A Beautiful Sky this morning, Dec 5th 2022

 Its been awhile since I posted to this blog, so I thought I'd share this beautiful sunrise color we had this morning. Enjoy!

Enjoy your day and have a great week! - Michele

Neil Oliver - '...digital enslavement is coming...'

Just one more from the front yard tonight 🇺🇸💥🎆🇺🇸💥🎆🇺🇸

4th of July Fireworks from our back yard 2022

"God Bless America" - Pia Toscano - The American Rodeo - AT&T Stadium 3/...

HAPPY INDEPENDENCE DAY USA

Happy Independence Day!! Every person of US citizenship should read this document again (or for the first time)- and if you're not a citizen 

but here enjoying our country, 

you should read it too!

Here's the document that represents the birth of our Nation.
Note: The following text is a transcription of the Stone Engraving of the parchment Declaration of Independence (the document on display in the Rotunda at the National Archives Museum.) The spelling and punctuation reflects the original.

In Congress, July 4, 1776.
The unanimous Declaration of the thirteen united States of America,
When in the Course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another, and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature's God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation.
We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.--That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, --That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness. Prudence, indeed, will dictate that Governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly all experience hath shewn, that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable, than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed. But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security.--Such has been the patient sufferance of these Colonies; and such is now the necessity which constrains them to alter their former Systems of Government. The history of the present King of Great Britain is a history of repeated injuries and usurpations, all having in direct object the establishment of an absolute Tyranny over these States. To prove this, let Facts be submitted to a candid world.
He has refused his Assent to Laws, the most wholesome and necessary for the public good.
He has forbidden his Governors to pass Laws of immediate and pressing importance, unless suspended in their operation till his Assent should be obtained; and when so suspended, he has utterly neglected to attend to them.
He has refused to pass other Laws for the accommodation of large districts of people, unless those people would relinquish the right of Representation in the Legislature, a right inestimable to them and formidable to tyrants only.
He has called together legislative bodies at places unusual, uncomfortable, and distant from the depository of their public Records, for the sole purpose of fatiguing them into compliance with his measures.
He has dissolved Representative Houses repeatedly, for opposing with manly firmness his invasions on the rights of the people.
He has refused for a long time, after such dissolutions, to cause others to be elected; whereby the Legislative powers, incapable of Annihilation, have returned to the People at large for their exercise; the State remaining in the mean time exposed to all the dangers of invasion from without, and convulsions within.
He has endeavoured to prevent the population of these States; for that purpose obstructing the Laws for Naturalization of Foreigners; refusing to pass others to encourage their migrations hither, and raising the conditions of new Appropriations of Lands.
He has obstructed the Administration of Justice, by refusing his Assent to Laws for establishing Judiciary powers.
He has made Judges dependent on his Will alone, for the tenure of their offices, and the amount and payment of their salaries.
He has erected a multitude of New Offices, and sent hither swarms of Officers to harrass our people, and eat out their substance.
He has kept among us, in times of peace, Standing Armies without the Consent of our legislatures.
He has affected to render the Military independent of and superior to the Civil power.
He has combined with others to subject us to a jurisdiction foreign to our constitution, and unacknowledged by our laws; giving his Assent to their Acts of pretended Legislation:
For Quartering large bodies of armed troops among us:
For protecting them, by a mock Trial, from punishment for any Murders which they should commit on the Inhabitants of these States:
For cutting off our Trade with all parts of the world:
For imposing Taxes on us without our Consent:
For depriving us in many cases, of the benefits of Trial by Jury:
For transporting us beyond Seas to be tried for pretended offences
For abolishing the free System of English Laws in a neighbouring Province, establishing therein an Arbitrary government, and enlarging its Boundaries so as to render it at once an example and fit instrument for introducing the same absolute rule into these Colonies:
For taking away our Charters, abolishing our most valuable Laws, and altering fundamentally the Forms of our Governments:
For suspending our own Legislatures, and declaring themselves invested with power to legislate for us in all cases whatsoever.
He has abdicated Government here, by declaring us out of his Protection and waging War against us.
He has plundered our seas, ravaged our Coasts, burnt our towns, and destroyed the lives of our people.
He is at this time transporting large Armies of foreign Mercenaries to compleat the works of death, desolation and tyranny, already begun with circumstances of Cruelty & perfidy scarcely paralleled in the most barbarous ages, and totally unworthy the Head of a civilized nation.
He has constrained our fellow Citizens taken Captive on the high Seas to bear Arms against their Country, to become the executioners of their friends and Brethren, or to fall themselves by their Hands.
He has excited domestic insurrections amongst us, and has endeavoured to bring on the inhabitants of our frontiers, the merciless Indian Savages, whose known rule of warfare, is an undistinguished destruction of all ages, sexes and conditions.
In every stage of these Oppressions We have Petitioned for Redress in the most humble terms: Our repeated Petitions have been answered only by repeated injury. A Prince whose character is thus marked by every act which may define a Tyrant, is unfit to be the ruler of a free people.
Nor have We been wanting in attentions to our Brittish brethren. We have warned them from time to time of attempts by their legislature to extend an unwarrantable jurisdiction over us. We have reminded them of the circumstances of our emigration and settlement here. We have appealed to their native justice and magnanimity, and we have conjured them by the ties of our common kindred to disavow these usurpations, which, would inevitably interrupt our connections and correspondence. They too have been deaf to the voice of justice and of consanguinity. We must, therefore, acquiesce in the necessity, which denounces our Separation, and hold them, as we hold the rest of mankind, Enemies in War, in Peace Friends.
We, therefore, the Representatives of the united States of America, in General Congress, Assembled, appealing to the Supreme Judge of the world for the rectitude of our intentions, do, in the Name, and by Authority of the good People of these Colonies, solemnly publish and declare, That these United Colonies are, and of Right ought to be Free and Independent States; that they are Absolved from all Allegiance to the British Crown, and that all political connection between them and the State of Great Britain, is and ought to be totally dissolved; and that as Free and Independent States, they have full Power to levy War, conclude Peace, contract Alliances, establish Commerce, and to do all other Acts and Things which Independent States may of right do. And for the support of this Declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes and our sacred Honor.

