Bright and colorful

Thanks, Jude, for inviting us to share color and brightness in a month often lacking in both. That’s not true in the American Southwest where the plants are relaxing, enjoying the lack of high heat, I think, but no matter where we are, we can always use color so let’s have at it!

I’ll start with something whimsical, the “glass” that my drink came in while in San Diego months ago. The drink was good and the food absolutely delicious. Best of all, I didn’t have to pay. 🙂

On a more somber note, today is Pearl Harbor Day in the US as well as my mom’s 92nd birthday. I imagine that day wasn’t her best birthday, especially as her family lived in California.

Everything is black and white

Although when in the sleepy pod the first day I saw them these American pelicans looked, with the exception of their exceptional beaks, completely white, on this day they were showing off their underlying black decorative touches.

“Life is better in black and white!”
― Avijeet Das

“When you photograph people in color, you photograph their clothes. But when you photograph people in black and white, you photograph their souls!”
― Ted Grant

Does this count for birds, too? Stretch those wings!

“The most colorful thing in the world is black and white, it contains all colors and at the same time excludes all.”
― Vikrmn, 10 Alone

Little photo bombing snowy egret in the background.

Photo bombing again, but in aggressive cormorant black. Doesn’t the middle pelican look as if it has its proverbial hands on proverbial hips in annoyance?

It’s also Pearl Harbor Day here in the U.S. as well as my mom’s and good friend’s birthdays. Can you imagine living in California and having your birthday on Pearl Harbor Day? Not the best birthday my mom ever had!

December 7th

My mom was born on this day 84 years ago.  I’m sure her birthday in 1941 wasn’t the best birthday she ever had.  That day was the beginning of suffering for many Americans, including those Japanese-Americans who were interned unjustly and for so long.

Although war isn’t pleasant to think about, we need to remember and to teach our children what happened and why, as best we can.  This short video serves both to honor those who fell at Pearl Harbor and as a simple reminder.