We're Back!

Catching up a week's worth of photos... yes, a week! 

As much as I love the wild birds... I have finished feeding them at the old place. 

Back Yard Blend, the blend I buy from Valley Feed in Bonner Springs, 

has gone to 17.99 for 20 pounds.  Years ago, we paid that for 40 pounds. 

I can't afford to keep feeding at both houses, so I have chosen to 

feed only here at the new house. 

The sad thing is... and it is sad for me... is that the birds all gather 

when they see me get out of the car in the morning and afternoon, and 

chirp and call to each other because they think I am putting feed out. 

They will learn soon enough, I'm sorry to say. 

I AM still leaving the nyger feeders up and the suet... except something... a critter, 

is stealing the suet.  That will be next to go. 

I'll miss them so, I admit it. 

Driving back and forth, I see lots and lots of animals. 

This is a black squirrel Keith and I saw on 171st street.  I have not seen any others, 

only on this one street.  

It's difficult to take pictures of black animals and birds. 

These sheep were so funny.  When I stopped to take their pictures from the car, they heard me talking to the dogs. 

They came all the way to the fence to see what we wanted. 

Their ear tags, prevention against flies and ticks... also bear their names! 

Lilly made a friend at the fence.  She was barking ferociously, but her tail 

was wagging and she did not want the dog to leave. 

With the trees leafed out, it is harder to see the hawks.  This one was 

on the pole and took off, but I had no sun yesterday, at least when I saw him. 

The iris show has started at the old house. 

I have lost the name tags for both of these. 

I also have started bringing plants here to our new bed. 

I'm still seeing a few turkeys, but they are warier, after two weeks of being targets. 

Never. Slows. Down. 

Wears. Himself. Out. 

The big irrigation ditch is getting lower and lower. 

I did find an upland sandpiper in it this morning. 

And this afternoon, a big blue heron.  You see how low the ditch is now. 

It is raining tonight, but not hard. 

And this, is a sad, sad picture, my friends.  This morning, instead of turning east from 

198th street, after doing morning chores, we turned left, to go down towards Tongie. 

Along the highway, 3/4 of a mile past the buffalo "farm"... I saw this girl. 

She was obviously pregnant. 

30 feet beyond her, I saw this: 

Another pregnant cow. 

The people that own these buffalo have left them on a farm with 

no one to care for them.  The farm is overgrown with red cedar now... there is 

little grazing for a herd of 20.  

There are two huge pastures on the west side and two months ago, the herd broke through and was grazing in them... and then was rounded up and sent back across. 

I called the sheriff's office about them several years ago and was 

patronized by an elderly deputy who was assigned to talk to me, 

and was basically told
"Little Lady, those are wild animals and can take care of themselves". 

Obviously not. 

They are laying just out of the westbound lane of 24/40 highway, a very busy roadway. 

They appeared to have been shot... but... I did see manure in the roadway... and one piece of chrome plating from a car or truck.  Tonight, I went by there, and they were gone... and I did 

see a streak in the road near where this girl lay. 

There has been nothing on the news... our neighbors near the old place knew nothing. 

My guess is it happened during the night or wee hours of the morning.  Poor animals... and poor people who struck them or had to put them down. 

I leave you with last night's beautiful moon.  

I'll try to post more regularly this week.