Backyard Update #2: Rain

It's Raining, It's pouring, the Birds are still a Chirpin'

by Emily

When it rains it looks like more birds come when it rains. I have more to sweep when it rains. The seed shells get wet on the ground and may get moldy. Birds still go crazy for food.

The hummingbirds still drink.

Red-winged Blackbird

Red-winged Blackbird Are you listening to the rain?

If you're cold, puff yourself up like me!

Mourning Dove

Female House Finch

California Towhee

Emily's Hummingbirdies

My 3rd Guest Blogger! Emily said that she wanted to write about her birds because she has some exciting news! So here she is... comment if you can.. she'll be thrilled to hear from you!

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I like to feed my hummingbirds with my hummingbird feeder. I want to grow flowers and shrubs for them. I also want to grow plants that attract the insects they eat. I want them to nest in my yard, but it's a little late. As you know, I clean and refill my hummingbird feeder and sometimes the hummingbird drinks out of the ant guard!

When I hang my feeder up after refilling it, I sometimes get a hummingbird coming towards me. While still hanging it up, a hummingbird comes and drinks right in front of me. Up close, I can see the actual size and the male's shimmering red feathers on the gorget. I've always wanted to snap a picture of a male Anna's Hummingbird showing its bright red feathers. I looked up a picture on Google and admired this photo: the bight red shimmering feathers, the tail feathers, the wings directly diagonally.

Photo Credit: Tim Zurowski

It's so beautiful! I tried to take a picture of a hummingbird perched and it didn't work. The light needs to be at the right angle and reflect off the hummingbird's feathers to show its true shine.

When the hummingbird turns its head towards me, I can see its colorful feathers. Right when it turned its head toward me a snapped a photo of it.

I did it! Not like the other picture, but I still did it. I didn't even need any help from my dad. I know how to use his "super lens" camera. Then it flew to my feeder and right when taking off I snapped another photo!

It's a little blurry but beautiful! No help at all to do this. My cute hummingbirds!

Puffing to keep warm on a cold day.

From now on, whenever I, Emily, write about my Backyard Birds, it's going to be Titled: Backyard Update #       . This is Backyard Update #1: Hummingbirds. (I didn't use this as the Title though)

Back Home

I don't visit my parents as often as I should. I usually go when the girls have a day off from school (like holidays or vacation time). It's always a weekday since we don't go on weekends. You see, Matthew works in the same city that they live in. To go to 'work' on the weekends is not very desirable so we try not to go on weekends. I used to work in the City commuting there Monday thru Friday. I did not want to make that trek on a weekend. I actually wanted to stay as far away from 'work' on those two precious days that I had off to do my own thing and not have to think about work.

But when we do visit, it's great since Matthew usually can join us for lunch. We usually go out and try a new or old restaurant in town. This time around we went for Korean food... probably the first time my parents ventured out to try Korean. There was a new restaurant a few blocks from their house. It was very good, in my opinion. My brother and his wife even came to join us. That's the nice thing about having a flexible schedule and the opportunity to work from home for my brother that is.

I always enjoy getting together with my siblings to catch up on the latest news on what's been happening with them. My sister couldn't join us this time around (she usually does). But her boys had school that day so couldn't bring them. And you can't come visit the grandparents without bringing the grand kids you know? Heaven forbid!

It's always nice coming 'home'... I was raised here where I spent 22 years of my life (before and after college until I was married). When my brother came over he bought some donuts for me, the girls and my parents. These donuts were my 'favorites' when I was growing up. Whenever my dad went to Chinatown to go shopping for groceries (there wasn't any 99 Ranch, Marina or Lion Market existent yet), he would detour into San Bruno and grab a dozen donuts from Rolling Pin.

The box design hasn't even changed from 20 years ago!

My parents love to grow flowers and plants and have dozens and dozens of potted plants all in and out of the house, in every room (even the bathrooms and garage) and filling up their 'old lawn' in the backyard and front yard.

My mom is most proud of this orchid plant. So much that she moved it herself from the backyard to the front yard for people to admire. They definitely have a green thumb. Whereas I have a black thumb. I can barely grow a bamboo plant. And how hard it that?

