One Last Picture

I thought you all would get a kick out of this. 

I 

Jester really picked up being a good traveler over the five days we were 

gone last weekend. 

On Monday morning, he knew I was loading the car again, as I kept leaving the room. 

(the bed was like a throne)

He knew we were about to hit the road. 

One last pee pee in Iowa, and we were on the way home!  

And seeing our beautiful Lilly, who came to greet us as we came in the door. 

So, since Monday, we have had several days too hot to walk, but we 

did manage today and Tuesday.  The problem is, when 

it's so hot... the animals are hiding in the shade. 

We are back to the land where gas is more reasonably priced... 

we paid 2.64 a gallon in Indiana. 

Back to geraniums blooming on the deck, and the herbs coming up well.  

Keith took good care of them while I was gone. 

Flowers are blooming in the in-ground garden, too. 

Yes, I have some cleaning up to do in this bed. 

Love how the ear tags are all lined up :-) These are the mamas from the little pasture pond. 

Their babies were out of the picture to the right, under the shade of a tree. 

I did get one hawk.  

And the back of a rock pigeon that was just beautiful in the sun, at the dump. 

(Recycle station) 

There were geese on the pit-pond at the dump, too. 

But this is the picture I was so glad to get! 

It's a quail, and I had to snap a bunch to get a decently clear one, because if I open the car door, they are up and away.  I finally got her to hold still long enough! 

Last Post of 2015

I had planned (rather loosely) to do a retrospective of 

our year on this last night... but to tell the truth, 

I did not have time. 

I also want to just say that Keith and I hope that everyone has had a 

good year this year... and is looking forward to 2016, as we are. 

We are blessed to come through the year, despite illness and the 

loss of my brother, with a sense of happiness and 

optimism. 

Here, then, are some pictures from today, to end our year. 

We had our two closest grands last night again, Jax and Paiton. 

Here they have "kitty whisker" hot chocolate mustaches. 

We went to a movie this afternoon in Leavenworth, 

"The Road Chip".  Grandma laughed her head off, and 

yes, the kids liked it, too.  Highly recommend for families to see. 

Yes, we walked, after we dropped the kids off.  You see that there have been several 

walking at the park... but those are Jester's prints on the left, from the last two days. 

It was almost 40 degrees when we walked today, a heat wave! 

On the way home (over some icy roads!) I had the camera out. 

More geese... we recycled on the way to the movie. 

You will have to take my word this is a covey of quail. 

I was so happy to see them. 

Not one picture came out!  

That is the clearest... I was just a little too far up road of them, and could not shoot them very well with the camera.  

They all flew across finally, after fighting amongst themselves, believe it or not. 

And into the woods, where they quickly disappeared from view. 

(If you look directly in the middle, you will see the back of one walking away) 

This was the next thing we saw.. that's a farm sign on the right. 

All summer long, I showed you three deer off and on, that I took along this road. 

In fact, the farm sign in the above picture with the cat is the farm with the beautiful lane where I took their pictures several times.  I was so surprised to see them out in the field tonight. 

And look who was just behind them to the left! 

There they are, a little closer!  

And my favorite little pond and cattle herd were the next things on the road, it was nice 

to know they were sharing their space with the wildings. 

Jester, Jax (who had just had his face licked all over!), Paiton and Lilly join with 

Keith and me in wishing you a safe night, and a 

prosperous and happy New 2016... we are so grateful for your 

comments and your wonderful blogs, and we are so glad 

you are our friends. 

Happy Fall

Here are "my" adopted chickens at the National 

Agricultural Center and Hall of Fame. 

Four Plymouth Rocks. 

They are molting, in case you can't tell from the plethora of 

feathers. 

No eggs for a while. 

This most unusual nest is displayed in the Hatchery building at the 

Ag Hall.  I have never, ever seen another like it.  Do you see the roost 

in front of each box?  All of the things on display in 

this building were originally donated by Stromberg's Hatchery. 

Sorry for the crooked picture, but there is a display of water founts, as well. 

I need to take a better picture.  

There is all kind of chicken equipment, many different kinds of brooders, etc. 

and for someone who loves chickens like I do, it's fascinating. 

I stopped to take a picture of the bluffs again yesterday.  Keith told me that 

kids have had to be rescued from underneath those rocks! 

It's a beautiful place, but scary. 

THAT is the south end of a quail.  As you see, the beans are just about ready to be harvested, and I was not paying attention and surprised two quail in the road. 

This guy was close by, too. 

It is just the most beautiful time of year to be out and about! 

Oh, and by the way... 

THE ROYALS WON! 

A Busy Weekend

Friday morning seems so long ago, I had forgotten, until looking at the few pictures I took, 

that I had seen the quail pair going up the road far ahead of me again! 

Sunflowers are blooming amongst the weeds at the old house. 

The temps were not too bad that day, though I spent most of it inside at the Ag Hall. 

Our too-quiet Ag Hall was transformed on Saturday.  

There were vehicles everywhere for Tractor Daze and Touch-a-Truck! 

Almost the first vehicle I saw was this antique fire engine, 

which is actually still in use fighting brush fires in Fairmount 

Township (our fire department).  

That's the Fire Chief, Chuck, who is one of Keith's very good friends. 

Kids were allowed to touch all this equipment. 

At noon, we had a Parade of Power.  

We even had a helicopter land... 

And boy, was it popular! 

There were animals, too... this beautiful mustang and burro were adopted from the Bureau of Land Management. 

The little train made many, many trips with happy passengers. 

We even had an artist in residence, painting for the crowd.  Mark Conrardy is from Kansas, but now lives in South Carolina.  He came back to see his family and participate in Tractor Daze.  He specializes in boldly painted agricultural subjects, and we now have some of his work on exhibit at the Ag Hall.  He was very personable, as well, and his family was delightful. 

People were interested in watching him work. 

There were food trucks, and this unique presentation... "Churn of the Century"... you are looking at the way they made ice cream... with the churn on the right.  Fascinating. 

You see they had a line most of the day. 

Even though the volunteers and staff were pooped, it was so wonderful to see the place so alive! 

And then, in the evening, a total change of pace, and Jax played in a make-up game.  There were so many games cancelled because of rain this year, they are still trying to get some in. 

I have to tell you, after walking more than five miles... I was worn out, and glad when the game was over quickly. 

I volunteered to tend the front desk again today, because everyone was so tired out. 

We had a quiet afternoon... and I got some clerical things done.  I am glad to see evening here, though... and am truly tired.  

We'll be staying in for a few days... except for necessary runs to the old house to take care of the chickens, as we have gone from cold, rainy weather to a heat index of 104 here in Fairmount this afternoon. 

The hens are staying cool in the old henyard!  Thank heavens for shade. 

Bobwhites!

I love this section of road!  I have been seeing wonderful things along it. 

I thought for a minute I was seeing grouse again, but realized... it was a pair of 

bobwhites!  I think I must have seen a female when I thought I was seeing a grouse. 

They were so hard to get a picture of against the gravel.. this was the best I could do 

through the windshield.  I swear I am going to go over and sit in my little 

chair and wait for the animals to come. 

Why are the apples ripe in July????

You see the creeks are running crazy still. 

I ran to get chicken feed and scratch this afternoon, and decided to take them to the 

old house and put them away. 

I saw this little group coming down our road! 

They are a handsome group! 

I think they live on the corner, and I've never seen them so far up the road. 

These guys were with them. 

I love Queen Anne's Lace... 

I saw this girl on the way home... we were at an impasse. 

until discretion became the better part of valor.