tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-151714022024-03-18T07:00:36.329-04:00Northview DiaryLife on a family farm
in the wilds of
Upstate New Yorkthreecolliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05811004278088768813noreply@blogger.comBlogger6594125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15171402.post-46093356020065408332024-03-17T06:35:00.003-04:002024-03-17T07:50:26.525-04:00Cranes<p><b> </b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxTaSqAgwxaRtSKLclWoHFkro_ENdMz0VNzJujbkfQsqQYrrPXYgYwfOqVOm3ADjr6NnqRYoTMyyBOvkhE5Xnjkb4CNCXHjHVXK4OAd22jqwRKF5zigWaA6wlIRP1zkBVbOZKQKLOqeqjrvnjpZ3KT9V8jvU8ZwFrFxlOIoB4BwUihNwWgn3O6Jw/s2940/IMG_9218.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2353" data-original-width="2940" height="256" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxTaSqAgwxaRtSKLclWoHFkro_ENdMz0VNzJujbkfQsqQYrrPXYgYwfOqVOm3ADjr6NnqRYoTMyyBOvkhE5Xnjkb4CNCXHjHVXK4OAd22jqwRKF5zigWaA6wlIRP1zkBVbOZKQKLOqeqjrvnjpZ3KT9V8jvU8ZwFrFxlOIoB4BwUihNwWgn3O6Jw/s320/IMG_9218.JPG" width="320" /></a></b></div><b><br /></b><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>Thick muscular wings.</b> Tall, gawky bodies, awkward, gangly, long, stilty legs, with fluffy brown and silver bodies like unshorn lambs. Look like loaves of bread sunning on the levee in the late afternoon.</span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>Delicate and graceful as leaves</b> whirling in an eddy, they dance, skip, and float on the air, leaping over one another in an unworldly ballet, wonder on the water, out there in the pool.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrY77kJ4gxjsw-H8Kep3cm2tixJxCs3b1JO2aRZnbdmz9uNBRAC8khoWErlGUCHxbP7BWeTsOjw1UgbMC6kooXDnfJCCj-_B19kuUIsbTb-x3HyLyWHPx9HtTbFit8-OLwnqUMHn4YkoppqitsopkTEP_ria5YWHcgBToluCwKMuP1qZTxuvK88g/s5184/IMG_9264.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3888" data-original-width="5184" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrY77kJ4gxjsw-H8Kep3cm2tixJxCs3b1JO2aRZnbdmz9uNBRAC8khoWErlGUCHxbP7BWeTsOjw1UgbMC6kooXDnfJCCj-_B19kuUIsbTb-x3HyLyWHPx9HtTbFit8-OLwnqUMHn4YkoppqitsopkTEP_ria5YWHcgBToluCwKMuP1qZTxuvK88g/s320/IMG_9264.JPG" width="320" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>My dear friend Kris</b> took me on an outing to Montezuma National Wildlife Refuge and Cayuga Lake State Park yesterday. We were both up long before o'dark thirty and left my house just before five. We were at the visitor's pool just before seven-thirty.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9VnYaGpp0R0YLgTrsJ21VRaTVdgbKdbIPa_IOXYKb_tyqoUYPhS6gfMQtK-fndvEL4lGr8P-twYgjknhzO678xQyf2UN3SkpL_dwNM2CiaVvb2KWW2gWfxpjw-Kohyphenhyphenzv6IYmGqlpEOjJ8y4BU0Kj_v0v7tVeEsLhVX8ryEMJnwk2AiDq250wFvA/s5184/IMG_9236.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3888" data-original-width="5184" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9VnYaGpp0R0YLgTrsJ21VRaTVdgbKdbIPa_IOXYKb_tyqoUYPhS6gfMQtK-fndvEL4lGr8P-twYgjknhzO678xQyf2UN3SkpL_dwNM2CiaVvb2KWW2gWfxpjw-Kohyphenhyphenzv6IYmGqlpEOjJ8y4BU0Kj_v0v7tVeEsLhVX8ryEMJnwk2AiDq250wFvA/s320/IMG_9236.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Northern Pintail drake</span></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>The Sandhill Cranes were there</b> as had been reported recently on various Facebook pages and eBird. They danced and sang for us, their songs as uncanny and prehistoric as any Hollywood movie track, only as real and the pools they played in. We stayed as long as they did, then headed out to tour the refuge for the entire day, other than a short side trip to Cayuga Lake in search of the near mythical Red-headed Woodpeckers we had been reading about.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>The latter were common</b> during my college days way back in the first years of the 1970s. When I used to sneak out of class to ride the dirt roads south of Fonda, or rode a then-young Magnum on those same dirt roads, I saw them everywhere.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPrYGbl8OkgVYNsAwDJCwHIRuh3ETqUKMKxHPVh2sAJFOYXJvh_Iil0ADutj0pY-fXjlCe8mIMWty7maEvlU4377VAOAnverPS7hyiEssvIMx5C5gG33UBf-w6FFHTlkCF8pjl7frnzibGrXLRUNH3ddI82ePeP7dSVc1Bx2fsLcTzvLmedTufBQ/s5184/IMG_9252.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3888" data-original-width="5184" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPrYGbl8OkgVYNsAwDJCwHIRuh3ETqUKMKxHPVh2sAJFOYXJvh_Iil0ADutj0pY-fXjlCe8mIMWty7maEvlU4377VAOAnverPS7hyiEssvIMx5C5gG33UBf-w6FFHTlkCF8pjl7frnzibGrXLRUNH3ddI82ePeP7dSVc1Bx2fsLcTzvLmedTufBQ/s320/IMG_9252.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;">I love the size contrast between these Trumpeter Swans<br />and the ducks around them. Big birds!</span></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>Until yesterday I hadn't seen one since then</b>. However we spoke to a nice gentleman at May's Point Pool, who instructed us right to the exact tree where to find them. As soon as we reached the appointed spot we saw one flitting away and joined an ever changing-group of birders watching a single male plying the trees for luncheon.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><b> I was astonished how hard it was to see him</b>, what with his bright, flashy, colors and all. I can spot a tiny Downy at considerable distance, but I had to look hard to find this delightful bird.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>The whole day was spectacular.</b> Nice weather, decent light, with short periods of the throat catching kind that turns an ordinary landscape into a scene from a Hopper painting, and lots and lots of wonderful birds I only see at the refuge. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>Huge thanks to Kris</b> for being kind enough to include me in her visits to this magical spot and for sharing my enthusiasm for birds, both rare and ordinary. Sure had a great time!</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><b><a href="https://macaulaylibrary.org/asset/616146333">Here is a link to a recording</a></b> I made of the cranes at the visitor's pool.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjz4Z4FlscAQgeg1S9TXoRygLhd8mGm5RVOXqOpRiT0QU2VCrA9yrP23Ho3JYjEZOqHmqbAcxYngyxVhVJZokhTtBLBFlU3l_96iBk-avWnM3LNwV5VG60IKwsA7bgpZK5VZiOm99VaZOW9fgFTkTuL_EUe0LRNRBDZKiLdJdU5p5fS2vrOrrQeWg/s3153/IMG_9261.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1955" data-original-width="3153" height="198" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjz4Z4FlscAQgeg1S9TXoRygLhd8mGm5RVOXqOpRiT0QU2VCrA9yrP23Ho3JYjEZOqHmqbAcxYngyxVhVJZokhTtBLBFlU3l_96iBk-avWnM3LNwV5VG60IKwsA7bgpZK5VZiOm99VaZOW9fgFTkTuL_EUe0LRNRBDZKiLdJdU5p5fS2vrOrrQeWg/s320/IMG_9261.JPG" width="320" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><p></p>threecolliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05811004278088768813noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15171402.post-55176447030904446822024-03-08T05:22:00.001-05:002024-03-08T05:27:00.000-05:00Practicing for Jet Lag<p><b> </b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQD0nSEBO5HoipMicOR2VALujopzNBVJ9OFtX5UlnyO20cqHr6lYiTce64QZ-1CcFPfBde-JwKyXAOt27V2le5nvPpFdczefkJPlVG81Jc0TyXi9NWwqVbapYrXRa_lIKhRc-szAbhqO1s1SyyJft6fmCytBAoT2yxUv-gR7PUm8BbiaUq3cNj9g/s5184/IMG_8605.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3888" data-original-width="5184" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQD0nSEBO5HoipMicOR2VALujopzNBVJ9OFtX5UlnyO20cqHr6lYiTce64QZ-1CcFPfBde-JwKyXAOt27V2le5nvPpFdczefkJPlVG81Jc0TyXi9NWwqVbapYrXRa_lIKhRc-szAbhqO1s1SyyJft6fmCytBAoT2yxUv-gR7PUm8BbiaUq3cNj9g/s320/IMG_8605.JPG" width="320" /></a></b></div><b><br /></b><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>Because you know it's going to get us all</b> after the time distortion that will come on Sunday. I set the bedroom clock an hour ahead earlier this week, to start getting ready for the misery that is the official <i>Time Change</i>.</span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>So...I got up at ten after four</b> to walk Jill who was way off color yesterday. Happy to report she seems significantly improved this morning.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>Since I was up I went owling.</b></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>In the backyard.</b></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>In my bathrobe and crocs</b> (hey, don't be all judgey now).</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>A thick frost fell last night,</b> not enough to freeze the water trickling off the hill after all the rain the last couple of days, but the mud was hard enough that I could walk part way to the old cow barn.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>There were no owls today.</b>...just one lonesome White-throated Sparrow, giving off one sleepy cheep from somewhere under the mulberry trees.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>However, as I stared up at the early stars</b>, sparkling even in the light-polluted sky here so near to town, I saw a thin shroud of icy fog slowly folding them into its dim embrace. It felt as i I was watching something private and secret, even with the din of trains and the Thruway just to the north.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>I came back in to warmth and coffee</b>, welcome after half an hour in the frigid air. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>No owls in here either.</b></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><b><br /></b></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><b></b></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgi-nIQVCgLgO5FhBPgI-QrEEI0n1Q-vy1bdn9mivkplM-_JigK99GyzhFDVL-cEXuPsYqObbfUZLW2M2BR9mI8ZRNKiURHuFjwCKPBctaEZFYV4UoqGdWljzEwpVHKDwWylA6gtHNkp3m9t17yWxuWYrmMHM9vLWPLp9CmeSaK1SoKT3IGvxVjFA/s5184/IMG_8594.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3888" data-original-width="5184" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgi-nIQVCgLgO5FhBPgI-QrEEI0n1Q-vy1bdn9mivkplM-_JigK99GyzhFDVL-cEXuPsYqObbfUZLW2M2BR9mI8ZRNKiURHuFjwCKPBctaEZFYV4UoqGdWljzEwpVHKDwWylA6gtHNkp3m9t17yWxuWYrmMHM9vLWPLp9CmeSaK1SoKT3IGvxVjFA/s320/IMG_8594.JPG" width="320" /></a></b></span></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><b><br /></b></span><p></p>threecolliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05811004278088768813noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15171402.post-79217678532381901112024-03-01T08:23:00.010-05:002024-03-01T09:08:23.832-05:00Gothic Horror Story<p><b> </b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLwOkOhh9lZJf_E6ovHyUdMKsDShmFAazyvIPOqb2dYblGxvP8APjACSoUjhCpPgTThMVqAghcQaHa-NbKyg8jE6MzAIuIvkHMp2jyWrxLo_ZJu-wIg-ryRt2zRRkOOPDrMZv2GYtszZgzuvbBFYTtFLWeveWK6V-BrKd4Ba-QIvAOrmu9nwxVHw/s4608/IMG_6671.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLwOkOhh9lZJf_E6ovHyUdMKsDShmFAazyvIPOqb2dYblGxvP8APjACSoUjhCpPgTThMVqAghcQaHa-NbKyg8jE6MzAIuIvkHMp2jyWrxLo_ZJu-wIg-ryRt2zRRkOOPDrMZv2GYtszZgzuvbBFYTtFLWeveWK6V-BrKd4Ba-QIvAOrmu9nwxVHw/s320/IMG_6671.JPG" width="320" /></a></b></div><b><br /></b><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>The sky was threatening. </b>Gloomy, hung over with bulging yellow and grey clouds, pregnant with the promise of fear.<b> </b>She was alone with a grandkid and the dogs in the big gothic spooky house. A storm was incoming. </span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>She ventured out to the back porch</b> to look east and south.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>A thick cable of blackness dangled from the sky</b> like a snaking tentacle, looming close, and coming closer.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>She raced inside, screaming for the grandchild</b> to get to the cellar. Grab a blanket. Be quick.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>Down the crumbling wooden stair they went</b>, to sit at the bottom clutching the dull red sleeping bag the child had chosen.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>But, no! The dogs.</b> They were in the kitchen in their crates.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>Stay, small one, stay </b>while I go.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>Leash on the white one</b>, where is the grey?</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>Back down to the kiddo</b> to find the white one tied to a cluster of Easter ribbons and the grey one replaced by a small stuffed toy dog. Weird.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>Go back for the grey.</b></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>Too late.</b></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>The cellar windows were man-high, </b>laid-up stone tunnels reaching out from the cellar to shallow, root and vine-grown trenches in the ground. Through the frame of dangling vines and roots they could see blackness coming and the horrible mouth of the thing open and sucking.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>She tried to call 911 </b>but the phone only showed video games in violent reds and purples. No key pad. No contacts list. Though she had memorized the sheriff's phone number a long time ago there was no way to call them.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>She tried the small one's phone</b> but it was the same.