Standing Into Danger: June 2022

Friday, June 17, 2022

Rain's Thursday Art Date: A Vegas Separation and More ~ June 17, 2022

Vegas, Baby!

That's where Terry and I are today.

This week I am participating in my friend Rain's Thursday Art Date.

The theme is Colourful June: Red for June 16, 2022,

and I actually had my post ready before I hopped on Southwest Airlines.

I ❤️ Southwest Airlines

Las Vegas, Nevada, USA

March 26, 2019

Under serious time pressure, I rapidly scrolled through my out-of-control photo collection,

and every time I spotted a flash of red, I stopped and pulled the photo unto my desktop.

I stopped racing when I realized I had more photos than belonged in any post.

So now I'm picking my favorites from those randomly chosen photos.

I'm sure I missed a few in my spinning that were awesome, but it is what it is.

So here we go! Red, Baby!

Vegas Vickie Under the Canopy

Fremont Street

Las Vegas, Nevada, USA

February 24, 2015

Vegas Vickie arrived to reign over the Girls of Glitter Gulch strip club in 1980.

With twenty-five feet of vibrant neon,

Vickie quickly became a popular and famous cowgirl.

In 2017 a number of Fremont Street icons were demolished to make way for Circa,

the first casino built from the ground up in Las Vegas in over forty years.

The demolitions included the Girls of Glitter Gulch,

Mermaids Casino, and the Las Vegas Club.

Circa Sign

Circa Resort & Casino

LasVegas, Nevada, USA

February 24, 2015

I have no personal experience of the GGG myself (nor does Terry, just clarifying),

but I've read that its seductive atmosphere and gorgeous girls

are fondly remembered by former patrons.

Vegas Vickie returned for the opening of Circa on October 28, 2020.

She's alive and kicking in Circa's hotel lobby.

after being carefully restored with smoothed over dents,

a fresh coat of paint, adjusted lights for indoors,

and a new leg motor to power her signature kick.

Vegas Vickie in Her New Digs

Circa Resort & Casino

Las Vegas, Nevada, USA

March 30, 2021

She was "married" to Vegas Vic in 1994 to celebrate the opening of

the Fremont Street Experience, a pedestrian-only zone under a lighted canopy.

Sadly, they are now separated, as Vegas Vic remains outside under the canopy.

It's hard to maintain a marriage if you're geographically separated for a long time.

It's looking dicey for this Vegas couple.

Vegas Vic Under the Canopy

Fremont Street

Las Vegas, Nevada, USA

October 10, 2019

Here are my favorite Red Photos from my spinning randomly through my photos:

A Red Shack in Peggy's Cove

Nova Scotia, Canada

July 27, 2014

Hula Dancers in a Parade

Honolulu, Hawaii, USA

March 8, 2015

London Buses

London, England, United Kingdom

May 29, 2014

The Stars and Stripes, The Washington Monument, and Terry

Washington, D.C., USA

September 3, 2015

My Sister Donnie and My Brother Roy Relaxing

in the Glow of a Bonfire and Sunset

Smith's Cove, Nova Scotia, Canada

August 16, 2015

Afternoon Snack

Lunenburg, Nova Scotia, Canada

July 27, 2014

Hibiscus

Honolulu, Hawaii, USA

April 21, 2015

Point Prim Lighthouse

Digby, Nova Scotia, Canada

August 3, 2015

My Sweet Little Sister Donnie

Smith's Cove, Nova Scotia, Canada

1960-61

Stained Glass Window in Cathédrale Notre-Dame de Paris

Paris, France

May 26, 2014

A Sculpture of a Balled-up Volkswagen Beetle

Resorts World Las Vegas

LasVegas, Nevada, USA

August 12, 2021

Totem Pole

Somewhere in Alaska, USA

June 30, 2015

Window Display on Waikiki

Honolulu, Hawaii, USA

February 4, 2022

The Butchart Gardens

Brentwood Bay, British Columbia, Canada

July 12, 2012

A Feast of Lobsters for the MacBeath Clan

Smith's Cove Nova Scotia, Canada

August 7, 2019

London Icons

London, England, United Kingdom

May 29, 2014

Poppies In Remembrance ~ On Behalf of Britain's Armed Forces

London, England, United Kingdom

June 1, 2014

Skálholt 1550

by Friðrik Briddle

Oil: 150 X 200 cm.

