above story with us.

Smiles .. Cap and Patti and all of our followers.