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>The mouth of the maelstrom</b> hovered outside one of the window tunnels, howling in rage.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>Then, just like that, it was gone</b> and the house still stood.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>Next strangers came</b>, strolling through the cellar, lying down on platforms of boards, looking into nooks and corners. She tried everything to make them leave, even hitting them and dumping water on them. They would not go and more and more of them stumbled down to join the peering throng.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>Then I woke up.</b></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><b> And thought, "Holy crap!</b> That was the most vivid and realistic dream I have ever had!!" Weirdest too and I've had some doozies. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>A lot of stuff going on around here</b> and I guess I am realizing that there are things I can't control, no matter how much of an excessively controlling person I am.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>But, man, oh, man, I wish I could bottle my imagination</b>...it's got to be worth something. LOL</span></p><p><br /></p>threecolliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05811004278088768813noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15171402.post-3328015866526478542024-02-08T06:46:00.003-05:002024-02-08T06:48:50.679-05:00The Cats<p><b> </b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjq6VAB4ThF9qH20NftMIktCobLloBo6DxIfebhNf4Fohy1orpHHXX6DMWt4WuOLDXHug3QYnNO3GVS8MszKxHwwP7NethA70xalOsQMcELJWRqctSZy2VdyXWtJ333IVu__4B1jDKVgQpP4ss6ws2p5JnMwPq2kDYJUSHdVqk-QDZeb3emGDcC4g/s5184/IMG_7375.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3888" data-original-width="5184" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjq6VAB4ThF9qH20NftMIktCobLloBo6DxIfebhNf4Fohy1orpHHXX6DMWt4WuOLDXHug3QYnNO3GVS8MszKxHwwP7NethA70xalOsQMcELJWRqctSZy2VdyXWtJ333IVu__4B1jDKVgQpP4ss6ws2p5JnMwPq2kDYJUSHdVqk-QDZeb3emGDcC4g/s320/IMG_7375.JPG" width="320" /></a></b></div><b><br /><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></b><p></p><p><b><span style="font-family: arial;">Are rearranging the furniture again.</span></b></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>I don't know how they do it...or why</b></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>But you can hear them at it.</b></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>Early morning pills and bills</b></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>Dogs for walking</b></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>Wrens are talking.</b></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>Just another winter day</b> </span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>Cold bright sunrise </b></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>Cold dull routine.</b></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>But, wait, what light through yonder window breaks?</b></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>Migration is starting...</b></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>Yeah, it is!</b></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>Yesterday a Wood Duck</b></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>Tuesday a Great Blue Heron.</b></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>Who knows what today might bring?</b></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>Anticipation is the spice of everything!</b></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><b><br /></b></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><b><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkQBvLNVl75CK6gvqgilKYIl_FrlY-KpqY9s2lJWRw9I43gt7UZByXVlQWN8uBjsTAMvWGh2o13hj4KZWbNUkT6N-qL8YS-Z70etOl8pUhCewiUu9spU-CUk7UjuKsjHy9qUdeewH0CnNps3A4bVJIfVPXAS2yQUBvqY72PbzE22wgLqhLvZ9JyQ/s4741/IMG_7365.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3071" data-original-width="4741" height="207" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkQBvLNVl75CK6gvqgilKYIl_FrlY-KpqY9s2lJWRw9I43gt7UZByXVlQWN8uBjsTAMvWGh2o13hj4KZWbNUkT6N-qL8YS-Z70etOl8pUhCewiUu9spU-CUk7UjuKsjHy9qUdeewH0CnNps3A4bVJIfVPXAS2yQUBvqY72PbzE22wgLqhLvZ9JyQ/s320/IMG_7365.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Five Bald Eagles in one spot</td></tr></tbody></table><br /></b></span></p>threecolliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05811004278088768813noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15171402.post-75280153692620415782024-01-31T18:16:00.004-05:002024-01-31T18:16:25.641-05:00Encounter<p><span style="font-family: arial;"><b></b></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVgLemkuVDxMLe4VLHSXnI2gz9dqVa_x4-zzBqwL8Q68JAwZT7Yusn_iFCEM1BKwQ2s0e-6cSMzwNgb5Z8m_ulRUEj5RvnYZzhXT9rddUTR_KXlwmmdZCod9PbN07zlus4zX8t6kgVZa0BBcVruHAutrbamGLK5Y1VtaNJ5Zr9CmAhnWk7oB2pKQ/s1825/IMG_7137.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1306" data-original-width="1825" height="229" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVgLemkuVDxMLe4VLHSXnI2gz9dqVa_x4-zzBqwL8Q68JAwZT7Yusn_iFCEM1BKwQ2s0e-6cSMzwNgb5Z8m_ulRUEj5RvnYZzhXT9rddUTR_KXlwmmdZCod9PbN07zlus4zX8t6kgVZa0BBcVruHAutrbamGLK5Y1VtaNJ5Zr9CmAhnWk7oB2pKQ/s320/IMG_7137.JPG" width="320" /></a></b></span></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><b><br />While not much else is going right,</b> birding has been awesome lately. Finding Short-eared Owls has been one great treat, but today it was Bald Eagles.</span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiu-9t1JCsR3SpQpmrbYZ-VniUEuzd7V-J2RLUoFulB-1SM_cNdtZsNgdQzVXod5W7bIn_pY1JqgOrRnj_DtLJUFVTiRtHvYDkDhYflusp1uHfe2W8VMZSJpS0kdLae6e2QpUarZKMjoAltKaGpTqbZupx6Zcay6CN1TbOugo4vtQF88sTb1_3Cxw/s5184/IMG_7117.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3888" data-original-width="5184" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiu-9t1JCsR3SpQpmrbYZ-VniUEuzd7V-J2RLUoFulB-1SM_cNdtZsNgdQzVXod5W7bIn_pY1JqgOrRnj_DtLJUFVTiRtHvYDkDhYflusp1uHfe2W8VMZSJpS0kdLae6e2QpUarZKMjoAltKaGpTqbZupx6Zcay6CN1TbOugo4vtQF88sTb1_3Cxw/s320/IMG_7117.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Short-eared Owl</td></tr></tbody></table><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>There was one sitting on a log in the pool</b> at the boat launch today. Although I tried for a photo, something unseen blew all the ducks off the Schoharie and spooked him too, just as I aimed.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMDYBlgBg-cEoZbPi7yHVfKkBQUdB8Z8GWGfYHsNJHTMjDnxBJj2EX2BX4bYswXQktGZ2nZhHJ_m9SiBSGBl6x3iFNFNZmktCJG4r8aZyI-4YHeuoFG4wK8IiryR7DOrwni9NIKKKXNPr5Dl8-M_SESXd19DBnQjiLJVfUAFX7QYzhvm4dF9Fnjg/s3619/IMG_7141.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2910" data-original-width="3619" height="257" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMDYBlgBg-cEoZbPi7yHVfKkBQUdB8Z8GWGfYHsNJHTMjDnxBJj2EX2BX4bYswXQktGZ2nZhHJ_m9SiBSGBl6x3iFNFNZmktCJG4r8aZyI-4YHeuoFG4wK8IiryR7DOrwni9NIKKKXNPr5Dl8-M_SESXd19DBnQjiLJVfUAFX7QYzhvm4dF9Fnjg/s320/IMG_7141.JPG" width="320" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>He flew over to the tree at the confluence</b>, where eagles often perch. Then he landed by the pool and strutted around for a bit. I think he may have left prey near the log, as his crop looked full.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlzbZ65GDyj4qfkSRfUvAHDSmfQjgs_pSirdWS45ZqJCOyeuU3LLGfg4MD7WmhOdEfTFwS9OptslSPQgNFYFygwOsNcb8tzsxXqW2iPscYcy-dyBsuMG5hPXA_3XAP9KF6qczygh2cqC8dsaBNvdWC0IoRZZ6HmfOzh4Qok6wzO8d3fEcb6pSKTw/s2107/IMG_7143.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1490" data-original-width="2107" height="226" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlzbZ65GDyj4qfkSRfUvAHDSmfQjgs_pSirdWS45ZqJCOyeuU3LLGfg4MD7WmhOdEfTFwS9OptslSPQgNFYFygwOsNcb8tzsxXqW2iPscYcy-dyBsuMG5hPXA_3XAP9KF6qczygh2cqC8dsaBNvdWC0IoRZZ6HmfOzh4Qok6wzO8d3fEcb6pSKTw/s320/IMG_7143.JPG" width="320" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>Back to the tree he went. </b></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>Suddenly another one bombed in</b> (probably what scared the ducks) and started going after him in the tree. A third came after that one and the two of them flew over to land in a tree near the aqueduct.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCP-UAGQC3wsFoxnV8iWkBybBanMB0uk3rQTcQhgZLoAZOwI5Xj23t8dKscMnmQLktELzGQLg45cvII4A70LlUd_1I9CMU7Jy4z-kaP4mnp5RqLr2sghu-7WiBDM2x9f-zmSvFhW09KPuwdsSlgUiMP_4ipWW8gcBaTsEdEz2Bp4PVpGXFm68NWw/s5184/IMG_7131.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3888" data-original-width="5184" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCP-UAGQC3wsFoxnV8iWkBybBanMB0uk3rQTcQhgZLoAZOwI5Xj23t8dKscMnmQLktELzGQLg45cvII4A70LlUd_1I9CMU7Jy4z-kaP4mnp5RqLr2sghu-7WiBDM2x9f-zmSvFhW09KPuwdsSlgUiMP_4ipWW8gcBaTsEdEz2Bp4PVpGXFm68NWw/s320/IMG_7131.JPG" width="320" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>Sure was fun to watch them</b> until they all flew off.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>The ducks,</b> however, were not impressed. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkJolvdaWPq_d73Tur8yPmg6GMTRA8i8u4Hl0LrFizi1w7YUZSr-Ffel-MrqQBQ9F4CXSlLSKpp-qyF4t_crOwbqs42aj-H8bvkRTFlEWXUsN96qfVuxvOWjqsIIC8hlkhDYK_sI2-YEtU1s2edF2WrbgE9inW0oX8uEk9mRLS154l9LOyntz2Eg/s2322/IMG_7144.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2322" data-original-width="1741" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkJolvdaWPq_d73Tur8yPmg6GMTRA8i8u4Hl0LrFizi1w7YUZSr-Ffel-MrqQBQ9F4CXSlLSKpp-qyF4t_crOwbqs42aj-H8bvkRTFlEWXUsN96qfVuxvOWjqsIIC8hlkhDYK_sI2-YEtU1s2edF2WrbgE9inW0oX8uEk9mRLS154l9LOyntz2Eg/s320/IMG_7144.JPG" width="240" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><p></p>threecolliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05811004278088768813noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15171402.post-26362214729222307002024-01-30T08:54:00.003-05:002024-01-30T10:39:39.166-05:00Recycling Part II<p><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQxMISZYQI9VaSh8bL6gJIn4TMgU9zwSpKt4n4nm3YZYyEA5SVXfkGgzBhy6N9zY8etTuMzCLKYHfV3ZXX339dN0qHjV1Ee4U2WBijn6HS9FRSU01F6iD36g3x9R_vrQzWCIlJthcj3HV3uTViGj8CGK1xnJoyPIVfhnaT1Ch54VfRqIkheNrfcw/s3436/IMG_7023.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2162" data-original-width="3436" height="201" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQxMISZYQI9VaSh8bL6gJIn4TMgU9zwSpKt4n4nm3YZYyEA5SVXfkGgzBhy6N9zY8etTuMzCLKYHfV3ZXX339dN0qHjV1Ee4U2WBijn6HS9FRSU01F6iD36g3x9R_vrQzWCIlJthcj3HV3uTViGj8CGK1xnJoyPIVfhnaT1Ch54VfRqIkheNrfcw/s320/IMG_7023.JPG" width="320" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /><b>Some weeks ago,</b> on a section of road we call "Raptor Row" because it is a great spot to find several species of hawks and owls, we passed a road-killed White-tailed Deer.</span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>It was a big one</b>, fresh and mostly intact.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>Soon it looked much different</b></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><b> Many creatures had their way with it</b>. Friends reported Bald Eagles stopping by to feast. Coyote tracks surrounded it on many occasions and something dragged it from the roadside out into the surrounding fields. We saw Red-tailed Hawks and the corvids, jay, crow, and raven, frequenting the field. A pair of Rough-legged Hawks started hanging around.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3ioQcfijmjiRfjt5LR3SgUtt-yFvgJ1VPRIxGidX7ATvKBBVry4QLrppF3N4c-q8xs76mVPITrCplbzUvjOuLyatstvgA23xKYagTO8K70ItYH4xRMfPH4WVO2N0Bi_zcpBIpQeVz8oV7-lkUckr3SvDOLOC1Zlho1CUXXY1vsKi-2CnYqO3jdw/s5184/IMG_7007.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3888" data-original-width="5184" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3ioQcfijmjiRfjt5LR3SgUtt-yFvgJ1VPRIxGidX7ATvKBBVry4QLrppF3N4c-q8xs76mVPITrCplbzUvjOuLyatstvgA23xKYagTO8K70ItYH4xRMfPH4WVO2N0Bi_zcpBIpQeVz8oV7-lkUckr3SvDOLOC1Zlho1CUXXY1vsKi-2CnYqO3jdw/s320/IMG_7007.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rough-Legged Hawk</td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>Soon there was really nothing left to see</b>. Snow covered whatever bones were left, and to be honest I had mostly forgotten about it.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjbsRFYbWJwOJPJyuSRWDFpDlEu1vaCgOqk_IS8VRGMfjoa87Lvt0VTGGB9aD3tp-xFBDKxCQkGghQufdFLgYlKRCLviJQhHOVoBixtYlDYFvGxBcHe93TiKJnlsG2PjaLKc9DbjmQEsFlqzB3h5uL7wx0EoH_G6-uNH_qy_UHB8gY2qGTr6w6xA/s2275/IMG_7033.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1863" data-original-width="2275" height="262" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjbsRFYbWJwOJPJyuSRWDFpDlEu1vaCgOqk_IS8VRGMfjoa87Lvt0VTGGB9aD3tp-xFBDKxCQkGghQufdFLgYlKRCLviJQhHOVoBixtYlDYFvGxBcHe93TiKJnlsG2PjaLKc9DbjmQEsFlqzB3h5uL7wx0EoH_G6-uNH_qy_UHB8gY2qGTr6w6xA/s320/IMG_7033.JPG" width="320" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>Then yesterday, my best birding buddy</b> and I were out hunting photo ops and good birds. It was a day for it, with snow clinging to every blade of grass, twig and limb. Every curve in the road revealed another calendar-worthy view of Winter's best beauty pageant.