Happy Easter! To those celebrating , Have a Blessed Holiday

 For those of us in the west, Easter Sunday is April 17th this year. For those in Orthodox faiths it is April 24th. Have a beautiful holiday celebration.

Luke 24: 6 – 7 He is not here; he has risen! Remember how he told you, while he was still with you in Galilee: ‘The Son of Man must be delivered over to the hands of sinners, be crucified and on the third day be raised again.’

The children of Abraham

In 2022 Passover, Ramadan, and Easter all fall in April, a coincidence that happens only about every 33 years- Be Blessed in your chosen celebrations.

Passover (April 15–23)

Easter (April 17)

Ramadan (April 2–May 1)

I also believe in respecting the religious beliefs of others as long as their actions are those of goodwill toward their fellow man. 

The Way to Happiness

And A Prayer for Freedom

by L. Ron Hubbard

May the author of the universe enable all men to reach an understanding of their spiritual nature.

May awareness and understanding of life expand, so that all may come to know the author of the universe.

And may others also reach this understanding which brings Total Freedom.

At this time, we think of those whose liberty is threatened; of those who have suffered imprisonment for their beliefs; of those who are enslaved or martyred, and for all those who are brutalized, trapped or attacked.

We pray that human rights will be preserved so that all people may believe and worship freely, so that freedom will once again be seen in our land.

Freedom from war, and poverty, and want; freedom to be; freedom to do and freedom to have.

Freedom to use and understand Man’s potential—a potential that is God-given and Godlike.

And freedom to achieve that understanding and awareness that is Total Freedom.

May God let it be so.

Michele on the Issues: Summaries of the Book, "The Real Anthony Fauci"

Michele on the Issues: Summaries of the Book, "The Real Anthony Fauci": I have a friend who is a researcher on the subject of Pharma and the Drug industries. She recently finished reading this well researched boo...

Good Morning Jan 30th, 2022- Thanks for the Birthday Wishes, and other News. .

Jan 30th-Good morning. I stepped out front to greet the sun and spied a hawk in a distant tree one street over. I went out back to fill the bird feeders and a flock of starlings stopped in the mulberry tree. As I was walking back, a flicker flew over and landed on one of the palms and quickly tucked behind out of view. I heard the wispy calls of a warbler in the olive tree pecking at the ripe olives and scolding me to move away from its favorite drinking spot. Then at last I saw a hummingbird feasting on the newly opened blue elf yucca blooms just as I’d hoped they would. The air is a chilly 40f, and the coffee is steamy hot. The little birds are starting to arrive now, the white crowns are back in larger numbers, and busily attacking the suet cakes. I’m watching them now through the window and I can see at least 6 of them. I had some lovely birthday talks by phone with family yesterday and other things. A nice weekend so far, made even more special by the hundreds of Birthday wishes from all of you here on Facebook and Instagram. What a delight! 