An Educational Shopping Experience

Before heading home from Reno, we did a little outlet shopping in Sparks and encountered the largest and most educational sporting goods store in my entire life. It was a two-level store (the size of a department store like Nordstroms or Macy's) with freshwater and saltwater aquariums; a full sized Ferris wheel in the center; a 'mountain' display of 'stuffed' animals(aka taxidermy); guns galore; and equipment for every single sport you could thing of.

At the Sparks Outlet Mall

I did not know what to expect when we entered Scheels. I thought.. oh .. another boring sports store that Matthew can get lost in.. like REI, Big Five and Sports Authority.

But I was wrong... as we entered we encountered this aquarium... saltwater on this end of the store and freshwater at the other end of the store.

Near the center of this two-story store, there is a huge mountain filled with as many wild animals you can think of that are native to the mountainous regions.

Huge-ous Moose I'd ever seen so close up!

How'd you like to have one of these hanging above your fireplace?

And they sell the stuff you use to catch these beautiful animals too!

Right in the middle is a full sized Ferris wheel. $1.00 a ride.

Some could not pass up the chance to ride it!

This little one wanted to go on it so badly but needed an adult to sit with her.  Guess who won?

Chinese Katniss Everdeens

Little Daniela Boones

So tempted to get this...

Even had a shooting gallery

This is what I call a camouflage suit!

Now another part of this incredible store was their historical part. They had museum displays (many with voice recordings) of the first 14 presidents all throughout the second floor. How perfect is that? You know that I always want to make everything a learning experience. And you can get it at this store!

President John F Kennedy

President Abraham Lincoln

There was a delicious cafe where we lunched. They also had a Gelato ice cream counter and homemade fudge counter. Their soft serve was only 79¢. That's cheaper than McDonald's!

What a deal! Definitely a place for the whole family!

And yes.. they did sell sporting goods too!

Good Eats

Whenever we come up to Reno we have to eat at this place. All-you-can-eat sushi made to order. And since we were traveling with our Buffet Club President and VP... it was a must destination.

I did not realize this but this restaurant that serves all-you-can-eat-sushi has two locations. Sushi Pier 1 and Sushi Pier 2. Matthew and I and the rest of my family whenever we come in December go to Sushi Pier 1 and it's a dinky place. Super duper dinky and can barely accommodate my extended family of 15 when we come. I think we take up 1/2 of the restaurant when we all come.

O. and G. introduced us to Sushi Pier 2. This massive family-style restaurant can hold three Sushi Pier 1's... at least!

Seriously.. we have been going to the wrong location! This one is massively big!

Okay.. three adults ate the all-you-can-eat sushi: $22.95 per person. I do not eat anything raw so I would not get my monies worth. Instead I had beef terayaki and it was delicious!

The other three adults ate the following:

mussels appetizer

BBQ seared tuna (tastes like smoked tuna, very unique)

Wiseguy's (spicy tuna & avocado), Joey Ramone (spicy tuna, spicy crab, avocado)

hamachi, salmon skin handroll, Caterpillar roll, Dragon roll

seared tuna, tobiko, unagi, Goofy (unagi, avocado, & crab), maguro, sake

BBQ seared tuna, cooked scallop, upside down shrimp, Rainbow roll (hamachi, maguro, sake), salmon skin handroll, unagi,  upside down crab (the crab is just imitation crab deep fried)

They ended with a parfait dessert!

You think they ate enough food? Oh I forgot to ask our Buffet Club Officers how they ranked this place.

Good Urban Eats

Driving up through Sac we stopped off at a yummy place, Jack's Urban Eats. Large fresh made to order salads, fresh carved meats, and the garlic fries are to die for!!

Chinese Chicken salad.. and the chicken was warm, freshly carved from the bird!

A Create Your Own Tri-Tip salad

Jack's Classic Tri-Tip Sandwich

Mac N Cheese (for the girls)

Garlic Fries.. the best! Fresh Garlic and Crispy Fries ... the best combination!

As we were leaving the restaurant, we drove by the Commission on Teacher Credentialing. That's where I got my credential certificate and where I have to renew every ten years!