The Beheadings of the Last Roman Catholic Bishop of Iceland and His Two Sons

Harpa Concert Hall and Conference Centre

Reykjavík, Iceland

June 1, 2014

And just to remind myself never to take myself too seriously,

here I am in all my fashion-challenged glory timidly feeding an elephant in Thailand:

Me, Feeding an Elephant

After a Long Jungle Ride to Sairung Falls!

Sairung Elephant Camp

Outside of Khao Lak, Thailand

December 14, 2008

Our Glow in the Dark Honeymoon Photo

Hoh Rain Forest, Olympic Peninsula

Washington State, USA

September 4, 1984

And thanks to Kathy at hummingbirdwoodlandstudio.blogspot.com

who reminded me that I do have some art to share.

In her post Kathy shared a photo of the Raggedy Ann and Andy dolls

her grandmother made for her about sixty years ago.

I made them too as a project for Home Economics in 1965-1966,

possibly from the same pattern.

I didn't have the traditionally-colored fabrics for the dolls.

I was living in rural Nova Scotia, and I could only use

what was available in our small general store.

Their faces look mottled, because the only stuffing to be had was black and white.

I sewed these with my Grandmother MacDonald's foot-treadle powered,

chain-stitching Singer sewing machine from the late 1800s.

I was so upset when I realized I'd sewed Ann's nose on crookedly.

I was too tired and pulling an all-nighter to finish the project.

I think my all-nighter nights are finally behind me!

Raggedy Andy and Ann Dolls

Aurora, Colorado, USA

June 10, 2022

On Monday morning Terry came in from the deck and said,

"Honey, there's a bird nest."

"WHAT? Where?"

"On the far side of the far speaker."

"Damn!" I said as ran out and looked up at a tiny nest

squeezed in between a scrub brush and a plastic container.

Sometimes all you can do is laugh!

Since we're using opposite ends of the deck, I'm sure we'll get through this ~ lol!

You Win Some, You Lose Some ~ LOL!

Aurora, Colorado, USA

June 12, 2022

On Tuesday morning I tippy-toed over to the nest,

and there she was sitting on her eggs!

"Yo, Mama Finch! Good luck!

You stay at your end of our duplex deck, and I'll stay at mine!"

I told the story of my Bird Wars here last week.

Next week's theme is Colourful June: Purple for June 23, 2022.

Stay colorful and creative!

Till next time ~
Fundy Blue

My next post will be on

Friday, June 30, 2022, as I'm traveling.

On the Bay of Fundy
© M. Louise (MacBeath) Barbour/Fundy Blue
All Rights Reserved

Friday, June 10, 2022

Rain's Thursday Art Date: Location, Location, Location~ June 10, 2022

Last Friday I was sitting at the kitchen counter working on my computer,
when suddenly I heard an unusual bird cry I'd never heard before.

I swiveled around on my chair and looked out on our deck.

A swallow was perched in a cranny above our outdoor table,

and I didn't need a translator to know what that cry meant!

"Honey, come quick! I've found the perfect location for our new nest!"

Barn Swallow (Hirundo rustica rustica)

by Charles J. Sharp

Wikimedia Commons ~ License

"Oh, no you don't!" I roared, jumping off my chair and bursting onto the desk

with my biggest and baddest King Kong imitation.

Terry and I have been through too much bird drama and trauma

with nesting birds on our deck and front porch in the past decade.

They can nest anywhere they want,

except on the deck area we use or on top of the front door light.

We have a little house finch mama sitting on a nest under the floor of our high deck right now. Of course, she was awol when I tried to get the shot.

