Extra grey today. Woke up to fog. Our Grandkids stayed with us last night so everything seemed bright.
Later we walked in the bush looking for birds. They could be heard everywhere, Seeing them was harder. Lisa can tell how far away they are by their song, I don’t know how she does it, but she is right almost always. My ear just hears them, I can’t tell distance.
Lisa said I taught her how to see animals in the bush, you look for shapes and lines that don’t fit. I learned to do it hunting with my father. My eyes are starting to go, fortunately I can still see lines that bend amongst the trees.
I dreamt I was at the old house the other day. My father said, go in and turn the outside light on. The switch was in a hallway my mother made into a darkroom. As soon as I walked in I smelled the photographic chemicals. They had been left out in the trays. Dektol, stop, fix and hypo. They smelled like they needed to be changed. You can get some interesting results from old chemicals, my mother used to say.
When I told Lisa about my dream she was surprised I could smell in my dreams. She said I must be thinking of my Mom. I think about her often, especially as I get to the age my parents were when I knew them them best.
Now Lisa and I walk and drive some of the trails looking for birds, just like my parents did. The truth is birdwatching can really sneak up on you.
Palliser Pass 
Jim R
That 2nd picture looks like marshmallows on top of sticks. 🙂 We have a nice wooded area behind our house. We enjoy watching the birds come to the feeders and going out on the trails to spot them.
I can’t say I have ever remembered a smell in a dream. Fact is, I almost never remember the dreams I have. They sort of evaporate when I try to tell about them. Except for the scary ones with mean dogs or the ones where I am trying to teach a class and no one is paying any attention.
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mountaincoward
I think remembering dreams is partly practice – if you try to remember the details of your dreams as soon as you wake up (before you get out of bed) and bring it all back, you seem to find it easier the next time.
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Jim R
I’ve actually tried that a few times. Good advice. I don’t have enough evidence yet to know if it helps. It is frustrating.
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underswansea
Lisa rarely remembers her dreams. She is always amazed at the detail I can remember.
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underswansea
I agree. I usually remember my dreams, but do have to make an effort to put them into order first thing in the morning.
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mountaincoward
I want to remember what I was dreaming last night when I awoke with my bad arm flying up in the air!
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underswansea
Some of my worst dreams are when I’m back in high school.
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Jim R
We’re you a good boy, or otherwise?
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underswansea
I was not a good student. I talked to one of my old teachers a few years ago and she said how hard all the teachers tried to make me quit school and couldn’t understand why I didn’t. That was the way back then. I was the only one out of my friends that received my high school diploma. Of course college or university back then may as well been Mars. Things are different now and I’m glad. My kids were the first in our family to earn diplomas and degrees. I am proud of that.
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mountaincoward
I don’t remember having a sense of smell while I’m dreaming either.
I spot wildlife the same way – look for incongruous shapes. I spotted a snake my friend and I were walking towards in Jordan that way. It was a horned viper and the same colour as the sand but I saw the shape and stopped him before he reached it…
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underswansea
Good thing you spotted the snake, they can be difficult to see at the best of times.
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mountaincoward
They’re often designed to blend in as this one was! I like snakes though – I find them fascinating – obviously at a bit of a distance though…
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underswansea
They always make my heart beat faster.
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mountaincoward
with their beauty? 😉 I suppose we’re lucky – we just don’t have any dangerous snakes – we only have 2 and they’re both very shy.
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Julie@frogpondfarm
Ah bird watching .. nice thing to do with a camera close by
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underswansea
One of my favourite things. 🙂
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Julie@frogpondfarm
I know! Wish I could take better shots of them 🙂
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