Happy Sunday my friends! -Michele

Jan 28- I started early

My first birthday was in Thailand, the country where my family

lived at the time and where I was born. So, since it is already

Jan 29 in Thailand, its my birthday already! Yes, this photo was

from a "few" years ago. Thanks for all the good wishes so far,

and Happy Birthday to me!

Jan 30 - Well once again, I'm completely bowled over 

by the many hundreds of birthday greetings 

I received in the last day or so. To everyone who took the time 

out of your busy schedule to wish me Happy Birthday,

 thank you so much. You are all so wonderful & I truly appreciate it.

My Mom and I -Richmond, CA 1994. She was gone 5 years later

I was a birthday present for my mom,

 since her birthday is Jan 31st, just two days after mine.

 I was a late baby, her last one that she had at the age of 42.

 I lost her when I was only 40. She was a wonderful mother, 

and I miss her a lot. - Happy Birthday Mommy!

My mom and I in Thailand when I was a newborn. 

A couple of things were happening in the world yesterday on my birthday that I found very inspiring. 

First this image of the NYC police officers turning out for the memorial of two of their fallen brethren. I support the police dept. There are unethical police of course, but I have spoken with many local police dept officers in my charity work, and find the vast majority of them to be hard working and courageous. God Bless them for being there. God bless the thin blue line. 

And the other thing I found so inspiring is our neighbors to the North, in Canada, 

showing up by the tens of thousands in their freezing temperatures in their 

capitol of Ottawa to support the truckers who were on strike to protest the 

vaccine mandates. Both pro-vax and antivax people protesting mandates 

and supporting one another's right to personal bodily sovereignty and 

the right to medical choice. It was a truly beautiful thing. 

I dearly love those who will openly show their support of 

Freedom, Liberty, and Human Rights. 

A beautiful thing indeed. 

Good Morning Jan 22, 2022-Sunrise and Roses

Good morning. Well I was up in time, and there were a few clouds but few pre sunrise pinks showed up. So here is this morning’s sunrise at 7:51am. The moon was out and I saw the hawk tucked in the mulberry tree waiting patiently. He must have not been that hungry because a few finches were above him on the top most branches. As I moved about filling the feeders, he moved over to one of the big pine trees across the cul de sac where he had more cover. It was 49f and is now 50f. The house smells like pot roast from one I let cook over night in the slow cooker so we’d have it for lunch today. Time to turn it off soon, and for my 2nd cup of coffee. The rose is from my neighbor's yard yesterday afternoon.  Happy Saturday! - Michele

Yesterday I noticed that my neighbor has some pretty winter roses blooming 

in her front yard. She also has some nice looking lemons, and one of her

 Aloe Vera plants is blooming now too.

The pot roast looks great. Made with grass fed beef. In addition to onions,

mushrooms and carrots, I used turnips and red and white radishes

instead of potatoes to make it more keto friendly. I might serve it with

cauliflower mash. I’ll let you know how it tastes at lunchtime today.

Next I want to try a Mississippi roast with pepperoncini

Good Morning Jan 21, 2022- I Missed it Again

Good morning. I’m sure I missed the best of the pre-sunrise color. I just needed that extra rest again. It seems to go with the nutritional regimen I’m doing now. Any way last night the weather service said there would be no clouds this morning, but it seems Mother Nature had different ideas. The sky is full of clouds this morning. Sigh. A pretty sky at any rate. Hopefully others managed to get the colors that I’m sure were there. The sun has now slipped behind the cloud ceiling and the bird feeders have been filled, so now it’s time for coffee. 

Happy Friday! - Michele

Good Morning Jan 20, 2022-Moon Set and Bird Watching

Good morning! It was clear and cool this morning at 50F (10C), and no clouds to give any pre-sunrise color. Just Sol popping above the desert mountains shedding his golden light and a bit of warmth. There were plenty of little birds about too, then the hawk struck and they all flew off. I watched them come back again 3 more times, only to have him strike again. I couldn't tell if he got anything or not, he was so quick and flew off low through the trees. It certainly has become a deterrent to the feeders, as well as the cats. The green eyed kitty came down from the back wall behind the millet feeder then spotted me and took off back over the wall. There was a collared dove calling persistently from his perch on the lamp post. I think he thought that mating season has started and he was calling for a mate. I watched the moonset on the western horizon. Its at 92.8% waning gibbous right now. I walked around the yard to see how the plant are faring. There are 4 lemons left on my little tree, and the bougainvillea leaves are all dead now. They will return in the spring, but I think I need to get it out of its pot and into the ground if I can manage it. The blue elf aloe buds are really showing up strong now, so we will get some of those blooming in a month or so. I've also got volunteer safflower plants and sunflowers all over the place from the seeds that the birds have dropped. Well the birds have been chased off yet again now.
Time for a second cup of coffee and then to get my day under way.
Happy Thursday. - Michele

House Sparrows at the Millet Feeder

House Finches this Morning

Blue Elf Aloe Plants Budding

A Facebook friend of mine writes lovely poetry. Isn't this beautiful? 

