It’s my natural tendency to avoid public displays of sentiment (another character flaw…) but recently I’ve been reflecting on just how much I enjoy blogging and interacting with my readers. Even though I’ve never actually met most of you, I can’t help but feel that we have become “friends” on some level. And this time of year especially, I think of my friends.
Friends usually share at least some common interests and for us it seems to be a mix of birds, nature and/or photography. Many of you are more knowledgeable in those areas than I am and have graciously shared your expertise and experiences with me and others. For that I am grateful.
So I wanted to wish each of you the very best this holiday season. I hope you’re with family and loved ones and that your experiences over the next few days will add to your cherished memories down the road.
I wish you a safe and joyous holiday season!
Ron
About the image: The bird is a Song Sparrow, plucking seeds from a hoar frost covered stem on a very cold and magical early morning on the refuge wetlands. You can see frost falling near the tail from the feeding activity.
Many thanks for the wonderful pictures, information, laughs and sighs! I wish you and yours a Marvelous New Year, and many more opportunities to photograph and share your knowledge and experiences with us.
I love this shot!
Hi Ron. I drove 315 miles today to spend the holiday with my daughter and her family. My visit got off to a great start when three grandchildren raced out to greet me with Christmas kisses. An hour or so later, I opened my email to find your VERY nice holiday message. Warm greetings from family, followed by warm greetings from a friend (I agree with your thoughts on this). It IS the most wonderful time of the year.
I wish you and yours all the joys of the season, and good health and prosperity in the New Year!
Cheers,
Dick
What an especially nice comment, Dick. Warmed me up as much as the Christmas toddy I’m enjoying right now. I hope you have a wonderful visit with your daughter and her family and a safe drive home when it’s over.
What a lovely image, Merry Christmas to you and yours and may the coming year be blessed. Just one question what happened to your share button? I can’t tweet this post directly anymore because your share, except for facebook is gone.
Thanks, Susan. I’m sorry to report that I decided to remove that button due to some serious copyright infringement issues with one of the several social media sites the button included. I do apologize for the inconvenience.
Many thanks for the holiday song sparrow greeting.
This was one of the best cards I received this year.
And of course thanks for all your posts and photos.
Hope we can soon learn that the female kestrel is safe and back in nature where she belongs without accoutrements
Thank you, Diana. Your second sentence made me smile. I’ll keep you posted on the female kestrel but it may be a while. Becka said that they may have to work on the recapture efforts for “a week or two” since she’s so wary.
That is (again) a truly amazing image. I have also been amazed at the warmth I have experienced in the bloggosphere and, like you, have found friends here.
Thank you so much for a year where you have fed my birding obsessions.
Happy and safe holidays to you and yours as well. It is a grey and overcast Christmas morning here and my day has been brightened by at least five native bird species visiting.
Elephants Child, From reading the comments on your blog posts I can tell that you’ve made some very nice connections with many of your readers. With all that’s going on “out there” it’s reassuring to know that most of humanity really does have heart.
Thank you Ron , look forward to seeing your work in the New Year. Happy Holidays !!
The same to you Eldridge!
Thank you for your terrific blog Ron…and for the smart readers too…
Best wishes to everyone in the new year!
Blue, Thank you. I especially liked the “smart readers” part of your comment. So true!
Ron, Merry Christmas to you too, it has been a pleasure interacting with you on the blog, not to speak of the joy you have brought me with this Song Sparrow.
The pleasure works both ways, Maria. You won’t be having a white Christmas down there but then you don’t have to deal with the cold, either.
This is so lovely! Thank you for your thoughtful holiday wishes and thanks especially for sharing your wonderful photography, insights, and knowledge. All the best this season to you, too!
Glad you like the image, Sharon. I hoped that it was appropriate for this kind of post.
I savor every post of yours, both the photography and the commentary. I’m amazed at the level of detail and the care you take. I haven’t taken the opportunity to comment before, but I mentally thank you for each one. I get much vicarious pleasure from your birding/photography adventures. Thank you, thank you. Every good wish for this holiday season.
Welcome, Janet and thank you. It’s very nice to know you hang out here occasionally and appreciate the content.
Merry Christmas to you and yours! Thanks for all you do!
Thank you, Charlotte. It’s just now beginning to snow here in Salt Lake City and they’re promising us a white Christmas. Hope they’re right…