John @johnbishop - it must have been painful to see the squirrel's tumor and not be able to do anything about it - except give it extra seeds. I see you have a kind heart.

My wife grew up on a farm out of Chowchilla, and we lived in Merced for a number of years before moving to Oregon. My parents retired in Fresno, to be close to one of my sisters, who lived there.

My wife is the bird expert in our home. She knows what they are, while I just enjoy watching them. I think we have a white barn owl in one of the elms in the backyard. We have lots of red tailed hawks and bald eagles helping me keep the ground squirrel population down on our ten acres.

When we moved here 12 years ago, the landscaping around the house had pretty much been ignored and allowed to die, so I basically had a blank slate. I've enjoyed putting in a combination vegetable/perennial garden, an orchard, and plantings all around the acre or so of yard. It's my spring/summer/fall mental health therapy. Until the pain of pn took hold, I spent 6+ hours a day outside. For now, I have to make do with 3 hours of puttering.

I enjoyed hiking, as well, John. Yosemite, the east side of the Sierra Nevada, local bike and walking trails, and in Oregon, the Cascades, including the John Muir trail. My favorite backpack trip was to the top of Mt. Whitney. What a view!

Enough about my travels.

Jim

Thank you for sharing your beautiful photos of the squirrel and pileated woodpecker. It is touching and so kind of you to give that lovely squirrel extra seeds.

Jim@jmhd-I just wanted to say hi to a San Joaquin native. I haven't heard the word "Chowchilla" in years. Although born in Montana, I grew up in Merced throughout my school years and graduated from Fresno State University. Yosemite really defines me.....my love of hiking, the outdoors and the glacial landscape. I was there at least once a month or so for so many years. I have a photo of me standing next to our car feeding a deer on the valley floor. There is not another car in sight. Those were the days. My "little Yosemite" is Idyllwild in the San Jacinto Mountains where I live now. Tahquitz Rock isn't quite Half Dome but it is stalwart and spectacular. I am also fortunate to have a home on the Mississippi River in MN...complete with 7 acres and lots to do. I too have had to reduce my efforts outdoors because of Small Fiber Neuropathy and Chronic Myofascial Pain Syndrome...some of which came from falling down a mountain or two. Thank goodness I can still enjoy the river views from the deck and get to see the Pileateds and other seasonal birds...cedar waxwings, finches, orioles, and of course eagles, red shouldered hawks, barred owls and lots of friendly deer. My Myofascial Pain Release Therapist tells me to walk on the earth once a day.....to be connected in mind, body and spirit to nature. That ritual, along with meditation, yoga and mindfulness has protected and ensured my enjoyment of all things natural.

@artscaping - Chris, we miss being close to Yosemite. We have a ton of beautiful photos taken by my father-in-law, brother-in-law, and the many I took. But there are beautiful places all around Oregon to enjoy. I watch the sun set over the Cascades from my recliner, enjoy watching the horses and cows either on our place or the neighbors'. At night we get coyote concerts - really too close for comfort. And there are all kinds of birds. And, unfortunately, deer. Years ago, I thought Bambi when I saw one. Now I see garden marauders. The badgers moved in this summer, which is good in that they feed on the invasive ground squirrels, but they make huge holes. Maybe the coyotes will thin out the badgers.

Nature is wonderful, but it can be messy, too.

Jim

hello jmhd. just to bring in a little bit of humor. i watched the "jackie gleason" show for many years when he refers to "the yellow bellied sapsucker" as a bit of humor in his show. just decided to see if there really is such bird. does it exist? i looked it up and YES there is such a bird and i think i saw one at my bird feeder. another small miracle of life. .

Beautiful! Thank you for sharing.