Good Morning, Jan 19, 2022- A Golden Sunrise and Rumors of an Asteroid

Good morning. I got up a bit late and just caught Sol’s appearance as he popped above the horizon. There were just a few clouds to cloak him in an orange and golden glow.I had thought there would not be any clouds and needed the extra hour of sleep. The rest of the sky here is clear and the temperature is 42f, so moderately cold for this time of year here. I started a new nutrition regimen yesterday so we shall see how it goes. I know I liked it so far yesterday, and might tell you more about it later. I still don’t see any of the little birds out there yet except a hummingbird at the patio feeder. Perhaps they slept in too. Time for coffee. 

Happy Wednesday! - Michele

Yellow -Rumped Warbler on the Suet Feeder a couple of days ago.

I watched this yellow rumped warbler going after the suet. 

Taken through the window. I’ve not seen that before. 

They are insect eaters so it’s not a total surprise, just had not seen one do it before,

 or ever be on any feeder at all, just the birdbath’s.

In Other News,  This was yesterday, Did you see it? 

You can find out more about it and see a video here at this link

Memory Post:

Out at Red Rock Canyon on this day 10 years ago. 

This is when we lived on that side of town. 

I sometimes got up early and drove over to the lookout 

before heading to work. This may have been one of those days.

Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Jan 17 2022-

Today in the USA we acknowledge and remember the courage in both words and deeds of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.. Human and Civil Rights activist who lived from Jan 15, 1929 - until his assassination on April 4, 1968. 

I think his words are as appropriate today as they ever were.- Michele

Good Morning Jan 16, 2022- Another Pretty Pre-Sunrise

Good morning. We had some nice pre-sunrise color again today. Scheduled sunrise was for 6:50 am and the best color happened between 6:30 and 6:35. The visible sunrise from my vantage had the sun peeking over the horizon at 6:59, so we must be a few feet lower than the meteorological center that’s tracking all this. I find this sort of thing interesting. I’ve also noticed some things about the usual local birds. The doves start moving about well before sunrise, as do the hummingbirds, mockingbirds, and of course the hawks. The pigeons and grackles start flying when the sun starts peeking above the horizon, and the little songbirds like house sparrows and finches don’t start arriving till the sun is well above the horizon. I’ve seen very few mockingbirds in our own yard lately, but I see and hear them in the neighbors’ yards. I’ve not seen very many mourning doves lately either, but a couple of collared doves have been nearby regularly making their 2 syllable calls. Right now I have a male hummingbird at the patio feeder sitting very still like he’s in a trance. Ahhhh here come the little songbirds now too, mobbing the feeders, and now it’s time for coffee for me. It’s 38F out there, so a little chilly. Happy Sunday. - Michele

I was wondering what had scared the little birds back up into the

 treetops just now. I think I found the culprit.

The green-eyed kitty was stalking them. 

and then they all came back

A male Costa's Hummingbird at one of the feeders

Good Morning Jan 15, 2022 - Another Fiery Sky

Good morning. 44f and some fire in the sky this morning from my house. I got up for it just in time. No hawk this morning, but the sun just popped up and the little birds are just arriving in a tree top. A kitty just crossed the road at the usual time too, and as I type this one hummingbird has arrived at the patio feeders. I love sharing my mornings with the hummingbirds. Looks like there are clouds predicted for the rest of the day and into the next few days here, so maybe there will be a few more more mornings of color. No rain though which we could really use. 

Enjoy the weekend, and happy Saturday! - Michele

And there's old Sol again. 

House Finches and Lesser Goldfinches at the feeders yesterday

Good Morning Jan 13th. Pretty Sky this Morning

Good morning. Pretty sky this morning, I’m glad I got up for it. It’s 45f now and was 41 when I got up at 6. I can see the hummingbirds out there but none of the other little birds yet. I can now hear the doves cooing, and the squeaks of sparrows. The feeders are full and I’m sure they will arrive soon. Time for me to warm up with some coffee.
Happy Thursday! - Michele

Sunrise was at 6:51 AM, and I shot this video at 6:37AM

I shot this video at 6:34AM

I shot this video at 6:31 AM, 20 minutes before scheduled sunrise.

And there's the Sun!