In lieu of a walk report, I've been planning to pull up a chair in my backyard, sit with my camera, music on my head, and wait for butterflies. I did walk on Saturday, and it was brief, 2km (that's 1.24 miles). Basically, I planned on making the effort to do at least a mile but to keep myself in check and not push things. It was therapy, both physically and mentally.
Thursday evening, I was abruptly woken at 2:10 a.m. with my head in a dizzying waltz as the ceiling and walls became a kaleidoscope. At least the experience was familiar so I didn't panic. Although this has not happened, at least not to any memorable degree, for over 10 years. I was having a BPPV event. Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo (BPPV) is an inner ear problem that causes brief, sudden episodes of vertigo triggered by head movements. It happens when tiny calcium crystals (otoconia) break loose and float into the wrong part of the inner ear. It's much better now, but I’m still a little off and cautious. There are exercises for this. This particular event, is the longest I've ever had to deal with it. It pretty much just sucks, it's like riding a violently aggressive, non-consensual carnival ride.
So... I sat in a chair and took pictures of two monarch butterflies today. I just saw out the window that at least one of them is still fluttering about. The only problem with the chair was having to get up from time to time. One doesn't simply get up; one focuses in front of them and thinks about getting up. The other thing was the butterflies constantly circling overhead. They spent more time doing that than they did landing on plants. For a while, I started to think they may have been mocking me.
Here are some images taken today, May 18th.
Speaking of mocking, this mockingbird was singing constantly during my first round with the butterflies (I went out twice). I finally decided to switch the camera to video mode and record some of it. Of course he stopped just as I raised the camera. Yes. this is a male.
Session number two...
The mockingbird was still up by the power lines but I wasn't playing his game.
The last two shots on bougainvillea. I named her, Lizzy.
Dizzy Miss Lizzy
Gorgeous shots of Lizzy. My method of following the butterfly around, waiting for it to land so I can get a good photo doesn't really work out. I hope the dizziness is mostly gone, that sounds horrible.
ReplyDeleteThanks. It’s much better but it still wants to creep up on me. I think at 60 fps but move at 24.
DeleteMonarchs are so beautiful and you do a fabulous job of capturing that beauty here.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Trey.
DeleteSorry to hear about the vertigo. I hope it's rapidly retreating.
ReplyDeleteThanks sis. I just finished cleaning some weeds and debris from in front of the driveway, under the Eremophila bush, so Juni could have a theater for bird watching from her room (yep, she has the master bedroom). Water is down and I’m about to add birdseed. Between my wrist and my inner ear I did okay.
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