For the Last Week

Our new kitty, Sister, has come up out of the basement and joined the family. 

We all sit together in the evening and watch tv... and Sister sleeps at 

the foot of my bed.  Jester sleeps next to me... Bed Hog.... and Lilly sleeps in the 

doorway until early in the morning and then jumps up with the rest of us. 

This cat has brought so much happiness into my life, Keith loved cats, and he would have 

loved Sister.  I found her, you remember, at the hospital parking lot during his last stay. 

Friend Jill is convinced she is his spirit animal. 

I am not so sure she is not. 

I am seeing this redtail regularly now at 155th and Fairmount.... it is a very dangerous road to stop on, so I have to hurry when I snap a picture of it. 

Here is one of my favorite shots, taken on the 12th... Stranger Creek at the bluffs on Leavenworth Road.  I stopped on the way to church that night.  I'll have another shot of this later. 

I took this on the way home that night, it was so beautiful... the supermoon rising.  See the hawk on the pole on the right? 

Here is what was interesting... I was standing under another hawk, taking the pictures.  Usually, they do not hunt so closely. 

This makes me laugh every time I drive by.  You see, the deer was the very first thing in the tree, why, oh, why did I not get a picture of it?  These folks decorate every year, they bring a cherry picker in to do the top of the tree.  The deer now has a red glowing nose on him, they are very creative. 

The begonia is still blooming in the window of the tv room. 

I have visitors on the back deck again, and have been enjoying watching them. 

Now, here is the same scene I showed you above of Stranger Creek. 

I took this Saturday afternoon on my way to church. 

The chair was over to the left in this picture.  I saw no one around... and no cars around.  

I don't like to be in a place where someone can sneak up on me, so.. I got back in the car and left. 

Interesting, it might be a photographer who is being patient to get his shots. 

This was the park Saturday afternoon... today was a much gloomier picture, we have heavy clouds and expect rain tomorrow.  We need it! 

This is gomphrena at the Ag Hall.  They kindly agreed to let me get some seeds today, so I am going to plant some next year.  I think this is Strawberry Fields, but I am not sure. 

White gomphrena.  I got some seeds of this, too. 

Our girl Lil has found a place where something is living below ground, and she heads there everytime we go out the front door. 

Jester was with us too, we were on our way to the park. 

Tomorrow, we go see Dr. Tom for a pawdicure.  I suspect we are not going to get our walk 

at the park because of rain. 

Wednesday Night Post

Don't laugh. 

There are more birds.  I can't help it. 

Thank you for all your kind comments last night. 

This... is a very stressed out retriever mix. 

See the froth on her mouth? 

She actually did VERY well.  The only other time we have ever tried the dog park, she had a terrible time.  There were only two other dogs there... one tiny puppy (you can barely see it) and a smallish boxer who was full of pep.  Our dogs really liked her through the fence. 

See those two young women?  They are American soldiers, who can kick your behind from here to next week... but also, delightful young women. (We were at the Fort Leavenworth dog park)

Someone was having fun.  However, when I took him to the big side so he 

could run with the boxer... her "pawrents" were calling her to fetch a ball and 

he got scared, so back we went. 

During our time there, a machine across the parking lot was breaking cement, so it 

was very noisy.  We are going to try it again in another week or so. 

After the other two dogs left, we went over to the larger side of the park, and Lil had a good time exploring.  However, here is one thing I noted... we did not really get any exercise, other than their sniffing around and running up the fence line.  

I went to the park this afternoon alone and walked a mile by myself. 

Tomorrow, we'll walk early in the morning, and go back to the dog park next week. 

This northern mockingbird was here on our street as I was leaving.  I hauled the big lens out the window to get him. 

Hauled it out again for this guy.  (Red headed woodpecker) 

He was watching me watch him. 

Not a bird. 

But she was in a stare-down with a bird! 

Back to that bird in a sec. 

I saw something this afternoon I had never seen. 

I walked a mile at the park, and then got the camera out to 

see if I could get some bird pictures, but there were 100 or so kids at the 

park today, along with parents, and a lot of noise.  Even though I was back 

by the creek... I saw few birds. 

So, I started home. 

I decided to go the long way. 

I had not seen this one before in Leavenworth county. 

It's a great egret. 

They have LONG necks! 

I was able to get out of the car and take pictures, 

though he did stop for a minute. 

They are beautiful birds! 

He was in a pile of downed trees in the middle of a pasture that is so wet it has 

not been planted yet, on a little-traveled road.  I was so lucky to see him. 

I was glad to see this guy, too! 

