§ Hear My Voice...

Granted, I did NOT go to the movie theater at all in the last year, year and a half. Sad, 'cause I love movies. For virus reasons, we stayed away. As most movies either stopped production or a longer, covid break, took its toll in direction, etc.   BUT!! I watched the 93rd Annual Oscar Presentation this past Sunday. Of course, I had no idea what was going on with showcasing actors and their roles, nor the content of the movies nominated. I must say, tho, I was impressed with the singing the songs of the year at the pre-oscars. It kinda saved a bit of time during the broadcast. And ONE SONG in particular hit me where my heart is! It didn't win the award, but oh my, the lyrics hit home. The words could be meant to be our own country's  theme song with what our world, as we know it, has turned into the past few months! It's a poignant piece in all retrospect ---2020-2021.... Please, listen to it as you read the lyrics. See if you may agree it's a song of the times. [Movie: which Bud and I will buy the DVD when released -based on a true account]

Hear my voice
Hear my dreams
Let us make a world
In which I believe
Hear my words
Hear my cries
Let me see a change
Through these eyes
You may think
I won't be heard
Still I'll raise this hand
And spread this word
These words of fire
Of hope and desire
And I'll let them free


Hear my voice
Hear my dreams
Let us make a world
In which we believe
In which we believe
Hear my words
Hear my choice
Hear my voice

Celeste and movie poster courtesy of Google Images

§ Gone Fishing....

Note:  Composed Saturday, posted Sunday morning---

It's Saturday morning, and it's been raining for several hours! Not much to do then, except for laundry and a bit of reading and movie watching later today and this evening. After working outdoors a bit yesterday, Bud and I watched two movies. Both Oscar contenders. During the Christmas break [2017] we went to the theater to see Darkest Hour. Last Tuesday it came out on DVD and I stopped to buy it on the way home, taking with me another highly praised movie...Three Billboards Outside Ebbing Missouri. I can't understand why this was/is getting such high accolades. It's okay; the language is foul!!! But, to me it's violent, sick, and quite disturbing!!! Maybe with so much of the hashtag Me Too and now the Florida school slaying in the news, it's noteworthy to some. I just can see it. Truly, Frances McDormand has a great talent...she pulled off her leading role in the movie with panache/pizzazz! Three things bothered me throughout the movie [four if I include the premature ending...altho I was GLAD it was done]...the aforementioned language, the killing/suicides/body-burning, and all the posthumous letters read. Drama/Vilolence/Comedy? I don't think so...if it wins the Movie of the Year,...I won't be surprised, but highly disappointed.

I'd much prefer Darkest Hour win the movie of the year.  AND Gary Oldman taking the top Oscar for leading actor as Winston Churchill.  I am constantly astounded by the talent washing through this movie...the acting, the sets, the very accurate [his]story, directing and most of all the makeup artist that worked on Mr. Oldman to change him from this to Churchill

Sunday night...Oscars.
I love watching the preview mostly...the Red Carpet prior to the ceremony for the fashions...I'm sure this year, most female celebrities will be wearing black.  It's become so political...but I still force myself to enjoy!!

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courtesy of local news station
"2020 it's expected to be complete."
The project will include the development, design, construction and maintenance of a total of 6.44 miles of bridge and connecting roadway. The bridge will include six-lane sections of US 181, three lanes in each direction with a median barrier, shoulders, and a bicycle and pedestrian shared-use path. Additionally, the project includes the reconstruction of approximately 1.6 miles of I-37, reconstruction of approximately one mile of the Crosstown Expressway and demolition of the existing Harbor Bridge.

Updates courtesy of Harbor Bridge Project

While driving around, it was a quiet section, traffic-wise, so I slowed down to check out the progress of the new expansion bridge that is being built to replace the 'old harbor bridge' [built in 1952]...I was able to drive slow enough to take some photos...







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GONE FISHING
The other day, I was driving to search for a reported rare bird [one from Europe so I wasn't expecting to find it actually, but we HAVE had long, lost vagrants that seem to show up ocassionally]. I was sure it was a 'hoax' reporting. I did see several species along the way:  Skimmers, Yellowlegs, Willets, seagulls, plovers, cormorants, pelicans, wintering ducks, and year 'round resident ducks, herons, egrets and more.  Besides, I could stop along the bay, and walk along the coast line. When I finished my 'half way mark' to turn around to go back along the way I had come, nearing the end of my walk, a Great Blue Heron caught a fish!! I snapped a sequence of photos as what looks like bass wriggling in its captor's jaws...

I was also able to get some good close up images of a Herring Gull [one of the largest in North America]...in its 3rd year plumage.  They're very large, beautiful and, my special feature...pink feet!!!!  I'll get to resizing the photos someday soon.

§ Take a Hike!!!

As in my previous post, shopping for coloring books, I failed to mention I didn't get very many steps in for my daily walking regime. That meant, I hopped back in the car and drove to Pollywog  Ponds to get my total step count up. I ended up short anyway...but only by less than a thousand. Instead of 10000 which is my goal, I fell short, 9285, once I returned to the car to head back home. I rarely include my steps around the house, but they'll have to be added this time.

Anyway, at Pollywog Ponds I walked from the entrance gate clear back to the Nueces River. The afternoon sky couldn't make up its mind to remain partly cloudy or overcast. By the time I reached the river, the clouds grew and made the photography lacking much color. The birds were very short in supply as well. I think it was the late hour in the day; most were looking for somewhere to roost for the evening. In any case, here's what I saw for the time there: