Wordless Wednesday...

Sometimes you get lucky...

It's that time of year around here when I go through white sugar 

like a candy crazed toddler.

No, not for me but for those tiny miracles of the bird world...

The hummingbirds.

I have 3 feeders right now as opposed to one during the winter.

The Anna's hummingbird sticks around all year and I keep them fed

through rain and snow and sleet and hail.

Then around the beginning of March, the Rufus hummers show up.

These guys are small but mighty and VERY territorial.

They chase the Anna's away constantly and chase each other and 

anything else that gets in their way.

Capturing their picture can be quite challenging.

Sometimes they play peek-a-boo...

Sometimes they just become a fiery, whirling blur...

Or you catch a bit of those magical light defracting grating feathers...

Maybe you'll get a glimpse of the power of those tiny wings that can beat up to 80 times a second!!

Think about that...can you count to 80 in a second?!

And then there's the moment you get lucky!

Just clicking the shutter button at the right time...

To catch a shot of these small wonders is such a treat...

They are so busy just trying to stay alive...sucking back all of that nectar to keep

up their strength to fly up to speeds of 55km /hr or 35km/hr backwards!

To keep that minuscule heart beating at rates of up to 1,260 beats per minute is a lot of work!

Their wee lungs can take up to 250 breaths a minute...

And then at night they sleep...deep sleep...torpor it's called.

 A type of hibernation that allows them to conserve massive amounts of energy

by lowering their body temperature and almost shutting down their kidneys.

They can lose 10% of their body weight at night.

Then at first light in the morning, you hear them...that delightful buzzing sound and they're at it again

So here's to these, the smallest of bird species, 

 for sure the busiest, 

certainly one of the most entertaining

and definitely one of the sweetest!

Off and running....maybe...

For the past 12 years my daily recreation has been walks with Griffin twice a day.

Since he's been gone I'm really missing some kind of reason to get out and exercise.

In fact I'm really missing my routines with my bud.

So today, as spring is springing, I decided to dig out my bike from the barn...

There she sits, amongst the lawnmower and the other old bikes...

 Quite a bit of dust and dirt on her...

 ...she's seen much brighter days...

 So out comes the scrubbing brush, rags and soapy water...

 Tires pumped up with my new pump...not just any pump but the Bell Airattack 450!!

 After her bath, she's showing off her lovely logo.

I traded one of my old CCM road bikes with a guy down the road for this one for $50

years ago. I always wanted a classic cruiser and this one has it all...

 All the right reflectors...

 Skirt and pant leg guards...

 Built in rear wheel lock and key...

 Old school friction front light...

 Still in working order...

 Only 3 speeds but good on the flats. You don't want to go up too many hills on this old 

girl since she weighs quite a bit...

 Bell still in good working order...

 Built in bungee on the back rack...

 Large mud flaps on the front...

 Nice little reflectors on the front handles...those Dutch think of everything!

That's what happens when you build bikes in a place that lives bike culture!

 One hand brake...

(she also comes with the back peddle brake system)

 And there you have it!

All scrubbed up, tires filled, ready for action...

 Now if the weather would only co-operate...just as I was done, it started to rain...AGAIN!

 Oh well, better luck tomorrow...at least she's ready to roll!