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>We stopped to photograph a lovely Rough-legged Hawk</b> that floated up out of the corn stubble to land in a nearby tree, glaring at us most frightfully.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>We were ready to drive away</b> when I realized that almost next to the car was a flight of nearly forty Horned Larks, skipping and scrambling around after something in the corn.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhL-UYdsced9a5vylrD1Hfk0Wy_jLF0NxZ1s_Q6RXRgWr5IhH_xKG7CrDxlqO6FoZoa6YTfkAI5sxdWWIH9RokMWe8ucGWLHYk1t57QuhAfHcKGhmsSoLz4K553mw-DfB5Pfwe0KLpM9gkVrF11j5l09OP5UetEYkGIiDVgYsJFUWrB92Pgciamsw/s5184/IMG_7046.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3888" data-original-width="5184" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhL-UYdsced9a5vylrD1Hfk0Wy_jLF0NxZ1s_Q6RXRgWr5IhH_xKG7CrDxlqO6FoZoa6YTfkAI5sxdWWIH9RokMWe8ucGWLHYk1t57QuhAfHcKGhmsSoLz4K553mw-DfB5Pfwe0KLpM9gkVrF11j5l09OP5UetEYkGIiDVgYsJFUWrB92Pgciamsw/s320/IMG_7046.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Click me! Click me!</span></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"></span></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>They did not fly</b>. If you are a peruser of "Field birds" or "Road Birds", the Horned Larks, Snow Buntings, and Lapland Longspurs, you know how skittish they are. Approach with your car...they flit away only to land behind you, or depart altogether. Get a nice shot lined up and another car will spook them. Get out of your car with your camera and they vanish as if someone was standing by with a magic wand. Hey! Presto! Gone in a flash.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><b></b></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjp4Hx73brBwOZ41zSnIcVdUWaypGOwqslpy76r_DTG9Z7jWvkES4SEpFP4YhliFT_Mh_a2VMDhyphenhyphennen3wDppkzcRNAGlHOLMHsMJAUvnVQHvVSf2JSacJURaRiSdE08kfdIeSqxMo-Bkke3LsVNk22-D-DOiacXF0-ZREmimB8aIAM7RQsBvEHwgQ/s3169/IMG_7021.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2170" data-original-width="3169" height="219" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjp4Hx73brBwOZ41zSnIcVdUWaypGOwqslpy76r_DTG9Z7jWvkES4SEpFP4YhliFT_Mh_a2VMDhyphenhyphennen3wDppkzcRNAGlHOLMHsMJAUvnVQHvVSf2JSacJURaRiSdE08kfdIeSqxMo-Bkke3LsVNk22-D-DOiacXF0-ZREmimB8aIAM7RQsBvEHwgQ/s320/IMG_7021.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Who? Us? Never happen</td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: arial;"><b><br />However, we hadn't even seen these birds</b>, right next to the car, as they were not flying away. They stayed all the while we shot dozens of photos and were still there when we went off in search of other goodies. They were still there in late afternoon when we headed out owling. My friend figured out what was going on... I'm sure you have guessed by now. They were rummaging around in the corn for bits of that poor deer.</span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfL04V3A8VvCWWariUAnGpoCa75CyhIAqq3NUhFD4hD-Xcn-lSMepAM11r7KB-czRttMVKxG0sr6HJE_h5vBUo1TfKbM6m55qQZZ8f3FkXwEIy7qQhmtZXEAHoT-4Yn-UoxzYpBu1cRytS-vnSJdS75qXBjDhqIo8mmoQS1COTmlK5zHPldBBX_Q/s1817/IMG_6979.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1467" data-original-width="1817" height="258" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfL04V3A8VvCWWariUAnGpoCa75CyhIAqq3NUhFD4hD-Xcn-lSMepAM11r7KB-czRttMVKxG0sr6HJE_h5vBUo1TfKbM6m55qQZZ8f3FkXwEIy7qQhmtZXEAHoT-4Yn-UoxzYpBu1cRytS-vnSJdS75qXBjDhqIo8mmoQS1COTmlK5zHPldBBX_Q/s320/IMG_6979.JPG" width="320" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>It was amazing</b> to watch them squabbling and scuffling over tufts of hair, which must have had something nourishing still clinging to them. Their jingle bell calls belied their grisly business.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>Nothing is wasted</b> out there in the wild world. Not one tiny morsel of something that can feed something else in the food chain goes to waste. By Spring there will be nothing left, except many a lingering scent, just enough for a Border Collie to take a nice roll, and come back indoors reeking of puppy perfume.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtKXvrCaMhrgM5qO8jHavFJD4_QECLyMcKLmA2YWxOGlw7EjfXTIDAxwm53vON7IAJVmYbwB4I4PFvuprWKfzKiUUf9sYTMep-SnS2dog1l5DNtBLRg7kgduYmGiHw9yyg4CbumUoR9REZgH6asDAhy2OWDsG_iaU4zDQOrFpLXlhvcGeAAlSYEA/s5184/IMG_7057.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3888" data-original-width="5184" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtKXvrCaMhrgM5qO8jHavFJD4_QECLyMcKLmA2YWxOGlw7EjfXTIDAxwm53vON7IAJVmYbwB4I4PFvuprWKfzKiUUf9sYTMep-SnS2dog1l5DNtBLRg7kgduYmGiHw9yyg4CbumUoR9REZgH6asDAhy2OWDsG_iaU4zDQOrFpLXlhvcGeAAlSYEA/s320/IMG_7057.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mourning Dove</td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>Thanks deer</b>, for the lesson and the chance to get some goodish photos of elusive and challenging birds. You've done your part.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVX_DbjQ3-93VXGAB1W9YVmGmwoFlCmrIBXlzaxfsvIP7lRPKlH1gM9sDACyLxyVvkK5Lyerht6go2OEX6SwWf6Ph0FEZRYCpkpAQg7OEdscBLISRJuWyULElnBfJBsxhNG33FKyYAE8YKYAmLoGSI709xJj1J-KBNhj3MDbSqSv21ugD68DK3Hw/s5184/IMG_6997.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3888" data-original-width="5184" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVX_DbjQ3-93VXGAB1W9YVmGmwoFlCmrIBXlzaxfsvIP7lRPKlH1gM9sDACyLxyVvkK5Lyerht6go2OEX6SwWf6Ph0FEZRYCpkpAQg7OEdscBLISRJuWyULElnBfJBsxhNG33FKyYAE8YKYAmLoGSI709xJj1J-KBNhj3MDbSqSv21ugD68DK3Hw/s320/IMG_6997.JPG" width="320" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><p></p>threecolliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05811004278088768813noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15171402.post-27719389230503574502024-01-25T16:22:00.005-05:002024-01-25T16:22:44.054-05:00Recycling<p><b><span style="font-family: arial;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3N43BrfYpdiBFMT_RtcXPmjMz_tPXAkcfBWwlUoyjqLPE58Ghs4OPaIVFxaY0oIW0QOddDdqqXEzildk2zqeGM0maXTPUP7yjkcrP3HVjllqAIasSxRnUpYNezrKMeTESk5LIq8yOBi-jnFXWwFHOo556OYoSWgjFPxcCxKKfRokF9dI0BOQW5g/s4642/IMG_6345.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2971" data-original-width="4642" height="205" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3N43BrfYpdiBFMT_RtcXPmjMz_tPXAkcfBWwlUoyjqLPE58Ghs4OPaIVFxaY0oIW0QOddDdqqXEzildk2zqeGM0maXTPUP7yjkcrP3HVjllqAIasSxRnUpYNezrKMeTESk5LIq8yOBi-jnFXWwFHOo556OYoSWgjFPxcCxKKfRokF9dI0BOQW5g/s320/IMG_6345.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Drainage holes bored with a screw setter</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQW5hEXS0_CZB-Qj5TPXUM8_6qTWH-S3J8rLZQRCB_0lGwhi9egDQMDIqwexvXneji773vcD2AfJT_PUVknP-ethWEdftuUtg2Zry0AXDdDCAEANHewMxr6XVAtNJtbc1mMgLrHCrNyinklKrwqC3Zb0Rn3555qq20zrix9r9C8d9pHAzuc2meUw/s5184/IMG_6346.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3888" data-original-width="5184" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQW5hEXS0_CZB-Qj5TPXUM8_6qTWH-S3J8rLZQRCB_0lGwhi9egDQMDIqwexvXneji773vcD2AfJT_PUVknP-ethWEdftuUtg2Zry0AXDdDCAEANHewMxr6XVAtNJtbc1mMgLrHCrNyinklKrwqC3Zb0Rn3555qq20zrix9r9C8d9pHAzuc2meUw/s320/IMG_6346.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hinged lid</td></tr></tbody></table><br /></span></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjN9SoaR9JbyAFxyvpdom-r3fGkR1USewIrd1BHxTZF1zFwv9ZNUHBNMndY4TMDz505NVoo14mE3AYc2-GlrrxNaqj6KV4WhHXZ0GfdboGmvnI5Ox2sXe43xJfWsWMKVhl267xC-gulCxynXAWutG_L58bo-8ALFXaQUddRlN0oC5SzBfjnUxmdVA/s5184/IMG_6347.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3888" data-original-width="5184" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjN9SoaR9JbyAFxyvpdom-r3fGkR1USewIrd1BHxTZF1zFwv9ZNUHBNMndY4TMDz505NVoo14mE3AYc2-GlrrxNaqj6KV4WhHXZ0GfdboGmvnI5Ox2sXe43xJfWsWMKVhl267xC-gulCxynXAWutG_L58bo-8ALFXaQUddRlN0oC5SzBfjnUxmdVA/s320/IMG_6347.JPG" width="320" /></a></span></b></div><b><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvy3aGRt0mm99RXlC2TQDyYV8VNNFnmJ2i8AfdYgoDu1NvZYABsMwDJYV2I_bvpSM224dVn5VfDynRgEJGichamsnyHSyB8_Lbn7tGnDCMJiNVa5xwfnxA6-i-c9hgh475HCb7kBKcNSczCIKxmIsycJXeQ6wi4OIAWNIGD0sGU_w14GQkkqcyvA/s5184/IMG_6348.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3888" data-original-width="5184" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvy3aGRt0mm99RXlC2TQDyYV8VNNFnmJ2i8AfdYgoDu1NvZYABsMwDJYV2I_bvpSM224dVn5VfDynRgEJGichamsnyHSyB8_Lbn7tGnDCMJiNVa5xwfnxA6-i-c9hgh475HCb7kBKcNSczCIKxmIsycJXeQ6wi4OIAWNIGD0sGU_w14GQkkqcyvA/s320/IMG_6348.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwEaHSH5lPZpioTDW-m8JL11kh6ttDEX7Ji9n19PwkjVUY7Q0W8c-ubF_BfWCUsuMX8S-62_YzLk1Vtp9AhN-rIFxFPm0rigZ9vLohwEJ8SQpiT9SzqW2XbtNc-d7cUxrvWV3100RboJQYxXSRAzzW5We4BTs5J-ur8XE6aHtcEljqgSC_NoNpaQ/s2206/IMG_6349.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1963" data-original-width="2206" height="285" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwEaHSH5lPZpioTDW-m8JL11kh6ttDEX7Ji9n19PwkjVUY7Q0W8c-ubF_BfWCUsuMX8S-62_YzLk1Vtp9AhN-rIFxFPm0rigZ9vLohwEJ8SQpiT9SzqW2XbtNc-d7cUxrvWV3100RboJQYxXSRAzzW5We4BTs5J-ur8XE6aHtcEljqgSC_NoNpaQ/s320/IMG_6349.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicV4Veu3Rb9nZcTG4dilUNMeuuSR9mPwkeULiB73zl43dKTOTw_S0W4DGoHxCAj8-YDWhL9hkzEH8puBlBkHCCxDlz-HvuyUNTCZTG-4o4qR3MGrG_70ZU0UvocZJ1pDqIE4FflR4PgwC0zRJSMlYKHVLc4kmYOxgqUwgR3VPzMKNYWYV-zymLtw/s3878/IMG_6351.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3246" data-original-width="3878" height="268" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicV4Veu3Rb9nZcTG4dilUNMeuuSR9mPwkeULiB73zl43dKTOTw_S0W4DGoHxCAj8-YDWhL9hkzEH8puBlBkHCCxDlz-HvuyUNTCZTG-4o4qR3MGrG_70ZU0UvocZJ1pDqIE4FflR4PgwC0zRJSMlYKHVLc4kmYOxgqUwgR3VPzMKNYWYV-zymLtw/s320/IMG_6351.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The wait begins</td></tr></tbody></table><br /> An empty kitty litter jug.</span></b><p></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><b><br /></b></span><b><span style="font-family: arial;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1dfq73sa1Nhs7d96M0O1y_e-o3No2K8nXd_m0nTsetviF045AZMVbCRVF4N90KddQIJZK3UuBgaFAKUgYGUsvetFQQlKv613ZJTaMNiq4nfL83UwO99YE2NdGo3VUP6lZs7NOdfaKMHgfDDUThGVVSuMz_UMqwCftzs6zmqwVoJwxz8ZRx_deoQ/s1433/20240125_084401.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="859" data-original-width="1433" height="192" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1dfq73sa1Nhs7d96M0O1y_e-o3No2K8nXd_m0nTsetviF045AZMVbCRVF4N90KddQIJZK3UuBgaFAKUgYGUsvetFQQlKv613ZJTaMNiq4nfL83UwO99YE2NdGo3VUP6lZs7NOdfaKMHgfDDUThGVVSuMz_UMqwCftzs6zmqwVoJwxz8ZRx_deoQ/s320/20240125_084401.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Germination<br />Now, if only they don't damp off on me</td></tr></tbody></table><br /></span></b></p>threecolliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05811004278088768813noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15171402.post-84104743489687436212024-01-13T05:20:00.001-05:002024-01-13T06:01:42.060-05:00My life as a Sous Chef<p><b> </b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5vspaWQoTqBXpWWQAuHtSN5DqGGdSCKbgVjvxP7O7HtRVkir1hIuusT4eo3Y1wd_A6OCJMHZaEHeap-18uOe8UsDoJzlgSsZOlApqhG6TFHTzR1ZhLAZCo_Qy0ywAeUrLwA-JJN9fp_uBrzxEZlQJS-OYF0KxrSRcEBrH7We8vnuTicYwoXy7EA/s5184/IMG_9442.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3888" data-original-width="5184" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5vspaWQoTqBXpWWQAuHtSN5DqGGdSCKbgVjvxP7O7HtRVkir1hIuusT4eo3Y1wd_A6OCJMHZaEHeap-18uOe8UsDoJzlgSsZOlApqhG6TFHTzR1ZhLAZCo_Qy0ywAeUrLwA-JJN9fp_uBrzxEZlQJS-OYF0KxrSRcEBrH7We8vnuTicYwoXy7EA/s320/IMG_9442.JPG" width="320" /></a></b></div><b><br /></b><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>Yesterday I found myself</b> browning chopped up sweet Italian sausage, ground venison, celery, and homegrown garlic on the small burner on the stove, in a bath of butter and herbs.</span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>In the oven a tired head of cabbage</b> was roasting, coated in dark, rich, olive oil, sprinkled with everything from fennel to Italian seasoning, with a bit more butter on top.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>The basic recipe was not my idea</b>. The methods and flavorings were.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>See, I work under Becky now,</b> as a sous chef. She works under the big yellow sign down in the village so she has no time.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>I have nothing but.</b> When she got home she assembled my contribution into deconstructed golumpki casserole, and let me tell you, it was awesome. We came away with ideas of how to make it better next time, but we really liked it. (More cabbage. Fresh cabbage. Less rice. Different, fluffier, rice) </span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>I have cooked since I was small</b>, pestering at the elbows of my family in the kitchen when barely tall enough to see over the edge of the table....Uncle Larry, do you remember the horrible-looking cakes we made in Grandma Lachmayer's kitchen, all purple and green, with runny, weird-looking frosting that nobody else wanted to eat? Man, were they ever good!...