Dragonfly Ranch

Arlin and I returned on Saturday July 9 from a chamber music workshop at Cal Poly Humboldt in Arcata on the far north coast of California. Arlin worked half days from our dorm room while I was rehearsing.

One of the pieces I played was the piano quintet by Elfrida Andrée, a 19th-century Swedish woman composer born in Visby. When I introduced the piece I mentioned that even though she left Gotland early in her life, she more than likely rode on our (Betsy’s and my) great-grandfather’s Gotland ferry when she came back to visit.

We returned from a week in Humboldt County to find the Washburn fire in Yosemite National Park awaiting us. The fire is at the south entrance to the park, about 30 road miles northeast of Dragonfly Ranch. I took this photo at 5:00 pm Saturday, July 9, when we were about ten miles from home and about 30 miles in a direct line from the fire. We’re not immediately threatened by the fire, but of course we’ll be monitoring it closely.

This was yesterday’s exciting event. We rescued a baby bird that had fallen out of its nest in the tractor shed.

The top shelf in the tractor shed holds a disused bagger that was supposed to collect grass clippings when attached to the mower. It didn’t work very well, so Arlin gave it an early retirement several years ago. The setting looks precarious, but apparently it’s sturdy enough that birds have nested there twice this year so far.

Yesterday Gus discovered this baby bird hidden behind some boards at the back of the shed. Arlin held Gus at bay while I put the bird back in the tube that holds the nest. I didn’t dare shove it in very far, so I hope it made its own way to safety.

I knew we had eagles in this part of the world, and yesterday I finally saw one, only about half a mile from the house. I was out jogging when I heard a screech that was louder and harsher than the cries of the Red-Shouldered Hawks that we’re used to hearing. I stopped to look, and I saw a huge bird in the top of an oak tree about a hundred yards away. When it flew away, I could see the same prominent white wing and tail markings you see in the photo, so I’m pretty confident in my identification.

The photo, of course, is not mine. I had only my cell phone, and it was stowed away.

https://macaulaylibrary.org/asset/263214871

A 12×12-foot shade sail fits nicely on the supports that hold up the hawk netting. The next step, I suppose, is to move the small chicken house under the shade. Or move the shade. Look carefully and you’ll see Bandit, the black hen, next to the ramp that leads into the chicken house.

I wanted to name this rooster the Cardinal because his black, gray, and red colors reminded me of Cardinal Richelieu, the Gray Eminence. That was a little too esoteric, apparently, so we settled on calling him the Bishop.



We spent the morning in Wawona, just inside Yosemite National Park’s south entrance. A 19th- century entrepreneur from New Hampshire named Galen Clark built the roadway of this bridge in 1868. After a few years he sold out to the Washburn brothers of Vermont, who roofed the bridge and built the Wawona Hotel, which is still there.

More history at http://berkeleyheritage.com/essays/wawona.html

https://www.shinzenjapanesegarden.org/

To my shame, I didn’t even know that Fresno had a Japanese garden until a few weeks ago.