I went back to work at the kitchen counter, confident Mr. Swallow wouldn't be back.

Two years ago, when a Cooper's hawk killed a mother dove, leaving broken eggs

in a smear of her blood on the deck floor, I was done!

While a distraught Terry cleaned up the mess,

I summoned my inner Newfoundlander

and began to erect some bird nest blockers.

Forget things like a fake owl sitting on your deck to discourage birds.

I've seen pigeons and doves sitting on them in the neighborhood and laughing.

No More Sneaking a Nest on Top of This Speaker

When We're Not Looking!

It took some experimenting with different materials

to find a mix of objects that stopped the urgent nest builders.

Forget to block one side, in squeezes a robin.

Leave a small space, in wiggles a house finch.

A Goldfinch Pair Scouting Locations from the Tree by Our Deck!

Aurora, Colorado, USA

May 23, 2022

You Don't Fool Me! I Know You're looking Sideways!

Aurora, Colorado, USA

May 23, 2022

Busted!

Aurora, Colorado, USA

May 23, 2022

The birds don't like fluttery things, so I stuck up dangles of painter tape.

This has been very effective for the past two years,

I haven't had to replace the streamers

come heat, blizzards, hail, downpours, or strong winds.

No More Sneaking a Nest on Top of This Speaker

When We're Not Looking!

Bird Defenses!

Aurora, Colorado, USA

May 21, 2022

Even more than constructing a nest on a musical rest,

the pesky birds like a spot with a good roof and sheltering walls.

Primo Location!

I quickly learned two years ago that they don't like chopsticks, emery boards,

bamboo florist twigs, or humpy, lumpy metamorphic rocks,

particularly in tight spaces.

I had to figure out what worked in each nook and cranny.

Open Clip Art

Yes, I was foolishly resting on my laurels when I heard that strange cry again:

"Look, Honey! An Open House! Let's check it out!"

And there was the swallow nestling down in the left corner above the table again.

King Kong charges out the door roaring!

That damn swallow wouldn't give up!

He'd fly away and soon circle back, encouraging his mate with his excited cries.

"Honey! Location, location, location!"

King Kong!

"Honey! If we don't get moving, someone else is going to nab this!"

King Kong!

"Honey! We've got to get an offer in, before this one gets away!"

King Kong!

Okay. Time for action!

Obviously King Kong was sliding into the definition of insanity.

I dragged the ladder from the garage, through the house, and onto the deck.

Then I stuffed a plastic container into the cranny

to block the direction the swallow was flying in from.

Wow, those swallows have impressive flying skills!

Mr. Swallow went into a full hovering reverse when he neared the plastic.

I didn't know they could do that.

Open Clip Art

Things went quiet, and I went back to work.

I looked out a while later, and that wily swallow had silently slipped in

from the opposite direction and was snuggled into a tiny, tiny spot.

And optimistic me had returned the ladder to the garage.

Out to the garage, grab the ladder, drag it through the house, and onto the deck.

Back to the garage, dig through the recycling,

find the perfectly-sized, no-sodium-added, petite-diced tomato can,

and stuff it into the remaining hole.

Duct tape it all in place with white duct tape, because I couldn't find the gray.

Take that Mr. Swallow! You can't squeeze a beak into that cranny!

Take That, Mr. Swallow!

Aurora, Colorado, USA

June 6, 2022

The swallow retreated in defeat, and no bird has so much

as stuffed a twig in the four prime locations on our deck since then.

But what, made this last spot the perfect location of all? I wondered.

I went out on the deck and looked around at each corner.

Oh, that festive front door upgrade!

A splash of indestructible yellow ribbon that has been gracing

the front of the cranny for over two years.

There's nothing like a grand entrance for curb appeal.

Curb Appeal

Aurora, Colorado, USA

June 6, 2022

This week, my friend Rain's Thursday Art Date theme is

Colourful June: Yellow for June 9, 2022.

There is still time to join in the fun and creativity!

Next week's theme is Colourful June: Red for June 16, 2022.