</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>My brothers and I grew </b>up tasting the Great Depression in the kitchens of our grandparents who lived it. We learned food from the ingredients up and how to substitute what we didn't have and enhance what we did with what was in the cupboard. Both grandmas, all the aunties, and many of the uncles, knew how to make do, and still make tasty and nourishing meals.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>My next younger brother and I were cooking</b> when we were just kids. We got off the school bus, ravenous as kids tend to be, but both parents worked, so we were on our own. Sometimes there were snackie things around the house, but that was not a major industry then, (I think there was only ONE kind of potato chip then) so we either made popcorn on the stove top, or corn meal muffins, and devoured same.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><b> Every single person in my immediate family</b> cooked all through my childhood. Dad was a master at his own special bread recipe, which he would not, and never did, share with the rest of us, alas.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>But it's all right.</b> I can make bread. My brothers can make bread. My kids can all make bread...and pizza crust, rolls, muffins, etc.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>Counting back,</b> I have made at least fifty Thanksgiving dinners and many unofficial turkeys, including wild ones over the years.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>However, when Becky started to get serious</b> in the kitchen, I was admittedly in a rut. We ate good, wholesome, cooked from scratch food, but it was boring, same stuff, different day.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>Now, she sees a recipe </b>and wants to make it. No time for elaborate preparations, as she works most days. Enter mom, who is sick of thinking up stuff, but knows how to sauté and season, and has had a lot of practice. We did a whole chicken the other day, stuffed with a large onion, garlic, thyme from the garden, and sundry other spices, seasoned with sage and that kind of stuff. Made soup from the leavings. That one bird fed us four days and well. We made chicken stock, which bammed subsequent soups and sauced up a notch, big time. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>Our brainstorming and cooking by committee</b> has produced all manner of new kinds of cookies, great (and interesting!) meals, and a lot of fun. I like it.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>The other two kids have always cooked as well</b>. Being deeply stuck in the stereotypical rut of my youth I did not expect my son to become a homegrown chef. However, since his early teens when he made lemon bars for school, entirely on his own, he has been a master in the kitchen. As a teenager he taught me things about seasoning meats and cooking wild game that I still use every day. He sends me pictures of things he cooks....and I know from eating at his house that they are spectacular. Wish we lived closer...</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>Liz feeds her farm family </b>with special dietary needs things that sound fabulous to me and keeps them happy and healthy. It's her pizza crust recipe that helps us feed Ralph well, while keeping him within the boundaries of his diabetic diet.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>Anyhow, I am liking this new role as a sous chef.</b> I know how to do my part and i don't have to do the other part.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>As the Barred Owl says, </b>who cooks for you? And what do you like?</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcMwSQliFEBJ3ae-ECJXDAFkhPV8tHjdiir9xod7V72AT6Ax6SIs3N_r-uuq22XCy-mPuC3kiIBjAU4Rw1P1fDw3aIKBzKYEsxo80xALJZwkgGp0sVwj-174Ec1G02_-WUrYP7jQ97emhctRji37rC8Xt9vDvZDVx5BrKInmuJUyCwUoc_CRxHzQ/s5184/IMG_0459.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3888" data-original-width="5184" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcMwSQliFEBJ3ae-ECJXDAFkhPV8tHjdiir9xod7V72AT6Ax6SIs3N_r-uuq22XCy-mPuC3kiIBjAU4Rw1P1fDw3aIKBzKYEsxo80xALJZwkgGp0sVwj-174Ec1G02_-WUrYP7jQ97emhctRji37rC8Xt9vDvZDVx5BrKInmuJUyCwUoc_CRxHzQ/s320/IMG_0459.JPG" width="320" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><p></p>threecolliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05811004278088768813noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15171402.post-37857698743060482362024-01-10T07:52:00.004-05:002024-01-10T07:59:30.693-05:00I don't usually do This<p><b><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v0NZY9MBK7Y"></a></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiX54z88QWWVbkFaDTsf8q1RfaWnQg6koOIQVEsMpfTKDUOnY7gd8HAlE4kZPR4hXhs_p2PWLiIC_gBEUfiM5uLSnJlCDY5brMszO2VjayTQbqU5zqfX5a_wR_kB21_ag2B6qIYzvRJVIMLnAypN_h0Uv3q9VLPY2QusuyoYRu8Da85419-Ckve2g/s5184/IMG_6137.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3888" data-original-width="5184" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiX54z88QWWVbkFaDTsf8q1RfaWnQg6koOIQVEsMpfTKDUOnY7gd8HAlE4kZPR4hXhs_p2PWLiIC_gBEUfiM5uLSnJlCDY5brMszO2VjayTQbqU5zqfX5a_wR_kB21_ag2B6qIYzvRJVIMLnAypN_h0Uv3q9VLPY2QusuyoYRu8Da85419-Ckve2g/s320/IMG_6137.JPG" width="320" /></a></b></div><b><br /><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v0NZY9MBK7Y"> <span style="font-family: arial;">But....</span></a></b><p></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>It might help</b> ease the grim January weather...</span></p>threecolliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05811004278088768813noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15171402.post-34521659967614711192024-01-08T14:01:00.000-05:002024-01-08T14:01:03.741-05:00Nesting Season<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqJ9oW5URobv8BQAQeidkIjfKsIDLNEYCO86S7P81twGKjUxELI_tgjm7SzjHr9ezg7dcmgUPXgK-3y3EYCn13OYnWEST0TqS0gW2tZkxAai4E_Pt6PJRJypwnw5rnXwgxX3oQd7CapDlivXNQkzdKWchk2fim3zi1U1a77qEv0aePYHqqKg-f_Q/s5184/IMG_5885.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3888" data-original-width="5184" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqJ9oW5URobv8BQAQeidkIjfKsIDLNEYCO86S7P81twGKjUxELI_tgjm7SzjHr9ezg7dcmgUPXgK-3y3EYCn13OYnWEST0TqS0gW2tZkxAai4E_Pt6PJRJypwnw5rnXwgxX3oQd7CapDlivXNQkzdKWchk2fim3zi1U1a77qEv0aePYHqqKg-f_Q/s320/IMG_5885.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>We saw a Bald Eagle carrying a big stick</b> to the Sprakers nest today. It was the first time Ralph had ever seen that and perhaps the third for me. It almost felt like Spring despite the foot of snow on the ground and the winter field birds thronging the roadsides.</span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFpmIuyGe-xmLo0xZOld7sqP_no2BqtG95OI6K16FhD7J6IJ_ZDPn083J_N8_DfRGKXnEjLzPS18xifExQHhswVLRLgfpfc0nLu3tenyo32-ClZYsyEU3psjLs7g2Hg9eaNeBYrE497kQkJ8YbExMmzlCeVipe0Fd1373iEwgiI4mCqZ6YwOpmcw/s2612/IMG_6120.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2246" data-original-width="2612" height="275" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFpmIuyGe-xmLo0xZOld7sqP_no2BqtG95OI6K16FhD7J6IJ_ZDPn083J_N8_DfRGKXnEjLzPS18xifExQHhswVLRLgfpfc0nLu3tenyo32-ClZYsyEU3psjLs7g2Hg9eaNeBYrE497kQkJ8YbExMmzlCeVipe0Fd1373iEwgiI4mCqZ6YwOpmcw/s320/IMG_6120.JPG" width="320" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>Much more exciting were the events of January 5th</b>, when the nesting season gave to us a brand new granddaughter, Riley Mae Friers. She is a beautiful baby and joins her delightful sister Bailey Rae, and lovely cousins Peggy Ann Marie, Madeline, and Claire, to give us a full house of grandbabies.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaRF4inxYDHzNutV-HKFbyAqKbXLdS-6gjyeUw7LvicbjxZjEd2stqz3ALD8WK6NqwxAVNhldD_ehH8pOEbZ7Nxsosd9URuwZpOB52H02zpLdEpN0eZqqZYSiI0uiNn8vSdofWYVg3MNN63OoUPnt-E0c6PZviybsRvjen4TE1JF-Xt6SEr2eX2w/s2048/417683848_25303184229281210_8050263633582209950_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaRF4inxYDHzNutV-HKFbyAqKbXLdS-6gjyeUw7LvicbjxZjEd2stqz3ALD8WK6NqwxAVNhldD_ehH8pOEbZ7Nxsosd9URuwZpOB52H02zpLdEpN0eZqqZYSiI0uiNn8vSdofWYVg3MNN63OoUPnt-E0c6PZviybsRvjen4TE1JF-Xt6SEr2eX2w/s320/417683848_25303184229281210_8050263633582209950_n.jpg" width="240" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>It won't be long before the owls are hooting sweet love songs</b> in the night, but none will be as wonderful as all those little girls.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMD4xZW0s2iuMZu9R0RhZntjAZ2LCnKUJomlCs_NYcbxzTPeM75XlaGWgzqbGbHps8jbNeAvjAsDFNawgU7kEz_6y0H6CVPEDgV7ltXFSlFa48Fo4wMBCoXyW18aVWVBrTneAiz0Etiz4TVpy1IT5zu-YrzOs55wGT7JxofIz3tYGAQk2qpBkK0A/s2048/417688073_25303184465947853_9085255782564295106_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMD4xZW0s2iuMZu9R0RhZntjAZ2LCnKUJomlCs_NYcbxzTPeM75XlaGWgzqbGbHps8jbNeAvjAsDFNawgU7kEz_6y0H6CVPEDgV7ltXFSlFa48Fo4wMBCoXyW18aVWVBrTneAiz0Etiz4TVpy1IT5zu-YrzOs55wGT7JxofIz3tYGAQk2qpBkK0A/s320/417688073_25303184465947853_9085255782564295106_n.jpg" width="240" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><p></p>threecolliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05811004278088768813noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15171402.post-54105572319145592412023-12-31T20:21:00.003-05:002023-12-31T20:21:39.945-05:00Have a Very<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5N9I09uEbwzOuEF9NrByhaitg_MnYrlc1P1inoe96LZHkbARlXyZ9ps5GV0hmZLkS6WpH7pid-2PDBXVDzUetWdFf5oJlsP2ydxY9eg5dPAR7tpIjkirg3IsQJT-QA-WK7CBFjhEWBVJ89LqAoc8fA0ldozoLJbylPqjmIW2vbnSm1qLlNSZMRg/s2002/IMG_0710.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1976" data-original-width="2002" height="316" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5N9I09uEbwzOuEF9NrByhaitg_MnYrlc1P1inoe96LZHkbARlXyZ9ps5GV0hmZLkS6WpH7pid-2PDBXVDzUetWdFf5oJlsP2ydxY9eg5dPAR7tpIjkirg3IsQJT-QA-WK7CBFjhEWBVJ89LqAoc8fA0ldozoLJbylPqjmIW2vbnSm1qLlNSZMRg/s320/IMG_0710.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgCWg12acWmBN7nA4zLI3E6TU3UfXXcLHc5OeQdxsuGhHMgSyNFnxFbSE9qaMg1B6TOoH7-u-rlaVVUHjOobaM05jRcU41ptvoDc_4XViUEj-I0N3hFsv-AqI08pMyFFc5rmkJLfGhcrdrDTRH8hZ4_pHMDrGLJMjWEs_Y-1i-gEt2zJaYiEmH7A/s600/1506128_10153608202080462_1758469064_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="520" data-original-width="600" height="277" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgCWg12acWmBN7nA4zLI3E6TU3UfXXcLHc5OeQdxsuGhHMgSyNFnxFbSE9qaMg1B6TOoH7-u-rlaVVUHjOobaM05jRcU41ptvoDc_4XViUEj-I0N3hFsv-AqI08pMyFFc5rmkJLfGhcrdrDTRH8hZ4_pHMDrGLJMjWEs_Y-1i-gEt2zJaYiEmH7A/s320/1506128_10153608202080462_1758469064_o.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>Take two, they're small!</b></span></p>threecolliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05811004278088768813noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15171402.post-35151466910921031242023-12-26T07:38:00.002-05:002023-12-26T07:38:55.332-05:00Christmas Gull<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtdtMCMUDK0CSKj9CcA7ou1ZC3kbWso12aRnnQ0HCaRgf1OMHeFh_c1uReiHE4CSQq0RJImLIEMet8aBn56zfcqaXH2iQNucDarGhqmJAkdl19F-EDS38KMHPW7Y-YjctR42lQABqalIevkfVJL0nnHV13aqHBAn7OExWYTVAt0wzwGlou92G1Uw/s3107/IMG_5586.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2521" data-original-width="3107" height="260" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtdtMCMUDK0CSKj9CcA7ou1ZC3kbWso12aRnnQ0HCaRgf1OMHeFh_c1uReiHE4CSQq0RJImLIEMet8aBn56zfcqaXH2iQNucDarGhqmJAkdl19F-EDS38KMHPW7Y-YjctR42lQABqalIevkfVJL0nnHV13aqHBAn7OExWYTVAt0wzwGlou92G1Uw/s320/IMG_5586.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>I guess a Christmas goose is traditional</b>, but Becky made us chicken, which was excellent. Nice having a chef in the house and home on vacation. I don't think I've cooked in days, and no lie, I don't miss it.</span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>We did our traditional Christmas spin</b> around our local favorite spots and found a pretty good representation of expected species, plus the above Iceland Gull, which although not the first for the year, a decent find. Hope he sticks around until next week.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>Otherwise </b>the holiday was about as uneventful as it can get, which was fine for me. Talked and video chatted with some family members, saw videos of our distant baby and had a visit from a closer one. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>Nice</b></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>No complaints.</b></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>Hope things stay calm. </b>A very, very, very, super important event is to take place in our family really soon and I am at once nervous and excited about it. And praying hard as always.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>Hugs from Northview</b> and best wishes for the coming year.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibpVdhUrD00qzCPS0_ZxTH-vYgTtqRqPkDfE1y20S04mWaDFqWBQPqcAZvMyGhUmcuql6KVyxtLakVh44KMXJMEIfNratlMLYc1xEldtIMUu6TiURAkPax7aa5ESHCInKWawk6ZCyMtWrXsD3irC6dYnqp9CAnZIRg_IgltllLuVrWWRHnduOkig/s5184/IMG_5583.