Saturday, February 11, 2023

Stuck inside....


If you like birds and bird photography, there is a guy called David M Bird that does bird photography using characters made from acorns and sticks. I'm probably never going to be a genius like him, but he was a Lego designer who started his own photography business doing these wildly popular photos. If I am having a grumpy day, all I have to do is pop over to his site and look at his fun photos.


There is also a Flickr photographer who is doing the same thing with his Lego characters. This is fascinating in the fact that in order to do this sort of photography, one really needs to study birds and get familiar with what they like to eat and how they arrive at a feeding station.

Below is my sad attempt at a first try of putting a Lego figure on the stump with feed just outside my window.
These are study shots so I can sit at the table and watch the birds behavior. Are they afraid of the Lego figure?
They don't seem to be.
I have been putting a wee bit of feed every day this winter on this stump next to the porch so I could see which seed they liked best and which birds came to the stump.

The Tufted Titmouse will come for peanuts and some other delicious seeds.



The Junco seems a bit more skittish. They are only on the stump for a nanosecond before flying off.



The Blue Jay has no shyness at all.


I used a paper clip I bent to fit through the foot of the Lego figure and then stuck it in a crack on the edge of the stump. 

I'm going to try this again but put a hole more in the center of the stump and surround the figure with delicious seeds.

It will be a fun experiment. Hubby loves watching too. He gives me a commentary on who is visiting the stump and what they are eating as he bemoans the cost of birdseed.

I changed it up a bit and stuck my green dragon in the stump and put seeds around it. The birds were very wary of the Dragon. But by the end of the day, the seed was gone.


I had to wait for a follow up call from the eye surgeon's tech. I hate waiting. I dislike waiting inside next to the phone even more. However, we have to use a land line. Archaic I know. But cell phones don't always work in our Hollow. The land line works with 911 and the cell can't be depended on.



My one eye was still dilated and so the welcomed sunlight was a painful.

My hubby was playing Eye Guard. He told me I could NOT go out to hike or run about and that I needed to Rest that eye and let it heal.
The surgeon had said I could go back to my regular activities 24 hrs later, but I decided to keep Mr. Eye Guard happy and stay around the house except for feeding the mules.

I decided to try some Still Life. I was bored out of my gourd. I am not one to sit in the house for days on end. After two weeks of being careful and being Watched by the Ever Present Hubby, I had to engage my mind in fun projects.

My first try at the light box.
Something for Valentine's Day


That gave me another idea. This time I just tore apart things and made this ---->
I set it on the floor.


And shot straight down. The Gardener is spelling out L O V E in flowers and fence pieces.


I couldn't resist one more effort of doing something more with the Gardener ...
Surprise!
I couldn't resist having a meat eating Dilophosaurus enter the garden and offer the Gardner some flowers. [The dinosaur is a Lego knock off. The real Lego Dino is way above affordable.]


I did a lot more experimenting with the light box and by early afternoon, I decided to rest my eyes and listen to music.

This morning dawned clear and bright. As someone said: 

I can see clearly now ... the fog is gone!
Gone are the cataracts that had me blind
It's going to be a bright bright 
bright
beautiful day....


I think I'll go Exploring some ice formations!





9 comments:

  1. Wow!! Just when I thought everything photography had been done before. Thanks for sharing the genius creative work that David M Bird does. Very cool. I do not have that kind of patience. What a talented guy. I am completely impressed with all that he does, and it takes a lot of awe for that to happen.

    Great bird stump feeder photos & idea! Beautiful wrought iron heart. Good for Rich for keeping tabs on you. Today you get to see all that you can see, with your long awaited clearer eyes. Happy for you!

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    1. Our Farrier and his son make those hearts from horse shoes, he gave them to me as trivets and I use them for decoration. I have a sunflower wrought iron yard piece that is made out of horse shoes. I had him add a hook and I hang a small hummingbird feeder on it in the flower garden.
      These guys are so talented and more than just farriers, they are indeed creative blacksmiths.

      Yes, I love David M Bird's photos. I wouldn't mind having one of those joyful photos hanging in my house!

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  2. So good to see your experiments. And my experience with surgeons is that they're a bit optimistic about how soon you can resume activity. One day more rest than they recommend is a good idea.

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    1. This morning the dilation is finally over, though with the bright sun and snow, I'm still putting on hubby's shades to walk about outside.
      I'm having serious withdrawals from exploring!

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  3. Sounds like you are creating what fun you can inside! I love that your eye-guard is such a good nurse to you <3

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    1. Thank you. I am really amazed at the reds I can see in the leaves that are still hanging in the trees. Suddenly the world has more color again!
      It was worth the hassle for sure!

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  4. I am very glad for you. You have a new world to wonder at. I do enjoy your whimsical creations.

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  5. Good thing someone has an eye on you! Hope things stay on the good side of recovery! You can make people out of found stuff too! You have such a good imagination. Stay warm and safe a few more days!!

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  6. Yes your hubby is right. You need to heal as the eyes are so important and you need to be careful. You are having lots of creative fun even though I am sure you are going stir crazy. In a couple of more days you can break out of move.

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