Author: cindy knoke

https://cindyknoke.com/ I have stopped counting, which is a very good thing, but thank you sincerely for being here. Last count there were 1,110,870 internet views and visits. 125,268 wordpress comments and growing. 15,362 internet followers... Thank you & join us! I retired early after 27 years as a psychotherapist/mental health director (Cindy Barton LCSW) and moved to the outer limits of no-wheres-ville to a home I call "The Holler." My closest neighbors are coyotes (packs and packs of them and they are HUNGRY), rattlers (lots and lots of them and they are MEAN), and free range cows/bulls (the bulls aren't too friendly either!) Forget cell phones. They don't work out here. Forget GPS, it misdirects. It's best not to wander too much out here, the people (and their dogs) are kinda twitchy. To reach The Holler you turn right at the reeking chicken farm, down a bunch of pot-holed semi-streets/dirt roads, past the abandoned refrigerators and occupied old RV’s and then things get kinda dicey. My friends usual reaction to the trip to The Holler is, “You’ve got to be kidding!” Or, “Next time let’s meet half way.” This is our little bit of heavenly Appalachia right here in rural California. I blog about traveling, photography, Holler happenings, and anything else that strikes my fancy. Stop by the blog and take a peek. It’s safe. I promise. Cheers, Cindy~ This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

Delicate Beauties~

On April 14, 2023April 14, 2023 By cindy knokeIn Flowers, MY PHOTOGRAPHS, REVERIES194 Comments

Grow silently,

in rocks.

Beauty,

is strength,

that blooms,

in hard places.

Cheers to you from the deceptively delicate orchids~

Daydreaming Dragons~

On April 14, 2023April 14, 2023 By cindy knokeIn Flowers, MY PHOTOGRAPHS, REVERIES136 Comments

In fiery hues.

Pink stripes,

and polka dots.

Dragons who,

slay you with beauty,

pink champagne,

sunbursts,

and soft purple claws.

Cheers to you from the daydreaming dragons~

Woody Woodpecker~

On April 11, 2023April 11, 2023 By cindy knokeIn Birds, Conservation, GARDENING AT THE HOLLER, HOLLER HAPPENINGS, MY PHOTOGRAPHS, REVERIES, Wild Life176 Comments

Loves grape jelly! (tap/click to enlarge)

He is curious,

about the human who puts jelly in palm trees.

The jelly is for orioles.

But forget acorns,

Acorn Woodpeckers,

want jelly,

in their belly!

Cheers to you from The Holler Woody~

A Riot of Spring~

On April 4, 2023April 4, 2023 By cindy knokeIn Conservation, EXTERIOR & INTERIOR DESIGN, Flowers, GARDENING AT THE HOLLER, HOLLER HAPPENINGS, MY PHOTOGRAPHS, Psychological Self Care, REVERIES297 Comments

In rain soaked (tap to enlarge),

Southern California.

The Carlsbad Ranuculus Fields,

are a blooming,

glory.

Spring is dancing,

blooms are bursting,

plants are happy,

and birds are singing!

Sending California’s blooming beauties to you,

with Cheers and Hopes for Happy Spring ~

Predating Raptor~

On March 25, 2023March 27, 2023 By cindy knokeIn Birds, Conservation, MY PHOTOGRAPHS, REVERIES, Wild Life218 Comments

Panics the snow geese (Click/tap to enlarge),

driving them high in the sky,

into protective formation,

over The Salton Sea in Southern California.

When the threat passes,

the geese return,

to feast and float.

Smart Snow Birds,

head south for the winter,

to loaf in the sun,

and play in the sea.

They only fly north when the sun comes out!

Cheers to you from the sun loving snow geese at The Salton Sea~

Note: I am guessing the predating raptor is a Harrier Hawk, but welcome correction if wrong.

Avocets~

On March 11, 2023March 12, 2023 By cindy knokeIn Birds, Conservation, MY PHOTOGRAPHS, REVERIES, Wild Life247 Comments

in flight over The Salton Sea in Southern California. (Click/tap to enlarge)

A pair in breeding plumage,

reflecting fragile,

flying beauty.

We continue to be deluged,

by blessed rain and snow,

with still more forecasted.

Salton Sea is cleaner and fuller than I have ever seen,

making the wintering birds happy.

They are ready now,

for the arduous flight north to breed.

Cheers to you from The Salton Sea~

Flight~

On March 3, 2023March 3, 2023 By cindy knokeIn Birds, Conservation, HOLLER HAPPENINGS, MY PHOTOGRAPHS, REVERIES, Uncategorized, Wild Life264 Comments

Harris Hawks lift off from my glove,

soar straight up in the sky to fly,

and land precisely back with Jim.

Flying hawks is incredible.

Lethal precision hunters,

they are woe to birdies in the sky,

and critters fleeing on the ground.

They are savage beauties,

and magnificent creatures.

Cheers to you from the Harris Hawks~

Harried Heron~

On February 17, 2023February 17, 2023 By cindy knokeIn Birds, Conservation, MY PHOTOGRAPHS, REVERIES, Wild Life244 Comments

Doesn’t appreciate the prickly bird guard.

But herons,

are not deterred,

by thorns.

They dance on them!

Other critters,

will shy away,

but herons are here to stay!

Cheers to you from the thorn dancing egrets~

Note: Snowy Egrets are members of the Heron family.

Cali Coast~

On February 9, 2023February 9, 2023 By cindy knokeIn Conservation, MY PHOTOGRAPHS, REVERIES, TRAVEL REVIEWS199 Comments

Sunset over Channel Islands National Park.

The palms stand sentinel,

with the setting sun.

In daylight,

people come to play.

The vigilant palms,

are happy now,

with storms, and lots of rain.

Cheers to you from the central California coast~

Holler Feeder~

On February 2, 2023February 3, 2023 By cindy knokeIn Birds, Conservation, HOLLER HAPPENINGS, MY PHOTOGRAPHS, REVERIES, Wild Life250 Comments

The Holler after the rains.

The birdies are happy,

healthy and fat!

For the first time we have goldfinch in large numbers, (tap or click to enlarge to see flying bird detail)

feasting on a bowl of seeds,

along with all the other finches and sparrows. The little black seeds you see scattered all over are thistle seeds. It is the first time I put thistle out and the goldfinch love it!