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3888" data-original-width="5184" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibpVdhUrD00qzCPS0_ZxTH-vYgTtqRqPkDfE1y20S04mWaDFqWBQPqcAZvMyGhUmcuql6KVyxtLakVh44KMXJMEIfNratlMLYc1xEldtIMUu6TiURAkPax7aa5ESHCInKWawk6ZCyMtWrXsD3irC6dYnqp9CAnZIRg_IgltllLuVrWWRHnduOkig/s320/IMG_5583.JPG" width="320" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><p></p>threecolliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05811004278088768813noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15171402.post-81185618244657231462023-12-21T08:07:00.005-05:002023-12-21T08:10:59.626-05:00Conversations of Dairy and Derriere <p><b> </b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBu7ssXYh5sh8p91xxDJfI_0dptb32O6Rgn2_RsDD0UuplkHzG9Vwpj0LG5YTHMP9GOjwT2d93HoQ7OpIEA-lUmxh3MZiLt7J8cWcTv-RSOJUlvjUrmZCs0oGanjlquGRUyLZQM_RaL_VOgx5b9CE51yatnHUYL6G3PU2uJI-mI2-nmXN9ut6nug/s320/IMG_0008.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="240" data-original-width="320" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBu7ssXYh5sh8p91xxDJfI_0dptb32O6Rgn2_RsDD0UuplkHzG9Vwpj0LG5YTHMP9GOjwT2d93HoQ7OpIEA-lUmxh3MZiLt7J8cWcTv-RSOJUlvjUrmZCs0oGanjlquGRUyLZQM_RaL_VOgx5b9CE51yatnHUYL6G3PU2uJI-mI2-nmXN9ut6nug/s1600/IMG_0008.JPG" width="320" /></a></b></div><b><br /><span style="font-family: arial;">Twas the Eve of the Solstice.</span></b><p></p><p><b><span style="font-family: arial;">When inside the house....</span></b></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><b><br /></b></span><b><span style="font-family: arial;"></span></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXIangXCekbOiq7Zz_udyUTR203UYvLf-6HdmPiG9y-xua3RKSkGbUAsBsUcuLe2_SaiPAYfju0rxqEVbM3yWdfBHQOhkxp8TjySdIr7CZjWgqXAjqJeL_zYjDmSEm4GmLA8ZtWJJj-BCja8rCh708gBT7LnPc5LMsr_Dri_m821bcE8_wa1txyg/s5184/IMG_5166.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3888" data-original-width="5184" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXIangXCekbOiq7Zz_udyUTR203UYvLf-6HdmPiG9y-xua3RKSkGbUAsBsUcuLe2_SaiPAYfju0rxqEVbM3yWdfBHQOhkxp8TjySdIr7CZjWgqXAjqJeL_zYjDmSEm4GmLA8ZtWJJj-BCja8rCh708gBT7LnPc5LMsr_Dri_m821bcE8_wa1txyg/s320/IMG_5166.JPG" width="320" /></a></span></b></div><b><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></b><p></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>"You almost had to drive me to the hospital."</b></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>Said by a man in outdoor boots and clothes</b>, steaming and huffing at the edge of the dining room door. At least he was kind enough to keep his boots off the rug.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>"What!"</b> Three simultaneous gasps from the audience in the living room.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>"I fell off the woodpile."</b></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>"What the heck were you doing on the woodpile?"</b></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>"Putting a chain on a log."</b></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>Mind you it's dark out</b>. There are plenty of daylight hours, but he is a real night owl.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>"Are you okay?</b> Did you break anything?"</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>"Well, my butt is sore</b>. Maybe my hip."</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>Not even funny.</b> He in fact did not sustain any serious injuries and seems okay today.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIk2veoRqRjT-9Tf4-thGk2QV-_wX28NTuf-dkA5n7wkYXLkSwc5eXmb1RsaIfSqTmOK2j-7E3w-ofMGRIC5Z1LPHEbPlVMWPWpdtkZ2TUHnjc1NYrRrco2I6JOMUATYSP8NvXG73xAO58zodpxC5q5s8XWa0e5ZRJPhU1JdxLJ3vEdBxbReXwPA/s1600/IMG_1148%20(1).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIk2veoRqRjT-9Tf4-thGk2QV-_wX28NTuf-dkA5n7wkYXLkSwc5eXmb1RsaIfSqTmOK2j-7E3w-ofMGRIC5Z1LPHEbPlVMWPWpdtkZ2TUHnjc1NYrRrco2I6JOMUATYSP8NvXG73xAO58zodpxC5q5s8XWa0e5ZRJPhU1JdxLJ3vEdBxbReXwPA/s320/IMG_1148%20(1).JPG" width="320" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>I figure its the gallons,</b> and gallons, and gallons of milk he drank over the years, and the large amount he still does.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>And the toughness.</b> He is farmer tough, (<strike> old fart foolish</strike>), and farmer brave.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhu7bSPpzmkiSMBApvtQDvHwDDQshNVCo37-TLHeVPE66RIQIWvs15TJj0V40eGO1vzSYGJbq7ZnFTBypFLAUISv-EGBwzA0q34jURDdBhvQmwi_tWMLQBFeZtkDJ7ESbxWAzYUFjD8WXlK2hMw9SqWjfCNN36TwD4cg2f-f23aXaXRTAWkowXhYQ/s400/IMG_8733.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="373" data-original-width="400" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhu7bSPpzmkiSMBApvtQDvHwDDQshNVCo37-TLHeVPE66RIQIWvs15TJj0V40eGO1vzSYGJbq7ZnFTBypFLAUISv-EGBwzA0q34jURDdBhvQmwi_tWMLQBFeZtkDJ7ESbxWAzYUFjD8WXlK2hMw9SqWjfCNN36TwD4cg2f-f23aXaXRTAWkowXhYQ/s320/IMG_8733.JPG" width="320" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>But (and butt)...</b></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>We are getting too old for this stuff. </b></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><b><br /></b></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBXn9jXRoFB_4A0lPV7v2niVpGEOe0pTPkD1c49QL6Vso7nU4DssktM-NwrpI22eJ9BvWwdp2A8X73bh46tdkYhhfQFWpODMcZ0NfxAsicRtYS-9sTOEU_ft0Pzc_-yTMKFoLmB5pu6c-ewYysK_XkJ91SzSjKku3VcCZx4tWvt1dLlga57tPctw/s5184/IMG_3858.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3888" data-original-width="5184" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBXn9jXRoFB_4A0lPV7v2niVpGEOe0pTPkD1c49QL6Vso7nU4DssktM-NwrpI22eJ9BvWwdp2A8X73bh46tdkYhhfQFWpODMcZ0NfxAsicRtYS-9sTOEU_ft0Pzc_-yTMKFoLmB5pu6c-ewYysK_XkJ91SzSjKku3VcCZx4tWvt1dLlga57tPctw/s320/IMG_3858.JPG" width="320" /></a></b></span></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><b><br /></b></span><p></p>threecolliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05811004278088768813noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15171402.post-70527769326926714702023-12-19T17:33:00.005-05:002023-12-19T17:33:37.901-05:00Roadside Friends and Acquaintances <p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_hWt_ogEmwdJZbXyGGmqJ00yM5V68lUJs6GFVfofuVXuA3kucrpjQ96M8NzgK-DY7r5ORqpLaLenxcFAMsw5Amb0qEWoSNC1OxBkYV1ADp1wIbNHkYfKyHeAlx1b7JXrvGt2kqXXvu_G4iu4pxHKtL3_98OAChdJEHUJbVQKZqBRmB5yMv_DgRg/s5184/IMG_4738.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3888" data-original-width="5184" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_hWt_ogEmwdJZbXyGGmqJ00yM5V68lUJs6GFVfofuVXuA3kucrpjQ96M8NzgK-DY7r5ORqpLaLenxcFAMsw5Amb0qEWoSNC1OxBkYV1ADp1wIbNHkYfKyHeAlx1b7JXrvGt2kqXXvu_G4iu4pxHKtL3_98OAChdJEHUJbVQKZqBRmB5yMv_DgRg/s320/IMG_4738.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Peaceful Puppers</span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggX0fv-KWwkB2VF2iX4DptiLKAIYyK8u2ZPi2ZH6Ettxm1U8J9UtqSBzfzvT8wNuZZVLujTM-WNDNptmjI5H3WqlEdfdO5WTFNI3fqKNV7LXmXf_98F5ed-HvGgmelDZOzdCCuf1ITg4Dcw7NnViXlcpYd9vNWbOogyYDAQfElDx0J7tRMAdYibg/s3695/IMG_4739.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2864" data-original-width="3695" height="248" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggX0fv-KWwkB2VF2iX4DptiLKAIYyK8u2ZPi2ZH6Ettxm1U8J9UtqSBzfzvT8wNuZZVLujTM-WNDNptmjI5H3WqlEdfdO5WTFNI3fqKNV7LXmXf_98F5ed-HvGgmelDZOzdCCuf1ITg4Dcw7NnViXlcpYd9vNWbOogyYDAQfElDx0J7tRMAdYibg/s320/IMG_4739.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;">I think this guy would have come right in the window, <br />if he could fit.</span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZjPcFJHtp0jeFv1VdqlvrRjUtMCpIoETm4zMrnwXqECQ_2TVpHS4Kbut77pVtEmBrygGhcBbaWFVjW4iMTOS2wznerhLhPERRu1I0ubeuHPrOnGUpRIJLFMvqYwoaXkCb93yfEKgeVfaz4LktBI_MIyeOepKdTjArx2BDb8OE9kthUcEfjuI51Q/s4634/IMG_5436.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3162" data-original-width="4634" height="218" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZjPcFJHtp0jeFv1VdqlvrRjUtMCpIoETm4zMrnwXqECQ_2TVpHS4Kbut77pVtEmBrygGhcBbaWFVjW4iMTOS2wznerhLhPERRu1I0ubeuHPrOnGUpRIJLFMvqYwoaXkCb93yfEKgeVfaz4LktBI_MIyeOepKdTjArx2BDb8OE9kthUcEfjuI51Q/s320/IMG_5436.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;">These ladies were munching at a hay feeder when<br />we encountered them while counting birds.<br />As soon as they saw the car their heads came up and they looked with great interest<br />When we paused to chat with their owner they<br />ambled right up. Friendly ladies indeed</span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxkpUwL_Hnkhs_G4Q5N9VEJDre28iYgfIWxvGl9YNRUX1adbUHCUtFbvQT2RlSqmBYSoUCkCbaTjb-CyR6OPKCa4S9OVP9IlpgbIdm8_RUNtRj-n8DEAiXBVNACgynaDnF1IL4YSqI8LuzUhkyNKcNkOeBEgnU6GGxBLsuMJNP452excSexGGn1A/s5184/IMG_5245.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3888" data-original-width="5184" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxkpUwL_Hnkhs_G4Q5N9VEJDre28iYgfIWxvGl9YNRUX1adbUHCUtFbvQT2RlSqmBYSoUCkCbaTjb-CyR6OPKCa4S9OVP9IlpgbIdm8_RUNtRj-n8DEAiXBVNACgynaDnF1IL4YSqI8LuzUhkyNKcNkOeBEgnU6GGxBLsuMJNP452excSexGGn1A/s320/IMG_5245.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Patience</span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /> </p>threecolliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05811004278088768813noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15171402.post-30178113606621362952023-12-19T13:55:00.002-05:002023-12-19T13:55:53.354-05:00Down the Rabbit Hole<p><b> </b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjG7GknfpX8knvtfLYVd8XNjRBjUJvHZ-NOvGt6OreEjjafSncdkHXB2oyI7ZfG6TnJmSnoutZWtaRPZzoyQw6X6aw90ZCLOxp1DlLTo4vRK7rIZ_1uhxvN7nOKotpnU9LETR_BYmn95uJL5P9it2ZBVJcNeOLkSRDr7w4X4Jj4cXoNOPu6FtoWcQ/s3289/IMG_2626.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1790" data-original-width="3289" height="174" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjG7GknfpX8knvtfLYVd8XNjRBjUJvHZ-NOvGt6OreEjjafSncdkHXB2oyI7ZfG6TnJmSnoutZWtaRPZzoyQw6X6aw90ZCLOxp1DlLTo4vRK7rIZ_1uhxvN7nOKotpnU9LETR_BYmn95uJL5P9it2ZBVJcNeOLkSRDr7w4X4Jj4cXoNOPu6FtoWcQ/s320/IMG_2626.JPG" width="320" /></a></b></div><b><br /></b><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>The Internet has given us a lot of things,</b> some of them horrible, but it has also supplied us access to an incredible wealth of information.</span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>I can remember not so many years ago</b> having family members get into intense discussions over many esoteric subjects. They/we would argue for hours and hours and even days and weeks over who was right about something of such utter triviality as to be meaningless. Sometimes we never found out.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>Now, you can learn just about anything you want to</b>, almost instantly, and if you are handy with search engine research, you can dig pretty darned deep into the topic of your choice.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>A couple of cases in point</b>...a good Facebook friend shared a meme comparing the relative sizes of polar vs black bears. It was a holy cow moment. I probably spent an hour, when I should have been hanging up laundry, delving into just how big bears are. I discovered that a polar bear could easily bump its head on our living room ceiling, which is ten feet above the ugly red shag rug. Dang! I am glad they live a heck of a long way from here. There was a black bear out in our woods a couple of weeks ago, at least according to the trail cams, and that is more than enough excitement for me.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>Then there was the matter of the Buffleheads</b>. We saw a little clutch of them during a bird count, energetically diving into the shallows of a nearby lake. It was downright awesome to find them on a CBC as open water is rare here this time of year. My friend and mentor opined that they eat vegetation and are highly popular with hunters as they taste really good. No question that fish ducks, such as mergansers are said to taste like a good dose of cod liver oil, but I thought diving duck=fish duck, and thus disagreed.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>Thanks to modern technology,</b> I now know, that although they occasionally dine on mini-minnows, their cuisine of choice consists of crustaceans, insects, and snail-type critters. (The former might explain their tastiness.) It all made sense after I thought about the matter a bit. Most fish ducks are streamlined for catching fast-moving prey, while Buffleheads are fluffy and fat and ridiculously cute. I don't suppose they have to essentially fly underwater like mergansers to catch snails after all.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>However, I had to wait to get home</b> to delve into that bit of trivia. No Internet in the 'Dacks. It was like flying blind!</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>I have to say</b> that I in no way miss those prolonged and tedious discussions about minutia that often plagued our personal argumentative clan. (Montgomerys love to argue and Friers aren't far behind.) Nowadays when I hear one start to brew and bubble here in our normally peaceful living room, with a click of a mouse, clatter of a keyboard, or tap, tap, slide on a cellphone screen, I can shut them all up almost instantly.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgi2BtdPTEZYNd3FmC30v0r84vFJypGTahtO1SHTpS2tSGNvk8e2Qme8KbEFzw_FhZvbueBz1WWrIqg6XGLTXtryDBU9uNxZdwBD3FIhjuEOoHRdvwZ3ITqJjjyppCOAxFl0Tq4yh2qPLQ7MT1U6o5S3tQzIdLusUVfc31EOKS3hH8p1BbQI-wifQ/s5184/IMG_2513.