People in different time zones around the world participate,

so the link gadget where you can join in is open for a number of days.

And since we all need to laugh during these challenging times,

here are a some bird funnies:

Stay colorful and creative!

Rocking the Park Along Piney Creek

Aurora, Colorado, USA

April 7, 2020

Till next time ~
Fundy Blue

My next post will be on

Friday, June 17, 2022.

I was planning to use this video for next Friday's post,

for reasons that will become apparent.

But when I watched it for the first time this morning,

I realized it was full of yellow, deadpan funny, and even featured some birds.

"I get high like Colorado."

Some things are just meant to be!

Milky Chance - Colorado (Official Video)

8,288,349 views Premiered Jun 17, 2021

YouTube

Lyrics for Colorado (Google)

I get high like Colorado

We had it all but what do I know?

I try to push away the sorrow

But today, it's too late, I try tomorrow

(Yeah-yeah, yeah-yeah)

I think that you were kind of mean (kind of mean, kind of mean)

You just replaced me in the scene (in the scene, in the scene)

I thought that we were evergreen (evergreen, evergreen)

Like a never-ending dream

Never been on the TV

Scratched me off of your CV

Out of your mind

Never been so uneasy

Jealousy got me freaky

Out of my mind

So I get high like Colorado

We had it all but what do I know?

I try to push away the sorrow

But today, it's too late, I try tomorrow

(Yeah-yeah, yeah-yeah)

I'm losing sleep all by myself

I'm wide awake and I just wonder how

You put my heart back on the shelf (back on the shelf)

Well, I'ma be a loner now

Never been on the TV

Scratched me off of your CV

Out of your mind

Never been so uneasy

Jealousy got me freaky

Out of my mind

So I get high like Colorado

We had it all but what do I know?

I try to push away the sorrow

But today, it's too late, I try tomorrow

(Yeah-yeah, yeah-yeah)

Drownin' in my sofa with my blood shot red eyes (ooh)

Ridin' rollercoaster 'til I see the sunrise

I get high like Colorado (I get high, I get high)

We had it all but what do I know?

I try to push away the sorrow (I get high, I get high)

But today, it's too late, I try tomorrow

(Yeah-yeah, yeah-yeah)

I get high like Colorado

Colorado (yeah), Colorado (yeah), Colorado

I get high like Colorado

Colorado (yeah), Colorado (yeah), Colorado

Source: Musixmatch

Songwriters: Joacim Bo Persson / Clemens Rehbein / Sebastian Arman / Philipp Maximilian Dausch

Colorado lyrics © Edition Rehbein, Edition Dausch, Wasted Talent Publishing Gmbh, Hippo Legend Publishing, Favorite Song Publishing Ug

Books Read in 2024

"5 Languages of Love: The Secret to Love That Lasts" by Gary Chapman
"At Home in the World" by Joyce Maynard
"Cockroaches" by Jo Nesbo
"Death's End" by Cixin Liu
"Eruption" by Michael Crichton and James Patterson
"In Darkness" by L. Diane Wolfe
"In My Time of Dying" by Sebastian Junger
"Nothing to Fear" by Julie McFadden, RN
"The Bat" by Jo Nesbo
"The Dark Forest" by Cixin Liu
"The Frozen River" by Ariel Lawhon
"The Last to Vanish" by Megan Miranda
"The Montauk Monster" by Hunter Shea
"The Road to Character" by David Brooks
"The Song of Achilles" by Madeline Miller
"The Twist of a Knife" by Anthony Horowitz
"The Uninhabital Earth: Life After Warming" by David Wallace-Wells
"The Women" by Kristin Hannah
"Where the Crawdads Sing" by Delia Owens
"Writing the Shadow" by Joanna Penn

Pages

Friday, June 17, 2022

Rain's Thursday Art Date: A Vegas Separation and More ~ June 17, 2022

Friday, June 10, 2022

Rain's Thursday Art Date: Location, Location, Location~ June 10, 2022