Sandra Heska King

daring to open doors

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I’m Sandra, a camera-toting, recovering doer who’s learning to be. still. Read more…

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Turning my attention from a non-hatched monarch to

Turning my attention from a non-hatched monarch to a passel of hatched baby gators. Mama One-Eye done good.

Still on monarch watch. I read that 48 hours of a

Still on monarch watch. I read that 48 hours of a clear chrysalis and visible wings without breaking free was not a good sign. It’s been 48 hours now. How long had it been clear before we noticed it?
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I spent all weekend out here and now since 6 a.m. this morning. I mean—out here. Only running back and forth for food and quick necessities. Like I have nothing better to do. This is a lesson in patience, but when do I give it up?
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There’s probably an essay in this.
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Side 1 and side 2.

#monarchbutterfly

Still waiting. Maybe this is the midwife.

Still waiting. Maybe this is the midwife.

Just discovered this hanging from the bottom rung

Just discovered this hanging from the bottom rung of our chair. We missed the “eclosing” of others. We thought it was all over. But not yet. I am not moving until it breaks free. The neighbors will think I’ve lost my mind lying on the sidewalk.

When you’re surrounded by humans to your right a

When you’re surrounded by humans to your right and to your left and behind with a canal in front, whatcha gonna do? Why, have a little energy snack.

Apparently, we are pregnant! . We had some landsca

Apparently, we are pregnant!
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We had some landscaping redone—not even a month ago. I wanted some things that would attract butterflies. So our guy included some milkweed in front of the garage and next to the entry walk. But who knew they’d be nearly instantly decimated? The plants were almost immediately laden with Monarch caterpillars munching, munching, munching. I don’t know where they all went, but one has set up a nursery on the vintage chair right outside the front door—the chair where the UPS guy leaves all our packages. The small ones anyway. One has hung itself under the roof, and another is apparently trying to find its own spot. We found one fat caterpillar and one itty bitty one left this morning. (Do the big guys eat the little guys?)
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Questions:
1. If Isiaias comes to visit, can we bring the chair inside without upsetting the incubator?
2. How long before the milkweed recovers? Should I prune it back? I babied that stuff. It looks pitiful now.

I use this space to celebrate the beauty of creati

I use this space to celebrate the beauty of creation—landscapes and wildlife, usually in living color. To post a black-and-white selfie looks messy on the page. It upsets the balance.
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But every woman’s life is also messy and unbalanced at times, right? One day we might be doing wild and brave things—and the next day fighting hard battles or running from some clear and present danger.
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No matter where we fall on the personality spectrum—whether we’re extroverts or introverts, whether we’re lions or lambs—we women need each other. We may sometimes disagree, but disagreement does not need to mean disunity. We’re called to rejoice with each other, grieve with each other, encourage each other, inspire each other, even hold each other accountable. We are all connected because we are all beautiful creations from the same hand.
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But not everyone believes that. I understand this whole challenge may have started with the brutal murder of a Turkish woman named #PınarGültekin. I learned a new word—femicide—and also read that one in three women around the world have experienced some type of domestic or sexual violence. One day it could be one of us or someone close to us.

To @sueleeduffield – thank you for nominating me for this challenge. Thanks to you and all those women who help make me better. I celebrate and love you. We are stronger together.
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#challengeaccepted
#womensupportingwomen

Mother and child...

Mother and child...

Is the coast clear?

Is the coast clear?

When you can’t pin them down in the marsh, they

When you can’t pin them down in the marsh, they might just come to you. Sweet backyard visitors today. ❤️
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#blackbelliedwhistlingduck

“Instructed by heron, drink the pure silence . .

“Instructed by heron, drink the pure silence . . . Be careless of nothing. See what you see.” ~Philip Booth in “How to See Deer”
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Yes. We were close this morning. Early. Between the paths across from the canal, half the little herd on each path. You should have heard his hooves thunder when he finally decided to run—leaving the rest behind.

“As water reflects the face, so one’s life ref

“As water reflects the face, so one’s life reflects the heart.” ~ Proverbs 27:19 (NIV)

Today is the annual Take Your Poet to Work Day spo

Today is the annual Take Your Poet to Work Day sponsored by @tspoetry.
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Starting the morning with a poetry lesson. I’m teaching Anna Akhmatova and Tania Runyan (AKA @poetmom6 ) the importance of stirring the bees. Because the sounds (or the buzz) in a poem make it easier to memorize. Easier than trying to pin down this bee.
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I’m really just giving Tania a refresher course cuz she’s the one that taught that in the first place. (Well, she might have learned it from Billy Collins. Whatever.) Tania actually practices the buzz pretty well. Like in this verse from “The Bee Box” from her book A Thousand Vessels in the section about Martha (from the Bible’s Mary and Martha).
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“The hexagons wait to be filled. / I must fly out to one more patch of flowers. / I must seal the world shut with my wax.”
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Memorized. Boom! Or maybe I should say BUZZ.

The calm after the storm.

The calm after the storm.

Also shared the trail with these cuties this morni

Also shared the trail with these cuties this morning.

Just sharing the trail... and trying to catch up f

Just sharing the trail... and trying to catch up for a better picture. It was in no hurry and then disappeared into the grass. #bobcat
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Also, one sprinted across the parking lot when we pulled in. I don’t think this was the same one. Could be. Waiting 3-1/2 years to see one, and then 3 within a month. Here kitty, kitty.

Mama! Mama! Wait up!

Mama! Mama! Wait up!

Two handsome boys this morning. Or girls.

Two handsome boys this morning. Or girls.

I’ve got my eye on you.

I’ve got my eye on you.

Mama One-Eye is still minding the nursery. She lai

Mama One-Eye is still minding the nursery. She laid her eggs on May 29. They hatch in about 65 days when the babies start to vocalize while still in their shells. I read this synchronizes they hatching and alerts mama to assist. I’d love to be there for the grand event. It’s also unusual for a nest to be this close to a trail. I don’t think she strays far for food. Once when we were there, a limpkin was strutting and squawking on the nest. The drama we expected never happened.

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