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3888" data-original-width="5184" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgi2BtdPTEZYNd3FmC30v0r84vFJypGTahtO1SHTpS2tSGNvk8e2Qme8KbEFzw_FhZvbueBz1WWrIqg6XGLTXtryDBU9uNxZdwBD3FIhjuEOoHRdvwZ3ITqJjjyppCOAxFl0Tq4yh2qPLQ7MT1U6o5S3tQzIdLusUVfc31EOKS3hH8p1BbQI-wifQ/s320/IMG_2513.JPG" width="320" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><p></p>threecolliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05811004278088768813noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15171402.post-43558736309163832312023-12-18T14:04:00.000-05:002023-12-18T14:04:11.410-05:00BITD<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1aA7mvKafgR_jyWHRwhbbQu33RdXeJz26OQ7uSQu7pjMIRH12bvYEZJ2Cofno-NKIGYYVOmGWj0i283oNZkE14wMakdE1FVgaLQK8H6fOWTc-2UvycZI7TawO-80b-O3IGyShM6ouFYyiHnd7Jt2C1QV0mOhUApLOvq713eySaINGTzTgeFQdfQ/s2061/IMG_0936.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1938" data-original-width="2061" height="301" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1aA7mvKafgR_jyWHRwhbbQu33RdXeJz26OQ7uSQu7pjMIRH12bvYEZJ2Cofno-NKIGYYVOmGWj0i283oNZkE14wMakdE1FVgaLQK8H6fOWTc-2UvycZI7TawO-80b-O3IGyShM6ouFYyiHnd7Jt2C1QV0mOhUApLOvq713eySaINGTzTgeFQdfQ/s320/IMG_0936.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_FKPmjKrRF1QadGOKnJ3WQ3UYUWTfounVD2Q0LPNJeW17iHjNcEVEHQn5mo_Ktyi5lxOvA-lXg8RdbGkKS_3FJRlcRJpcYSjpbpAGFcvvKb5ONjJDejRCCeRwp9d67MfHgk9PP30mwIgZUXv-E17cPBJ63ggQzrbviO_SwDN7r2_RLVNASX8ocA/s400/IMG_0683.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="352" data-original-width="400" height="282" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_FKPmjKrRF1QadGOKnJ3WQ3UYUWTfounVD2Q0LPNJeW17iHjNcEVEHQn5mo_Ktyi5lxOvA-lXg8RdbGkKS_3FJRlcRJpcYSjpbpAGFcvvKb5ONjJDejRCCeRwp9d67MfHgk9PP30mwIgZUXv-E17cPBJ63ggQzrbviO_SwDN7r2_RLVNASX8ocA/s320/IMG_0683.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCwFW-rsi6K6oPQl_oHfOWZ4c_9U3u0K3VCEwN4oRTpi-1vx3GNBbjKvxRW-6rGys4RIUa6W1KAZKEUSF0vLtKRbBOi8x9onKcb8fMGRm8e1NpNNF9HDtrcT5zK72wWC_45Yw6b8YKrj6lKScjL93rWNBmSwMdX_9540AZh2dHI4eRLCaUaHwX9w/s1600/IMG_5961.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1498" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCwFW-rsi6K6oPQl_oHfOWZ4c_9U3u0K3VCEwN4oRTpi-1vx3GNBbjKvxRW-6rGys4RIUa6W1KAZKEUSF0vLtKRbBOi8x9onKcb8fMGRm8e1NpNNF9HDtrcT5zK72wWC_45Yw6b8YKrj6lKScjL93rWNBmSwMdX_9540AZh2dHI4eRLCaUaHwX9w/s320/IMG_5961.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWXyAL7QsuiXwXbPoaZvO7NDwEi1gCAVvNPVqaHzuONjMzgNSJ9_792g2Ce5YEiRosG2Nqd6mQEHs6i7-JRzdrwJO2OfKjr6mD06sEdKD0fOYvbkNHkSE1Hk6sFZjTVP3XtSdVLxT7_EjLR6410waAIRfHQZitcF0MciRVzFjIeEt1pvVZMLTZIA/s1600/IMG_4176.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWXyAL7QsuiXwXbPoaZvO7NDwEi1gCAVvNPVqaHzuONjMzgNSJ9_792g2Ce5YEiRosG2Nqd6mQEHs6i7-JRzdrwJO2OfKjr6mD06sEdKD0fOYvbkNHkSE1Hk6sFZjTVP3XtSdVLxT7_EjLR6410waAIRfHQZitcF0MciRVzFjIeEt1pvVZMLTZIA/s320/IMG_4176.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVkePWsWhlsFc5HfP9j-Q3U8SlqMhlyjNqi25wTjJ4JaPeV9BGnUqnaHz-ErdbvL1n-pw5cgZWlpCrNgeAXsgyEMJPHfqPGSHU0sxloo4J2bU38EwZAjqBixI9gP_AHDR5815DLPuSpQH1Sav7i0B6r5Kz7Pkp3bnYBhWTrzybd5T6HQuYWnPs1Q/s400/IMG_3329.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="246" data-original-width="400" height="197" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVkePWsWhlsFc5HfP9j-Q3U8SlqMhlyjNqi25wTjJ4JaPeV9BGnUqnaHz-ErdbvL1n-pw5cgZWlpCrNgeAXsgyEMJPHfqPGSHU0sxloo4J2bU38EwZAjqBixI9gP_AHDR5815DLPuSpQH1Sav7i0B6r5Kz7Pkp3bnYBhWTrzybd5T6HQuYWnPs1Q/s320/IMG_3329.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9MUa1issn7FymV5_ikNoioyPowhw4k9q1gj4n3I1VNvhVhNcLVNFk7nX7OumEOcVoeHAIGR_JttDanqP_sdas__s1BJ8PIDPcvbEu4IhPZYVBgnfLwt1YCnI9anNLW5K6W6dZZoVYDPcPq3ML0sIuQgtCmmG2u-WZH40U2iO9xSuFHv2K7GqryA/s400/IMG_0825.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="300" data-original-width="400" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9MUa1issn7FymV5_ikNoioyPowhw4k9q1gj4n3I1VNvhVhNcLVNFk7nX7OumEOcVoeHAIGR_JttDanqP_sdas__s1BJ8PIDPcvbEu4IhPZYVBgnfLwt1YCnI9anNLW5K6W6dZZoVYDPcPq3ML0sIuQgtCmmG2u-WZH40U2iO9xSuFHv2K7GqryA/s320/IMG_0825.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhOeRqnAttsItBSNDNmmeMMt17vi-ijGDgxMKZ79_hZ9SLRg_3L3WFooBNpxZ19_66RKo-QUQb9nRr1DuUUgoZuCtvY01L_qSNLeHBXatyaY10H8Eg5CA48L9NVdliGEdhfCWpXzbOVHgBnLkARsbeMBbNv29glYU2k6c5j1arwjik14VK3psAMw/s320/IMG_0413.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="320" data-original-width="290" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhOeRqnAttsItBSNDNmmeMMt17vi-ijGDgxMKZ79_hZ9SLRg_3L3WFooBNpxZ19_66RKo-QUQb9nRr1DuUUgoZuCtvY01L_qSNLeHBXatyaY10H8Eg5CA48L9NVdliGEdhfCWpXzbOVHgBnLkARsbeMBbNv29glYU2k6c5j1arwjik14VK3psAMw/s1600/IMG_0413.JPG" width="290" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgasegUGnVMXSpLyoIC3QUQ0joSraSTogIDX11NZ5QhxWeux68r6Gc50nKhtkw_LzjgqkVJVWKDeHJ_hKHWoOce3vpVg-XaAlgxYtn1AIhG9WjDFtkCrVtbgpoOqYsZ6Q5z72qnrz106UP7OzJWelyGKoRx8qCi7hD4ilEFSV-01VFFxlm4ESrr9w/s1600/20070816_IMG_0024.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgasegUGnVMXSpLyoIC3QUQ0joSraSTogIDX11NZ5QhxWeux68r6Gc50nKhtkw_LzjgqkVJVWKDeHJ_hKHWoOce3vpVg-XaAlgxYtn1AIhG9WjDFtkCrVtbgpoOqYsZ6Q5z72qnrz106UP7OzJWelyGKoRx8qCi7hD4ilEFSV-01VFFxlm4ESrr9w/s320/20070816_IMG_0024.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiybT9hN4lEX9UET4Gcoc6zHchVgnUfedbRHIfz-TO0ocojomtiT6RZn07jCzaMjkTmRrwURTHneNzsS6nsQfaf1AftxqSqyPV7fwK2w10hn7pkSkddYTd6OVTZCw6ZFAPtOI-gJ0fnKw7T_Re_aaLAIYvRZyzJSnTJRrr1D2oMdWjohAxWm1fKaw/s320/Mike%20at%20work.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="216" data-original-width="320" height="216" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiybT9hN4lEX9UET4Gcoc6zHchVgnUfedbRHIfz-TO0ocojomtiT6RZn07jCzaMjkTmRrwURTHneNzsS6nsQfaf1AftxqSqyPV7fwK2w10hn7pkSkddYTd6OVTZCw6ZFAPtOI-gJ0fnKw7T_Re_aaLAIYvRZyzJSnTJRrr1D2oMdWjohAxWm1fKaw/s1600/Mike%20at%20work.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtRcX0kkZ4XAHc4ZygXQwSqMau5sAsa2rrXr6TPSt558VdPTb4n7vSsIgDfdaH9C3VYrefUV7C0F_-o3QBbV8oN_zGj9g_6xqa9EEqhc9EbXIVc7_a9EyS5o9RH2iFweAwncOKn9GeZhAxi9I3bBtQMgNvwnPrzk6j8xfSY3gwqAy5yzMb8JLPfg/s1600/IMG_0005-001.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1257" data-original-width="1600" height="251" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtRcX0kkZ4XAHc4ZygXQwSqMau5sAsa2rrXr6TPSt558VdPTb4n7vSsIgDfdaH9C3VYrefUV7C0F_-o3QBbV8oN_zGj9g_6xqa9EEqhc9EbXIVc7_a9EyS5o9RH2iFweAwncOKn9GeZhAxi9I3bBtQMgNvwnPrzk6j8xfSY3gwqAy5yzMb8JLPfg/s320/IMG_0005-001.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEC9vb6U0BN1NWsz78O_PkXnqHCk0jqc9L-peAq19xvh_H5lG8_LDka6eLPawBN_emdzVLnOM52ds4WWx3uG0o7GaV8R8blZ1vXXk-44Sv4EF0CdN9qKcoB2AEfK3LlyYEnzNDQQ6yhbmRbNKNBPL76sh2zbJYdTOyIMTTWSih_tgZbla7gL31-g/s400/20080819_IMG_0024.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="300" data-original-width="400" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEC9vb6U0BN1NWsz78O_PkXnqHCk0jqc9L-peAq19xvh_H5lG8_LDka6eLPawBN_emdzVLnOM52ds4WWx3uG0o7GaV8R8blZ1vXXk-44Sv4EF0CdN9qKcoB2AEfK3LlyYEnzNDQQ6yhbmRbNKNBPL76sh2zbJYdTOyIMTTWSih_tgZbla7gL31-g/s320/20080819_IMG_0024.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />threecolliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05811004278088768813noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15171402.post-9717140895103663842023-12-18T11:41:00.009-05:002023-12-18T11:54:42.483-05:00Not Quite<p><b> </b></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjSdf6nythrnfOmKOXJuvmToESpTNSXQUs5_ApBe7J4afIWHlx6y4KsaM_1BS3u_65bL8EttZuj2f9j3JBallnYKpGKs1CPxpSvCRGmEHLYrAJfwhUXtbbKpwZ8u1BNwzdQGM-tPk8k5HBzTnkJQI37aX1jvwPt7SBVujw6OLWdXjXIyMfL__7EQ/s5184/IMG_5384.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3888" data-original-width="5184" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjSdf6nythrnfOmKOXJuvmToESpTNSXQUs5_ApBe7J4afIWHlx6y4KsaM_1BS3u_65bL8EttZuj2f9j3JBallnYKpGKs1CPxpSvCRGmEHLYrAJfwhUXtbbKpwZ8u1BNwzdQGM-tPk8k5HBzTnkJQI37aX1jvwPt7SBVujw6OLWdXjXIyMfL__7EQ/s320/IMG_5384.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Northern Mockingbird</span></td></tr></tbody></table><b><br /></b><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>Eighteen hours of birding,</b> spread over two days and two Christmas Bird Counts. </span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>What an adventure!</b> For the Schenectady count the weather was ridiculously nice, mixed sun and light clouds, balmy, and pleasant.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>Driving around with the windows down</b> and the sunroof open didn't seem weird at all, but then it didn't feel like December.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>October maybe, but not December.</b></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>We saw throngs of birds,</b> although no real ooh-ahh birds, just a lot of them. A lot is good though. You sure don't get bored!</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>At the end of the day</b>, we had 39 species, which is not bad at all. Best bird from my point of view was a Barred Owl first thing in the morning, but the many Black-capped Chickadees, Golden-crowned Kinglets and 3 Brown Creepers were pretty interesting as well. And who can resist 3 Swamp Sparrows buzzing up out of the marsh to greet us! I am always astonished to see them in winter, but sometimes we do.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiI9tDRS49hmi10AMbXW_AUgpf22zC3neb9sUBVn0eYaaFOKXroS1S6F_CXtc9CvfXsl7R4S3OZricA6aH4V3-bbEgxOtvyovYiEzPXGsYAGHwT5XrZNS1On9CsASgduJq-ZQes5sdMZQAxJ_G8q-VdhNYGs6hKyDCr0IgxzW0TYXfp7bph4pvyg/s5184/IMG_5412.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3888" data-original-width="5184" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiI9tDRS49hmi10AMbXW_AUgpf22zC3neb9sUBVn0eYaaFOKXroS1S6F_CXtc9CvfXsl7R4S3OZricA6aH4V3-bbEgxOtvyovYiEzPXGsYAGHwT5XrZNS1On9CsASgduJq-ZQes5sdMZQAxJ_G8q-VdhNYGs6hKyDCr0IgxzW0TYXfp7bph4pvyg/s320/IMG_5412.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Largest of several flocks of Cedar Waxwings we saw<br />There were at least 100</td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>Day two, the Johnstown CBC</b>, produced an abrupt turnaround in the weather. Although the temperature lingered in the 40s most of the day, there was a lazy wind...it went right through you, rather than around...and it was shiverishly damp. However, there was open water and there were ducks!</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>With a nasty storm impending</b>, we again saw a lot of birds. We ended with 32 species, and once again, a tiny bird palooza of a count. It didn't hurt that friend, mentor, and leader for this part of the circle, George Steele, is a master at pishing. Within seconds after he stopped the car and started the show, the little birds came boiling out of the woods to investigate. They screamed and peeped and clucked their outrage at the invasion of noisy alarm calls. It was great fun to watch and listen, and oh, how I wish I could pish like that. I am getting better but...</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBEWGk6rECJnv8WlZJaH0FaGUIc-xblKLheOroyLUwRT3Vr0NnYHg4CQHzmKw6ojOQjwCwXqw7xTChygweR1U1CSyGm2evHuwI_0RVi5MPSrOxVwPgmOvQOydProUuzaPhAEaMEJMEpl58CvNscg0pmASfn2VxIFNipH8sIJbGPCDRNnD79Tz-_A/s3138/IMG_5403.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2750" data-original-width="3138" height="280" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBEWGk6rECJnv8WlZJaH0FaGUIc-xblKLheOroyLUwRT3Vr0NnYHg4CQHzmKw6ojOQjwCwXqw7xTChygweR1U1CSyGm2evHuwI_0RVi5MPSrOxVwPgmOvQOydProUuzaPhAEaMEJMEpl58CvNscg0pmASfn2VxIFNipH8sIJbGPCDRNnD79Tz-_A/s320/IMG_5403.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cryptic little Brown Creeper</td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>Usually the Black-capped Chickadees were first</b> and we saw amazing numbers of them. It reminded me of the good old days doing the count with my dad, when we saw hundreds every year. Next Tufted Titmice, Golden-crowned Kinglets, Red-breasted Nuthatches, White-breasted Nuthatches, and Brown Creepers arrived. I have never seen as many BRCR, RBNU, or GCKI in one year before, let alone in one day. We ended up with 291 BCCH, 15 GCKI, </span><span style="font-family: arial;">29 RBNU and 9 BRCR. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>At some stops other birds showed up too,</b> Blue Jays, shrill and strident in their opinions, and Norther Cardinals cheeping urgently. A couple of times Common Ravens came soaring over to intone Nevermore-ishly from above.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>At the end of the day, kind of cold and tired,</b> it felt good to get home. I foolishly had dressed for Saturday's weather and it was insufficient for Sunday, alas. However, as I said to George, when he asked if I was up for another bird day sometime next year, I said, "If I'm not dead, I'm game."</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>And I am. </b>If I can I will chase birds, pretty much every time, even if it's just in our backyard.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>BTW, the promised storm is no joke</b>. A local friend says water flow in the Schoharie has reached the level of the 93 flood. Hopefully the rain stops before it gets any higher!</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>Don't know if you can see these</b>, but here are links to our trip reports for the two days.