“Walela” (Wah-ley-lah) is the Cherokee name for hummingbird.
There is something inside the soul of all of us that wants to soar through sunbeams, then dance midair in a delicate mist, then take a simple bath on a leaf. There is something in our souls that wants to hover at beautiful moments in our lives, making them freeze in time. There is something in us that wants to fly backwards and savor once more the beautiful past. Some of us are just hummingbird people. — Animal Speak, by Ted Andrews
Meet Walela, the Allen’s Hummingbird mama who’s taken up residence in the fuchsia bush beside my front door.
She’s sheltering two hatchlings in her feather-soft nest.
Twelve years ago, we exchanged our vows in the clock tower of this very building on a sunny January morning…lots of surprises since, but not a single day’s regrets. 🙂
And so it was that we celebrated our anniversary in Santa Barbara last weekend.
Familiarity with an area is at once comfortable and reassuring, same as with a long-term marriage. Even so, we’re always on the lookout for new experiences, and we actively seek out areas as-yet-unexplored. To our surprise and delight, we discovered Alice Keck Park Memorial Gardens. It’s an urban oasis, truly, so beautiful and tranquil!
Stearns Wharf was more kinetic and noisy, this being the final hurrah for snowbirds who flock to SoCal beaches during the winter holidays.
I didn’t walk the full length of the pie because of the uneven wooden planks. I’m not yet as sure-footed as I’d like to be, and I need to protect my injured ankle. For the most part, I just basked in the peaceful setting, cherished equally by locals and tourists. And thanks to my zoom lens, I was able to bring close the beautiful scenery that’s beyond my current reach.
By the time I write my next blog entry, I’ll have migrated over to WordPress. I’ll give you a heads-up, of course, in hopes that you’ll follow me over there.) I can’t wait to tell you about our field trip to the Coronado Butterfly Preserve in Goleta! If you’ve never seen over-wintering monarchs before, you’re in for a real treat! Here’s a sneak preview–very short, because I’m just now figuring out the video features on my camera.
