Today's walk report: 011523

 “We are making photographs to understand what our lives mean to us.”
— Ralph Hattersley

I went off on a mental tangent here after resizing and saving images. Docken and I spoke during the walk and I made some comments about a certain level of redundancy in the pictures I was taking in relation to the walk before or the walk before that and so on. Sure, the subjects might be the same as those from past excursions but the pictures are always different, every moment is new. You know, every picture tells a story. Also, some of the characters you see on my walks or at home, they are my friends. I like taking pictures of my friends. I enjoy seeing my friends.

In getting out the door my back was my greatest motivation. I, like many Californians, have been stuck inside due to an abundance of recent rainfall. Lazing around the house and only engaging in rote household chores generally takes it's toll on my back. Walking is my best cure for back issues. Today walking was again remarkable therapy. 

It was good having Docken for company on the phone. I drove to the local college campus but put over 1.5 hours into walking and picture taking. Onto the walk. 

Mushrooms love rain.

I was pretty far away and was sure this was the male Calypte anna hummingbird known as "Dusty."

 

 

 
And it was...

I'm enjoying his new expanded territory.

Yes, he's peeing.

Looks a little pissed off too.

I believe this is Banksia ashbyi.

Fresh growth on the Eucalyptus lunata 'Moon Lagoon'.

Time to get some walking in and then a drive up the hill. On the grass we have Canada geese and in the trees are European Starling (Sturnus vulgaris) which were brought here by Shakespeare fans, Seriously, all 200 million (give or take) of these birds now living in the United States are descended from 100 birds set loose in New York's Central Park in the early 1890s as some sort of tribute to Shakespeare. Why? Short answer, people are idiots.

This panorama is similar to a couple of  the sunset shots taken on January 10th. More land, less sky. 

From on top of the hill I noticed a couple of cows visible near a road down in the flat lands below so I decided to drive down and visit them. I like cows. 

And more mushrooms. I'm working hard on mushroom IDs. I'm gonna guess that these are Tubaria furfuracea, commonly known as the scurfy twiglet or perhaps Tubaria hiemalis (Winter Twiglet).

Some other fungus among us.

There's no place that can be better
When you're up in clouds forever
Pacify your mind with islands
Colored snow and green field skies and
Poisoned dreams
Distorted dreams
Mushroom dreams