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><b><a href="https://ebird.org/tripreport/179078">Schenectady CBC</a></b></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><b><a href="https://ebird.org/tripreport/179079">Johnstown CBC</a></b></span></p><p><br /></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><b><a href="https://ebird.org/tripreport/179079"></a></b></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbvFFUQlwoJNl7tjN2iLzXS0zp0Z8crixbuHBzJnI9ds2_u0NrAq_i9776JLuSn1N-tQ2CTdvVeFq4PGqZNlYVyIt_6zLiIIoVHEzNlPR3o0mBSYbjg9g-BXbenGfPE5UpI_8Iji__v8WljwH5yJ2a_ujnABMtPYr22WFxQXUUG4DWdOZfL7alYQ/s5184/IMG_5388.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3888" data-original-width="5184" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbvFFUQlwoJNl7tjN2iLzXS0zp0Z8crixbuHBzJnI9ds2_u0NrAq_i9776JLuSn1N-tQ2CTdvVeFq4PGqZNlYVyIt_6zLiIIoVHEzNlPR3o0mBSYbjg9g-BXbenGfPE5UpI_8Iji__v8WljwH5yJ2a_ujnABMtPYr22WFxQXUUG4DWdOZfL7alYQ/s320/IMG_5388.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;">House Sparrow, nasty things remind me of today's weather</span></td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b></b></span></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><b><br /></b></span><p></p>threecolliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05811004278088768813noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15171402.post-21594313864471586502023-12-10T07:26:00.001-05:002023-12-10T07:26:02.210-05:00Like a Scene from a Book<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBj8IaNLWrtAwnLpvY1sxyt3CQS6j8VLedoPLRfUQxH-GUZVxxx2kJylMBO9YXhiZL1bht8mPBTIw0jnLFJiQPTF7XUU1TlALwglqKDo5wgJ3ZPVQGCiTbFB2RQNSz0gW8WdDi2WXXypOOphiD-6NHh4J9ZCiZBgMamftvF8qQKHaw1qDgm6zgug/s5184/IMG_4552.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3888" data-original-width="5184" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBj8IaNLWrtAwnLpvY1sxyt3CQS6j8VLedoPLRfUQxH-GUZVxxx2kJylMBO9YXhiZL1bht8mPBTIw0jnLFJiQPTF7XUU1TlALwglqKDo5wgJ3ZPVQGCiTbFB2RQNSz0gW8WdDi2WXXypOOphiD-6NHh4J9ZCiZBgMamftvF8qQKHaw1qDgm6zgug/s320/IMG_4552.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><b><br /><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></b><p></p><p><b><span style="font-family: arial;">Three-o-Nine AM.</span></b></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>The loudest, longest crack of thunder you could imagine</b>. It rolled and tolled long enough for me to awaken from deep sleep, wonder what was going on, and realize that it was thunder.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>Windows rattled, the house shook</b>. The whole valley reverberated. Ralph said he timed one boomer and it lasted six whole seconds. That is a long one in thunder hours.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>I was reminded of the scene in Mercedes Lackey's book</b>, Joust, one of my all time favorites, when the thunder goes on for hours but brings no rain. This storm brought plenty of it though and now the morning is all weird with opaque clouds painted pinky orange by some vestige of sun hiding somewhere.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>Guess we are going to get a big storm tonight.</b> If that was just the prequel, I shudder to think what's coming.</span></p>threecolliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05811004278088768813noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15171402.post-24841767830923417392023-12-08T09:59:00.003-05:002023-12-08T09:59:20.618-05:00The Oklahoma Snow Roller<p><b> </b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhld5t9wQpWrOM4Kel8TPtWQts8OauX48IsXmgBPUhibxU23aVjzshc0og0s42oNWob5Sr7vZ62RAxaXjfXuqjGMEaSPH1glWsjYxZWHCEQMYPBboEhTspwW6xlLpcR6QuXSm4qoe1xitecL5vGg2uvCihCe17mXfSHZVWuSXm0eBmRUYPgLCstxQ/s5184/IMG_4846.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3888" data-original-width="5184" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhld5t9wQpWrOM4Kel8TPtWQts8OauX48IsXmgBPUhibxU23aVjzshc0og0s42oNWob5Sr7vZ62RAxaXjfXuqjGMEaSPH1glWsjYxZWHCEQMYPBboEhTspwW6xlLpcR6QuXSm4qoe1xitecL5vGg2uvCihCe17mXfSHZVWuSXm0eBmRUYPgLCstxQ/s320/IMG_4846.JPG" width="320" /></a></b></div><b><br /><span style="font-family: arial;">And the Western NY Wild Wendigo.</span></b><p></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><b> I walk them both</b>, or most days each, every morning, as well as four or five times a day later on.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>However, it's the early walk</b> that makes the magic.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>The Snow Roller came from Oklahoma</b> and ended up here through a somewhat convoluted set of travels. Jilly hates the camera, as do all good Border Collies, but she loves the snow. When we are out there on business, hoping for deliberates, so we can avoid nasty accidents (there was a kennel somewhere in her previous life and she isn't as careful as she could be) she often prefers rolling to...erm, ahem...you know.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>When there is snow, ALL bets are off</b>. This morning, even with the Wendigo out with us, she rolled halfway down the hill before she remembered why we were out there.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>The Wendigo was born in a hunting kennel</b> out in the western part of the state. His parents helped hunting hounds do what they were bred for, and he came to us with all the instincts, spite, and spunk of same.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>They are both nine years old</b> and somewhat...only somewhat...mellowed.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>On normal days,</b> it's Mack out first because he feels the imperative most strongly, and Jill second. Both are leashed, Mack always, and Jill when it is dark. There are critters out there, from fishers to bears, with coyotes and bobcats between, and she is soft and sweet....and not always as obedient as she might be. Mack is an unrepentant death machine. He has taken on even a Shorthorn bull and terrified the poor thing, before I got him out of the pen.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>However, on some days</b> everyone is whining and moaning and crossing their legs at the door, so I put one on one long leash and the other on another and hope for the best...no dog fights, no wild things on the lawn, etc. etc.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>This was one of those mornings</b>. Out we went. All of us. Jill commenced to roll as soon as we got around the parked car. Mack was fascinated and wanted to run right over and interfere. His leash is just enough shorter that he failed in that endeavor. Thus he began to take care of bidness, as only a boy dog can. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuKU4reH4GayISs6U2gvimC3dIjagWc6j89EiN-it_1yIaLsaFhsOTnyp9WwgrIwrj_nOlmAEPkEAEJOnctm4-G8PRp4q25INw2Chms570NqK_gN4NInHg3WjhwZ4DrZBi_vMEydDepKwDCC4U_VOO9lc0iRUrmU4Ym_rMCv8-bRkXK_ohGrig9w/s5184/IMG_4943.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3888" data-original-width="5184" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuKU4reH4GayISs6U2gvimC3dIjagWc6j89EiN-it_1yIaLsaFhsOTnyp9WwgrIwrj_nOlmAEPkEAEJOnctm4-G8PRp4q25INw2Chms570NqK_gN4NInHg3WjhwZ4DrZBi_vMEydDepKwDCC4U_VOO9lc0iRUrmU4Ym_rMCv8-bRkXK_ohGrig9w/s320/IMG_4943.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Waning gibbous over the back porch roof</td></tr></tbody></table><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>There was fresh snow</b> reflecting the faintest early light, and there were geese talking down on the river, an early morning contact murmur that could barely be heard. An sleepy White-throated Sparrow tried out a tentative chirp from a nearby bush, but subsided back to slumber a second later. The WTSPs and Northern Cardinals are generally the first birds up in winter, but it was still pretty dark.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>Somehow...eventually... the rolling reached the saturation point </b>and the dragon was entirely drained. No fighting, not too much leash tangling, and no tripping of the elderly. All in all, a successful morning excursion. For the rest of the day, now that the sun is up, they can go out separately, with Jill off leash and Mack less desperate. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>But I feel like a hearty</b>...and hardy too....adventurer.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-GBbB0mbyyTp8KVBxUwgwHYoCumBdOljNRYjq1KiQHTinLdhBa4mdkaYkYME6q5exzl-gOCHaOdWYeTd7jFvfsLznu7S6ba16KARSSJEi1inZyMr8bBxy6V4AxyuLiP0Opc_F7kK7rEIuqERfYGm4tbFBcBH_mjBsDYC1OWubtyzKxaKoQHq9jA/s4352/IMG_5017.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3705" data-original-width="4352" height="272" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-GBbB0mbyyTp8KVBxUwgwHYoCumBdOljNRYjq1KiQHTinLdhBa4mdkaYkYME6q5exzl-gOCHaOdWYeTd7jFvfsLznu7S6ba16KARSSJEi1inZyMr8bBxy6V4AxyuLiP0Opc_F7kK7rEIuqERfYGm4tbFBcBH_mjBsDYC1OWubtyzKxaKoQHq9jA/s320/IMG_5017.JPG" width="320" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p>threecolliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05811004278088768813noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15171402.post-84918726198999390712023-11-22T11:47:00.001-05:002023-11-22T11:47:23.555-05:00If You See this Guy<p><b></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2UhBs638L8PFdCVu2L905eqlz7cE-VJBBCZJ97vAHcVl00z9WGQNN40ie6TYjaAWIdRwxSCUxPzinGvew-HN5MrzVhWlMSJuolxfy0XGVvGu7MbVkRN7oUnVribBx2lGPlUZor9OJ1nPr__QaF2DybpNpLP7BKRCe038x-TiknszfEpJFIMw3pA/s4608/IMG_4793.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2UhBs638L8PFdCVu2L905eqlz7cE-VJBBCZJ97vAHcVl00z9WGQNN40ie6TYjaAWIdRwxSCUxPzinGvew-HN5MrzVhWlMSJuolxfy0XGVvGu7MbVkRN7oUnVribBx2lGPlUZor9OJ1nPr__QaF2DybpNpLP7BKRCe038x-TiknszfEpJFIMw3pA/s320/IMG_4793.JPG" width="320" /></a></b></div><b><br /> </b><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>Wish him a very happy birthday.</b> He is a great dad and very special man all around. Happy Birthday, Scott, from all of us!</span><p></p>threecolliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05811004278088768813noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15171402.post-62128310649747529922023-11-21T06:25:00.004-05:002023-11-21T06:30:47.728-05:00Dark<p><b></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnEBSAHuzkbJxdAFE0X4l5WnmVeIAoCPRIF67ab0oEshODA5_b5dhbZkNsNwqgc4OqYeTNzluC9zLisqP2J_1KMXwC0RGg4riAGpIJ8wEdn3WRcmRYt2oNgh9nQVBPRkjYlcezLL7vOLJ5IvezutK4Tbzi3hOGlMRBK9aNWZ7CQaRQUdye8spATg/s5184/IMG_4185.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3888" data-original-width="5184" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnEBSAHuzkbJxdAFE0X4l5WnmVeIAoCPRIF67ab0oEshODA5_b5dhbZkNsNwqgc4OqYeTNzluC9zLisqP2J_1KMXwC0RGg4riAGpIJ8wEdn3WRcmRYt2oNgh9nQVBPRkjYlcezLL7vOLJ5IvezutK4Tbzi3hOGlMRBK9aNWZ7CQaRQUdye8spATg/s320/IMG_4185.JPG" width="320" /></a></b></div><b><br /> </b><b style="font-family: arial;">Keeping farmer's hours</b><span style="font-family: arial;">, a lifelong habit that started when I was walking hots at Saratoga Race Track when I was 20, means we spend a lot of time in the dark. This morning the boss and I walked dogs at around 4:30 AM. The moon had set a long time before and it was </span><b style="font-family: arial;">dark!!!</b><p></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>Except, that is, for a sky full of stars</b> so bright that they glittered like the creepy eyes of creatures out there in the night when you wish you were inside where it is light and warm. You could find as many constellations as you cared to, shining neon-bright, except for your freezing feet and hands.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>And ice frost on all the grass, </b>that glinted in the glow from our flashlights like a dragon's hoard of sparkly diamonds.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>Sure was cold though.</b></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>Sure was cold.</b></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><b><br /></b></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBtguxug4k9s-c0ysSs8XIHoTUadQcE6bcbS-W0O6E6jJbVbzPlbI6oSYEUw3y9KH7mtt2CjJsCKXooSFzgmhm9DGouAJYbjZ-OZg0AheNvhs1U35sbbLhKvLG8D3E7vpzqRV_ADWGk2NQJ6D5XlMA3PcZzZvZ5E462Q1lMLBPwbPwg_DHgRXBnQ/s4100/IMG_3859.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3506" data-original-width="4100" height="274" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBtguxug4k9s-c0ysSs8XIHoTUadQcE6bcbS-W0O6E6jJbVbzPlbI6oSYEUw3y9KH7mtt2CjJsCKXooSFzgmhm9DGouAJYbjZ-OZg0AheNvhs1U35sbbLhKvLG8D3E7vpzqRV_ADWGk2NQJ6D5XlMA3PcZzZvZ5E462Q1lMLBPwbPwg_DHgRXBnQ/s320/IMG_3859.JPG" width="320" /></a></b></span></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><b><br /></b></span><p></p>threecolliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05811004278088768813noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15171402.post-2401694251305878882023-11-20T16:17:00.001-05:002023-11-20T16:17:04.695-05:00Novemberish<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8M-IDgHQfFxHTLUJUTp1lU-M69FXROiKk9qMRTqi3gbRXaJu0rt-YJyKAO7h2xSOeDMYT1H0rxjNwAfYWHTb7wQ-t2V5oNmcpoLuUE2pIJjg9Y1XD2OFHiSPUm9RIznxTqCfS0pxwh1J-Dh_usmzIH2OmtiWw8MkbLofq53dvyktnJVDz6Ld2GA/s5184/IMG_4518.