Author: cindy knoke

https://cindyknoke.com/ 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.

Bees & Blooms~

On By cindy knokeIn Conservation, Flowers, GARDENING AT THE HOLLER, HOLLER HAPPENINGS, MY PHOTOGRAPHS, REVERIES, Wild Life185 Comments

Where there are blooms,

there are bees.

Where there are lots of blooms,

there are lots of bees!

“The earth laughs in flowers,”

and lives because of bees.

Cheers to you from the bees and the blooms~

Orioles Closer~

On By cindy knokeIn Conservation, HOLLER HAPPENINGS, MY PHOTOGRAPHS, REVERIES, Wild Life144 Comments

If you live with,

very shy migrating birds,

they remember you,

from season to season,

based on the consistency of your behavior,

and quality of your snacks!

Cheers to you from the very wise, and very hungry, orioles~

People Watchers~

On By cindy knokeIn Birds, Conservation, HOLLER HAPPENINGS, MY PHOTOGRAPHS, Wild Life227 Comments

Orioles are dedicated people watchers.

It is more than an hobby for them.

It’s a lifestyle.

They never seem to take their eyes off you!

I wonder,

what they actually think of us.

I don’t speak oriole,

but I suspect,

they’re not overly impressed.

Cheers to you from the people watching orioles~

Convocation of Cardinals~

On By cindy knokeIn Birds, Conservation, HOLLER HAPPENINGS, MY PHOTOGRAPHS, REVERIES, Wild Life183 Comments

Of the red-capped woodpecker kind,

is happening at The Holler.

Normally intensely shy and skittish,

they have decided it’s time,

to show their best profiles,

and pose for portraits.

I am most happy to oblige,

even though one stuck his tongue out at me.

Cheers to you from your foto-friendly-feathered-friends~

Female Grosbeak~

On By cindy knokeIn Birds, Conservation, HOLLER HAPPENINGS, MY PHOTOGRAPHS146 Comments

Holler birds are out in record number this year!

We have a mated pair of Black Headed Grosbeaks (and a pair of Blue Grosbeaks!).

This is the black head female, who seemed most pleased with the treats we have on offer,

at least judging by the quantity she wolfs down daily.

You can see whole sunflower seeds with shells in her beak!

She must be expecting and eating for two, or four, or so.

Cheers to you from the very hungry grosbeak~

Lonely Pup~

On By cindy knokeIn Conservation, MY PHOTOGRAPHS, REVERIES, Wild Life185 Comments

A harbor seal pup comes in from a swim,

and searches the beach for his mother,

but she is out fishing,

and he is alone.

Dejected and tired,

he rolls in the sand, naps and waits.

Cheers to you from the lonely seal pup~

Rare Locals~

On By cindy knokeIn Birds, Conservation, HOLLER HAPPENINGS, MY PHOTOGRAPHS, REVERIES, Wild Life200 Comments

White Faced Ibis are large and imposing birds.

They are residents year round in Southern California,

although I rarely see them.

Finding this nesting colony,

was quite a treat.

White Faced Ibis have a migratory range that extends from Canada in the north, to Chile and Argentina in the south. I have seen and photographed them more in South America than I have here!

Cheers to you from the gorgeous and iridescent White Faced Ibis~

An Uncommon Fellow~

On By cindy knokeIn Birds, Conservation, HOLLER HAPPENINGS, MY PHOTOGRAPHS, Wild Life234 Comments

Look who’s been posing like a model,

at our local ponds lately,

Wood Ducks, which are uncommon in Southern California.

I need to go back and photograph the females,

who are not quite as show stopping as the males,

but are beautiful none the less.

Cheers to you from the uncommonly beautiful California Wood Duck~

Mind your Mother~

On By cindy knokeIn Birds, Conservation, HOLLER HAPPENINGS, MY PHOTOGRAPHS, REVERIES, Wild Life170 Comments

“I’m watching you!”

This Night Heron spent some time watching me intently,

and then went back,

to catching crabs!

He caught a few,

and then hopped down,

and joined me on my picnic table.

I think he hoped I’d share my lunch.

Cheers to you & Happy Mother Earth Day from the people watching heron~

Tree-top Dancers~

On By cindy knokeIn Birds, Conservation, HOLLER HAPPENINGS, MY PHOTOGRAPHS, Wild Life225 Comments

Snowy Egrets,

in full courtship display,

dance on the top of tall thorn trees,

and sing their peculiar courtship songs.

They seem to get ignored a lot,

but their efforts must work,

judging by the hundred or so tree-top nesting females.

Egrets dance, sing, and nest, on trees with formidable thorns, to keep less talented predators away.

I found this recording on you tube of the egret’s most peculiar courtship song. It is much louder in person with many birds courting, dancing and singing, at the same time. ( Thank you Kim DeGiulio Goecke, who I do not know, who accurately recorded their songs):

Cheers to you from the dancing and singing tree-top birds~