Anna's Hummingbird

Hummingbirds are certainly tiny, but I chose this particular shot because it shows it's tiny feet firmly clasping the feeder. Usually these little birds are just a blur as they zoom from place to place, often fending off other tiny birds vying for a place at the feeder. This one has clearly been sticking its beak into some pollen filled plant as well....

A lot of the wildlife in this neighborhood looks like it's suffering from the effects of fire and drought. We try to keep the birds well fed and there are certainly a lot of them gathered around the feeders. We refill three of them every day. The man at the bird store knows us well as we go through at least 20 pounds of bird seed a month. Sunflower seeds make up quite a large portion of the 'Supreme Blend', so we have been rewarded for feeding the birds with sunflowers blooming far and wide...often in the middle of properties which have been cleared of the burned remains of the houses which once stood on them...one cheerful sight in the midst of such devastation.

Despite the drought, we put a tub full of water out for the deer. Although we are trying to conserve water in every way we can, this does not seem like a place to do it. Most of them look like they are having a tough time without everyone's roses to eat. They may, however, have enjoyed some of the sunflowers, many of which were delicately snipped off at the base of the flower leaving the headless stem in the ground....

We continue to hear stories of fully vaccinated people testing positive for Covid. Many of them are asymptomatic and only find out when they are required to get tested to get into or out of another country.  One person went to Mexico on holiday and needed a positive result before re-entering the United States. When she tested positive, she was stuck in a hotel room in Mexico for a week until she had a negative result. Our own Kathy was held up at the Canadian border for two days because the results of her test didn't come through within the 72 hour window. She had to drive to Bellingham airport for another test which was negative before she could enter Canada.

We have been told that because of diminishing effectiveness, we should get a booster eight months after our last shot. Apparently those with threatened immune systems can receive it now, regardless of when they were last vaccinated. Children under twelve still have not received even one shot because the vaccines haven't been approved for them. 

An opportunistic and frequently mutating virus, perpetuated by vaccine refusers,  makes for a moving target and much confusion....