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3888" data-original-width="5184" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8M-IDgHQfFxHTLUJUTp1lU-M69FXROiKk9qMRTqi3gbRXaJu0rt-YJyKAO7h2xSOeDMYT1H0rxjNwAfYWHTb7wQ-t2V5oNmcpoLuUE2pIJjg9Y1XD2OFHiSPUm9RIznxTqCfS0pxwh1J-Dh_usmzIH2OmtiWw8MkbLofq53dvyktnJVDz6Ld2GA/s320/IMG_4518.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqE69mwSP_Uwvx45EwTRVaBI4ImjIq0EcinniQVr6M7aor7jSl-KDsyMHto8YKSoLn8TrYnaiJowDwxUGj04MvRp0FTuCInlXmAQH5d5O53x9VB_u4o4Co82geTTlhxXD2981PrLeHU8Md1gCWuOSKkNsxYpYtLgRo4AfvWSvITame-Eh4QfATBg/s5184/IMG_4549.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3888" data-original-width="5184" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqE69mwSP_Uwvx45EwTRVaBI4ImjIq0EcinniQVr6M7aor7jSl-KDsyMHto8YKSoLn8TrYnaiJowDwxUGj04MvRp0FTuCInlXmAQH5d5O53x9VB_u4o4Co82geTTlhxXD2981PrLeHU8Md1gCWuOSKkNsxYpYtLgRo4AfvWSvITame-Eh4QfATBg/s320/IMG_4549.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvnlyoL7f7cSXZYENH4Xsfwk2Hdi-n5Yjr50-EGd8PQg6VFX_7-LSdP7iGG-fSSdZyUU60Pgaq2DWWrMG8TOpI2BUCHsgWiNI7W7VEjRLNcn28_GN8lWw1fgGbibMwTk1srrcR55u8I3PGZDwDkeJHNdiVo9eBboZqgkRyYXQqZrMhVcUbAAA17g/s5184/IMG_4551.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3888" data-original-width="5184" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvnlyoL7f7cSXZYENH4Xsfwk2Hdi-n5Yjr50-EGd8PQg6VFX_7-LSdP7iGG-fSSdZyUU60Pgaq2DWWrMG8TOpI2BUCHsgWiNI7W7VEjRLNcn28_GN8lWw1fgGbibMwTk1srrcR55u8I3PGZDwDkeJHNdiVo9eBboZqgkRyYXQqZrMhVcUbAAA17g/s320/IMG_4551.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMy2__wyBdLaY1Jtnh-5ZY-aD7GAObQL3qprQqUhza-poYyQ7hwtiuTLa7I4HFunH6cZK1xQ5rcv-gj95Kmnf3JxIL2i6VziC8crCKEAQ-UaRrZeZlVYFhlY5TXhx1goNGfoX2s9biy0NKzAUxWtQXs8UWLwDNw9_5FgsUjgoW0-q2OV2gigAK0g/s1568/IMG_4556.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1568" data-original-width="1565" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMy2__wyBdLaY1Jtnh-5ZY-aD7GAObQL3qprQqUhza-poYyQ7hwtiuTLa7I4HFunH6cZK1xQ5rcv-gj95Kmnf3JxIL2i6VziC8crCKEAQ-UaRrZeZlVYFhlY5TXhx1goNGfoX2s9biy0NKzAUxWtQXs8UWLwDNw9_5FgsUjgoW0-q2OV2gigAK0g/s320/IMG_4556.JPG" width="319" /></a></div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsdgT5L_GxUmxR-1n3qQ8OSmt52lMr4yu2bozkNtHEOihdmAW-7QVS4UAudi0v-wZTf6bNp_LODag8ynpc2TIHeM83iQfibq04MJuqKQrSBG7cCwyAsTHooC6syYy3bLjoI5tPRq0IwyNy784S4OpMwWXxiFyXvnk5qDaSFL2JiaUvnyBu6DStFQ/s4764/IMG_4587.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2612" data-original-width="4764" height="175" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsdgT5L_GxUmxR-1n3qQ8OSmt52lMr4yu2bozkNtHEOihdmAW-7QVS4UAudi0v-wZTf6bNp_LODag8ynpc2TIHeM83iQfibq04MJuqKQrSBG7cCwyAsTHooC6syYy3bLjoI5tPRq0IwyNy784S4OpMwWXxiFyXvnk5qDaSFL2JiaUvnyBu6DStFQ/s320/IMG_4587.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Amish Smart Car</span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /> <p></p>threecolliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05811004278088768813noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15171402.post-33760388351005705242023-11-17T15:26:00.007-05:002023-11-17T15:27:40.929-05:00Impact<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8t9T5wWr4RLfDDhMAYdLcUURpfUwhdk06IfSlVOg9nUesii89PwSkK-nqdQkIQkp9bNJdrM8faSgBMs0tJF4WCfRTFxxvuXQV9sMBIT11w2ZwJecws8XC1Qb_jM_15UT_dx9rb16F4qtWHfQ2xsX_SFw7XwEe4EjnDVt3HEW_1RUGyr7duicFBw/s4080/20231115_165956.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4080" data-original-width="1836" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8t9T5wWr4RLfDDhMAYdLcUURpfUwhdk06IfSlVOg9nUesii89PwSkK-nqdQkIQkp9bNJdrM8faSgBMs0tJF4WCfRTFxxvuXQV9sMBIT11w2ZwJecws8XC1Qb_jM_15UT_dx9rb16F4qtWHfQ2xsX_SFw7XwEe4EjnDVt3HEW_1RUGyr7duicFBw/s320/20231115_165956.jpg" width="144" /></a></div><br /><b> </b><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>The three of us</b>, having chored and cleaned for hours, sat down the other day to have a few minutes peace and quiet (and maybe a snack). We were all engaged with our electronic devices, enjoying the downtime.</span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>Wham! A big bang like a bomb,</b> then a cascading jingle of falling glass.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>Somewhere.</b></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>It sounded right next to us in the living room</b>, but it wasn't. Kitchen and dining room windows were intact as well.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>The boss checked the stair landing. </b></span><span style="font-family: arial;">There was no window there any more.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>A big Cooper's Hawk</b>, immature, and probably a female by the size, had evidently hit it in mid-swoop. Alas it perished.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>The mess was incredible.</b></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>Both the flight of stairs leading up to the landing</b> and the one climbing beyond it were bathed in glass fragments, from big pointy shards to sharp crumbs barely visible even under a bright light. There was glass in my bedroom, and glass in a downstairs bedroom that opens off the downstairs hallway. The hall was thoroughly dusted, mostly with micro-bits, as well.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>Becky picked up the indoor pieces</b>, and I the outdoor stuff-two boxes worth altogether.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>I vacuumed behind her up the stairs</b> and around the rest of the glass field, while Ralph horsed the big shop vac up the stairs behind me. Did I mention the indoors is carpeted and the outdoors weedy? Yeah, it was a beast of a job.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>Not much else got done for several hours.</b></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>Fortunately he was also able to find a place</b> that would repair the window immediately on an emergency basis. (We are having a nice fall, but not nice enough to leave a two by three foot window open.)</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>The new window is nice and clear</b>, the old one having been deliberately left grubby to help prevent just such collisions. You can see above how we are dealing with that.</span></p>threecolliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05811004278088768813noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15171402.post-78710792985467412312023-11-17T15:08:00.001-05:002023-11-17T15:08:53.620-05:00Dad<p><b></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div><b><br /> </b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggda9_unyyXjoBb2Jh8AzPqdQdO4tnmBnr8SZSPZA_KGtQHK0GIuU2izSc0pGkafZPf1Bl1ov5oRRtM8mAmsNhkiogb8U7n8Wxx6Lk3Mzen3RN1wgGUtx3623OZYozqtvIU5gkaKq80PAAmlpdEPqKJeIUUvMeqHbGpEtfEaJWaz_3NaZ4Zm502g/s4032/20210605_143338.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggda9_unyyXjoBb2Jh8AzPqdQdO4tnmBnr8SZSPZA_KGtQHK0GIuU2izSc0pGkafZPf1Bl1ov5oRRtM8mAmsNhkiogb8U7n8Wxx6Lk3Mzen3RN1wgGUtx3623OZYozqtvIU5gkaKq80PAAmlpdEPqKJeIUUvMeqHbGpEtfEaJWaz_3NaZ4Zm502g/s320/20210605_143338.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>Happy Heavenly Birthday!</b> I miss you...</span></p>threecolliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05811004278088768813noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15171402.post-43797528070989716822023-10-30T07:29:00.006-04:002023-10-30T07:30:09.681-04:00Paprika<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgapbMpfvz9IE2_mbs-c84l0O-ryZ_cwlZZcWoySwXYt7OQ_Nh7pLJx-ANl6DgmisoRbHl7hTIzVgqbwtEeSFEtQ9AAqYTKU6c9MmB0utXppA4i-zQg7oSKWwimmYymKgwzC3TRYqWvgDxrSpA-WjnufQX_YMx2ql8aR0P8xs8en3fDcdYySxkow/s4535/IMG_2684.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3430" data-original-width="4535" height="242" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgapbMpfvz9IE2_mbs-c84l0O-ryZ_cwlZZcWoySwXYt7OQ_Nh7pLJx-ANl6DgmisoRbHl7hTIzVgqbwtEeSFEtQ9AAqYTKU6c9MmB0utXppA4i-zQg7oSKWwimmYymKgwzC3TRYqWvgDxrSpA-WjnufQX_YMx2ql8aR0P8xs8en3fDcdYySxkow/s320/IMG_2684.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>Not long ago Becky started using it </b>in her cooking. Turns out we liked the result. She read up on producing your own and decided that we should give it a try. I was willing to attempt to grow the peppers involved, so she bought some seed.</span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_MY54hmng2r7MSS42H4DDzyYQXD-qibbt5iCZvbKhyphenhyphenPfCzoxvbacTkx2DcZIJHoevECH4NMBrEBNwoxfDThrgb8FGxmV1fR2yzktVfAf3SllPIgkscYChMQ7zjik4vFv5gXV3utl9ADQP-ptIJUFfC2tddHaE_LK95gRt6ZdpLJaReSAai2-oFA/s1065/370077354_3501133056821124_220090367427224974_n.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1065" data-original-width="884" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_MY54hmng2r7MSS42H4DDzyYQXD-qibbt5iCZvbKhyphenhyphenPfCzoxvbacTkx2DcZIJHoevECH4NMBrEBNwoxfDThrgb8FGxmV1fR2yzktVfAf3SllPIgkscYChMQ7zjik4vFv5gXV3utl9ADQP-ptIJUFfC2tddHaE_LK95gRt6ZdpLJaReSAai2-oFA/s320/370077354_3501133056821124_220090367427224974_n.jpg" width="266" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>They were slow to germinate</b> and the resulting plants delicious to deer. I made protective structures of old grill grates and flower pots, but the nibbling was a tough setback.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5PGMCxDLLYIkHqFHvp5srpHgkOYDbMeSvvksRNqUxpstbx7z2E9xVjBnVSF7jViGDTGW7K1nm2ZO1Yc8dZXL1Oqqk_6Hk16sAbfLRUUoG3JMdO5vmocCv4uzmR1qawU36G7BbMRqA1w5lWQ8BQOIUHbEGdYoSYePX_HTEPLVrrUvfQR8K_afVmw/s777/396513016_2221297611401448_3621731017193006717_n.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="354" data-original-width="777" height="146" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5PGMCxDLLYIkHqFHvp5srpHgkOYDbMeSvvksRNqUxpstbx7z2E9xVjBnVSF7jViGDTGW7K1nm2ZO1Yc8dZXL1Oqqk_6Hk16sAbfLRUUoG3JMdO5vmocCv4uzmR1qawU36G7BbMRqA1w5lWQ8BQOIUHbEGdYoSYePX_HTEPLVrrUvfQR8K_afVmw/s320/396513016_2221297611401448_3621731017193006717_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>Eventually though the plants outgrew the depredations</b> and made some little white peppers, which grew into appealing orangy-red, somewhat flattened, globes. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJXADO0LN84xf9i8iMNvFTaLWyaFKlXMUXvU6b7_fbdkxVaf_8RMETPWCEHxyO6ZMzlhxeOGi17xelB3JQy3raJFHskABpq5xEZPFjNQ8TB-OXQ7t-0w3RG0gE9LI2yUum_6ll3C7MH19BGbFe9os1f5Qrj6WFV0c8_rhMI-aAngkXNJy7EWaUTQ/s2000/367382877_980495933754634_8056730863312608941_n.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="2000" height="144" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJXADO0LN84xf9i8iMNvFTaLWyaFKlXMUXvU6b7_fbdkxVaf_8RMETPWCEHxyO6ZMzlhxeOGi17xelB3JQy3raJFHskABpq5xEZPFjNQ8TB-OXQ7t-0w3RG0gE9LI2yUum_6ll3C7MH19BGbFe9os1f5Qrj6WFV0c8_rhMI-aAngkXNJy7EWaUTQ/s320/367382877_980495933754634_8056730863312608941_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>Yesterday we picked and prepped them </b>and popped them in the dehydrator. The house smelled like peppers all day. Last night they were almost, but not quite done, so they are having another whirl this morning.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxJThiO1CPBss4ULakghMO77l1cnowfi-ZDSP7-uo8NICuGBsps8BXt3j-Y7YNVfcqROtvkMc8BLD_b0SirxADNF9n0JHo1HjJ2Gmwi2bab1ixoqD3LEDBjokvdzVx0e_yW7MQBkCz3ZM0lkffPZ3tdhOU8AyVaPhxCqsVLgXShLHIdv9kAzMpdA/s2000/370206870_320820827364140_8551497672706248751_n.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="2000" height="144" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxJThiO1CPBss4ULakghMO77l1cnowfi-ZDSP7-uo8NICuGBsps8BXt3j-Y7YNVfcqROtvkMc8BLD_b0SirxADNF9n0JHo1HjJ2Gmwi2bab1ixoqD3LEDBjokvdzVx0e_yW7MQBkCz3ZM0lkffPZ3tdhOU8AyVaPhxCqsVLgXShLHIdv9kAzMpdA/s320/370206870_320820827364140_8551497672706248751_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>Thanks to the deer and germination factors</b> we won't get much actual paprika this year. However, it has really been fun messing around with the project. I saved seeds, which we will give a germination test when they are dry. It they grow, we will use them. If not, we'll get more.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>We are also thinking about</b> growing some chili peppers and attempting chili powder next year.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>Might be fun.</b></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><b><br /></b></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOsQBVTMZ8_mY8QTEI30kfxCoqbjv5Jp3Srwyk-i8ERL4zZaBvmSoaisSnQAXtoY-ezPAMFr-eAICgX6Y4nTsK9s5bJEqWq-HSvxFDuy6Cmus46eBLNFG8F10r_J-nC04irdkvKj4_lapvr5gyFeOok0eGboWNKQmr79GwC0G7XOuEbMAASJQlrg/s1246/395755696_1994734204241675_4510022999352770428_n.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1246" data-original-width="872" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOsQBVTMZ8_mY8QTEI30kfxCoqbjv5Jp3Srwyk-i8ERL4zZaBvmSoaisSnQAXtoY-ezPAMFr-eAICgX6Y4nTsK9s5bJEqWq-HSvxFDuy6Cmus46eBLNFG8F10r_J-nC04irdkvKj4_lapvr5gyFeOok0eGboWNKQmr79GwC0G7XOuEbMAASJQlrg/s320/395755696_1994734204241675_4510022999352770428_n.jpg" width="224" /></a></b></span></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><b><br /></b></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>All photos by Becky </b>(except the top one)</span></p>threecolliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05811004278088768813noreply@blogger.com2