More tomorrow with the Heron and the Cow.  

I still have some pictures from Monday I haven't shown you, either. 

It's been a good week! 

Big Bird

Jax and I were on the way to let the chickens out this morning (we left Paiton with Keith) when we saw something neat! 

It was a heron hunting in my favorite cow pond. 

Jax was not that impressed until ...

 the heron stood up! 

Then he was stunned at the bird's size, he had never seen one. 

He helped me by picking some of the apples from the red apple tree. 

Because I did not spray either organically or chemically, the apples are all bad. 

Onto the compost heap they are going. 

The grass was sodden, and our feet and shoes got soaked. 

Beautiful, but SO WET. 

See that tree in the very middle of the picture? 

Look at it tonight!  For goodness sakes, are the things we are hearing about 

a terrible winter true?  How can this tree be almost turned red on August 13? 

Lil goes down in the overgrown pasture... and comes back up soaked. 

Our little friends came again last night. 

I noticed tonight that four of the red hens have a LOT of bare skin showing, and one has a tail that actually looks sore.  I'm going to try to catch her tomorrow night and look at her closely. 

I can't imagine the raccoons are coming during the day, but I think they must have gone after the others the night they got Goldie. 

The heron didn't hang around on our way back, but took off, and yes, Jax was impressed with it's wingspan. 

Two nights ago, I saw a small flock of about 15 ducks in the air, headed south.  There are just so many signs this year. 

I have a good friend in Oregon... they are in the middle of terrible drought. 

There is no snow cap on Mount Hood now. 

Yesterday, her cistern was empty, the cistern fed by 

mountain springs. 

Her friend's down the hill was also empty, an elderly lady. 

They are going to have to buy water... it is scary and real 

and yes, they are very worried. 

Please say a prayer for rain for the Northwest! 

Memorial Day 2015

Why it started.  

We need to remember it's not all about picnics. 

Though, to be fair, I was stunned and gladdened by the wonderful 

sentiments expressed on Facebook today. 

This gosling seemed to be telling me to GET LOST. 

See the raindrops on the big pond?  It was raining steadily when the dogs and I went out to do chores. 

It cleared up pretty quickly, and this bright eyed swallow watched me as I took 

pictures of the hawklets. 

Here they are together in the nest, they are so big now that it is 

hard to get their faces. Remember, they are a long way off the road. 

I never found anything beyond the one feather of the little rooster. 

There are no gaps in the fence, and, since the 9 hens have eaten a lot of the vegetation on this side, 

tomorrow, I'll open them up to the other side. 

I used to have a proper door in this yard.  Now, it's a roll of garden fencing.  That's the little red hen house yard. 

You can barely see the little red hen house.  I'm not going to open it up, 

it is very difficult to get eggs from it. 

Speaking of eggs... I got only 2 eggs from 11 hens today!  ARGHHHH! 

The two brahmas are still very lonely in their big hen spa yard. 

They are still so wary of me, that I  am not trying to catch them.  

One day this week, I'll move them over with the other girls. 

Troy cut all the grass today between our morning visit and this evening. 

I think this must have rattled the red birds, because I got only ONE egg from nine birds. 

This is their normal demeanor when I come into the yard, they flee for the far side. 

However.... this afternoon, I had goodies... and I put them in a bowl close to their food bowl, and lo and behold... they cautiously approached while I was still in the yard, so... we are making progress little by little. 

I caught this guy in a flooded farm pond on the way home. 

Yes, I made another trip, too, to see my mom and dad... 

The crush in the cemetery was terrible... so next year, I'll be going before 

the "holiday".  Why are the flowers on the side? 

Because Grandma Nellie Mahoney Trehey is on that side. 

I stopped to see my brother Mike, too, on the way home... our little 

sister is four hours away, too far for me to drive alone now, and 

Keith cannot go so long without a dialysis. 

It struck me that Keith and I are to be buried in the National Cemetery 

at Leavenworth (not on post)... and when I am gone, no one

will go to this grave, or those of my Peterson grandparents, and 

Peterson aunts and uncles.  My dad died when my nieces and 

nephews (and oldest son) were either babies, or not born. 

Only one of my boys was there when my mother was buried... 

so... my brother Pete is too ill with dementia to ever go again. 

Time marches on, friends. 

I am the only one that goes to the old family graves 

in Tonganoxie. 

When I am gone, that's it. 

My dad fought in World War II, a naval officer. 

I'm still so proud of him, and of Keith, who gave 24 years in 

his country's service, and all those who have fought or are still fighting. 

Thank you!