I have to admit to quite liking birds - like not full on twitcher, but I like to see them and know what they are. Sometimes we get small hawks - probably sparrow hawks - at the cliff top here, and there are lots of gulls of course it being on the coast. I love seeing robins - it was my partner’s name - and I’ve been known to talk to crows who are surprisingly not too worried by my greyhound ;). It’s also cool that they are what’s left of dinosaurs. 🦕
I really enjoy the flat, lonesome look of your surroundings. That’s a little out of character for this city-bred dweller, but there’s joy in variety just as there is in the sameness of a comfortable routine. The chance is about zero that I’d ever visit your lonely archipelago, but being able to imagine the character of your place in the world evokes a feeling of memory and surprise that lasts for quite a while after reading your words and viewing your photos. The open skies and distant, flat horizon are so different from the crowded urban zone where B and I live. Thanks for sharing and offering something to ponder and meditate upon.
Thank you Rafael, it still feels completely new to me too! I didn’t realise how much I’d love the openess but now I’m not sure I could be anywhere else. When you make it out into the countryside, as we call it, your surroundings must be pretty awe inspiring
In Western New York there are a lot of urban areas and suburbs that are more diverse looking and wide open. But you don’t have to drive very far in any direction to see a lot of geology, swiftly moving waters or vast, deep lakes. Last week we had Thanksgiving dinner at our niece’s house and it was less than an hour’s drive but we went through mile after mile of lonesome road surrounded by what looked like endless stretches of forest. It was a lot prettier going through the evergreen stretches than the hills covered with naked, deciduous trees, but overall a very pleasant ride. My favorite places are the escarpments and river gorges where you can see all the layers of rock that have been scoured and deeply carved by swiftly moving water. We used to love hiking in the Lower Niagara River Gorge below the Falls. One of the most spectacular, and dangerous, places is the Whirlpool below the Falls, where the river makes a very sharp bend. In 1969, if I recall correctly, when I was twelve, engineers built a cofferdam across the American side of the Falls and diverted all the water over the Canadian side. The purpose was to study the feasibility of improving the appearance of the American Falls, which had suffered badly from huge chunks of rock falling at the base and spoiling the view. The result was that there was no practical way of removing the rocks, so the falling water on the American side is much less spectacular than the Canadian or Horseshoe Falls, as it is also known. This is altogether a pretty remarkable place to live, and after my Navy service was over it was an easy decision to move back here, though we had spent time in San Diego, California and Norfolk, Virginia.
We just had our first snowstorm last week. Parts south and east of Buffalo got up to more than a meter of snow. Where we are we just got a light dusting. But Lake Erie to the west of us is much warmer than usual for this time of year, and until the lake freezes over we’re always in danger of getting a blizzard, depending upon the direction of the wind.
I do keep pinching myself to be honest! I was talking to someone here recently about it and asked if the novelty of being here wears off - they said no!
Thanks for sharing your week! 🙂xx
I hope you enjoyed it!
Lovely to hear all about the bird life up there! 🦢🦆🐦⬛🦉🪿💚
We have lots!!
I have to admit to quite liking birds - like not full on twitcher, but I like to see them and know what they are. Sometimes we get small hawks - probably sparrow hawks - at the cliff top here, and there are lots of gulls of course it being on the coast. I love seeing robins - it was my partner’s name - and I’ve been known to talk to crows who are surprisingly not too worried by my greyhound ;). It’s also cool that they are what’s left of dinosaurs. 🦕
That’s awesome
I really enjoy the flat, lonesome look of your surroundings. That’s a little out of character for this city-bred dweller, but there’s joy in variety just as there is in the sameness of a comfortable routine. The chance is about zero that I’d ever visit your lonely archipelago, but being able to imagine the character of your place in the world evokes a feeling of memory and surprise that lasts for quite a while after reading your words and viewing your photos. The open skies and distant, flat horizon are so different from the crowded urban zone where B and I live. Thanks for sharing and offering something to ponder and meditate upon.
Thank you Rafael, it still feels completely new to me too! I didn’t realise how much I’d love the openess but now I’m not sure I could be anywhere else. When you make it out into the countryside, as we call it, your surroundings must be pretty awe inspiring
In Western New York there are a lot of urban areas and suburbs that are more diverse looking and wide open. But you don’t have to drive very far in any direction to see a lot of geology, swiftly moving waters or vast, deep lakes. Last week we had Thanksgiving dinner at our niece’s house and it was less than an hour’s drive but we went through mile after mile of lonesome road surrounded by what looked like endless stretches of forest. It was a lot prettier going through the evergreen stretches than the hills covered with naked, deciduous trees, but overall a very pleasant ride. My favorite places are the escarpments and river gorges where you can see all the layers of rock that have been scoured and deeply carved by swiftly moving water. We used to love hiking in the Lower Niagara River Gorge below the Falls. One of the most spectacular, and dangerous, places is the Whirlpool below the Falls, where the river makes a very sharp bend. In 1969, if I recall correctly, when I was twelve, engineers built a cofferdam across the American side of the Falls and diverted all the water over the Canadian side. The purpose was to study the feasibility of improving the appearance of the American Falls, which had suffered badly from huge chunks of rock falling at the base and spoiling the view. The result was that there was no practical way of removing the rocks, so the falling water on the American side is much less spectacular than the Canadian or Horseshoe Falls, as it is also known. This is altogether a pretty remarkable place to live, and after my Navy service was over it was an easy decision to move back here, though we had spent time in San Diego, California and Norfolk, Virginia.
We just had our first snowstorm last week. Parts south and east of Buffalo got up to more than a meter of snow. Where we are we just got a light dusting. But Lake Erie to the west of us is much warmer than usual for this time of year, and until the lake freezes over we’re always in danger of getting a blizzard, depending upon the direction of the wind.
Love reading about all of the things you've been up to, and all the birds. What a beautiful spot you are in!
I do keep pinching myself to be honest! I was talking to someone here recently about it and asked if the novelty of being here wears off - they said no!