How Could It Be March 26?

Despite promises to post more frequently, I have not posted for 2 weeks! 

I'm sorry.  Life keeps intervening. 

For those of you who have been widowed, you know what I mean. 

My son Jim has been ill... he is normally in good health, 

works out at a gym at 4 AM daily, has, for years.  

He was playing catch with Jax, swung his head around suddenly, 

and caused calcium deposits to move in his inner ear.  He 

has had vertigo for going on ten days now.  For someone 

who delivers for a living, this is not good! 

Next Thursday, I'll take him to a specialist (he has been 

to Urgent Care and the ER) to see if there is anything 

that can be done for him, he cannot drive, and cannot 

walk hardly at all.  He is on FMLA to protect his job. 

Prayers requested for his quick recovery. 

Or just his recovery!  

I have taken many pictures. but I find that I

delete as many as half now.  I do not get satisfied with 

them as easily as I did in the past. 

I'll share a few with you. 

Oh... and I have a surprise coming up, but 

am not able to share it for another week or so. 

Look who was visiting at the Ag Hall one morning! 

He came back by a few minutes later. 

I kept Jax and Paiton on the first day of their spring break. 

For the first time, I let Paiton roll out her own cookies, and she did a GREAT job. 

I should have taken pictures of the final product. 

More visitors at the Ag. 

The geraniums are blooming again.  The tomato plant 

bore flowers, and then faded, but I took a look at what 

was left of it today (not this picture) and it is STILL alive. 

In fact, it looks a LOT better than it did in this picture, taken 

about the 12th. 

This one talked all the way down. 

This big guy attacked me yesterday... I have never been 

attacked quite like that before.  In fact... he broke skin on my leg 

two weeks ago, but yesterday was an escalation.  I moved him back with the 

help of a young woman who will be my future backup.... I was grateful she was there. 

This morning, I went in with a broom, and moved him back before he could get 

near me.  It's not fun collecting eggs and worrying about spurs in your tush! 

I'm guessing breeding maturity is kicking in, he has turned one year old.  

He is a Speckled Sussex, (heavy)  by the way, and now I am wondering if he really DID 

kill his brother two weeks ago, and I just didn't find the wounds amongst the feathers. 

Not in trouble, lifting his leg. 

Also not in trouble, just worshiping the sun. 

Can you see him on the left? 

That's a heron at the Ag. 

Here is a not-very-clear picture of it! 

I have never seen one land in a tree! 

This, I don't know what to say about. 

Sister went to the vet last week. 

Sister is a BROTHER! 

He had been neutered previously. 

Name to come soon. 

I had to put this in Kansas Birding on Facebook to find out what it was. 

I thought it was a fancy sparrow of some kind. 

I will reveal the answer below.  

I had NO IDEA. 

Another deck visitor! 

Action Jackson. 

My hawk nest I have followed for three years appears to be unoccupied. 

I checked on it again today, and still do not see any birds using it. 

I also am not seeing hawks along this road, where they have been so plentiful. 

Amazing just the hawks are gone. 

(yes, I'm suspicious) 

On my way to mass last night, I cut across country.  Movement at the back 

of this field caught my eye, and I thought I was FINALLY seeing a turkey. 

Nope. 

Well... it IS a turkey vulture! 

It rained for two hours yesterday morning, and we need it so badly. 

This kildeer was happy at the little pond. 

Michelle at Boulderneigh , this last set of pictures 

is for you. 

I could not get the black and white lambs, and the "black" lambs that were 

to the right, they were moving around too fast. 

I know these all have Shetland names for their colors, and Michelle, 

you will know what they are. 

We are expecting more rain in the next few days... HURRAH!!!

( It's a female red-winged blackbird) 

Catching Up at the End of the Month

I am trying to type this as I listen to the Oscar's Red Carpet. 

You know you are old when you only recognize about a third of the 

people walking. 

Honestly, who ARE all these people? 

I told you I was going to start posting more often, 

but instead, I have posted less in the last two weeks.  I am sorry for that, I truly enjoy posting, but I am also struggling with the things that have to be accomplished after losing 

Keith.  Some are not pleasant, and that's all I'll say. 

I have had a few chances to take pictures. 

Oddly, I have two cameras over at the Ag, but am not getting much on them. 

I don't know if I have simply forgotten how to run the darn things, or what! 

I'll sit down tomorrow when I am there, and see if I can figure it out. 

I'm no longer putting all the pictures willy-nilly into the computer, I 

actually sit and look at them on the card, before I import.  Saves a LOT of 

space on the hard drive.  This raccoon was in the woods. 

Yep, I'm still going daily to take care of my friends at the Ag. 

I was absolutely blessed on Thursday, because Lee, who will be leaving 

the Ag at the end of this week, and my grandson, Chris, cleaned the 

entire henhouse for me!  Woo hoo!

Then they bedded the whole thing down with wonderful sweet-smelling fresh straw.  

I am still wearing my splint on my broken wrist, and see the doctor on 

Wednesday of NEXT week to make sure it has healed.  I still go to 

therapy, too, for another week. 

Gosh, I love birds, and I really love crows! 

I'm always glad when I get a good look at one! 

This red-winged blackbird was on the back deck this morning.  I know spring is coming, when the red-wings come back. 

I have taken the suet hanger off the deck, the starlings... ugh.   A mess! 

I am slowing down the feeding, it makes such a mess. 

We walked the dogs at Angel Falls on Thursday afternoon. 

Our temperatures veered from 80 to 39 in two days. 

These happy, golden moments.  

Jaxton's third grade class had their spring program on Thursday night.  It was a patriotic program, and one of his classmates designed the "Of Thee I Sing" tee shirts that the kids wore. 

They closed with "Taps"... sung... and grandma couldn't help it, I cried through the whole thing. 

I went to church Saturday afternoon, since I took Chris home to Garnett on Friday. 
I came across these two red-shouldered hawks... one could have been last year's chick. 
I had the smaller Canon camera with me, got out of the car, and gave it a shot. 
I should explain... I can't really SEE through the site of this camera, I have to 
guess, usually.  I was stunned that the pictures came out well. 

I looked for them again today, but did not see them. 

You can see the red belly on this red-bellied woodpecker on the deck, though. 

And this little guy with his nut. 

I'm watching this every few days now, to see when this year's 
clutch will be laid. 

I will TRY to post more often... life keeps intervening. 

Pulling a Post Together

At the Ag Hall all day today, and did not 

get pictures taken. 

We had 60 kids touring, and about 15 teachers/parents with them. 

Only two other visitors, but from Germany. 

We had sun most of the day until 2:30 or so, and then clouds came over. 

The thunderstorms we were supposed to have turned into a short-lived rainshower. 

Last year, my son and daughter in law gave me a bunch of small 

iris (Dutch, I think) from the side of their house.  They are all blooming now! 

I have so much to do in the garden, and can't seem to get caught up.  That bag you see

next to these is intended to be put on a new extension of this bed.  I am 

going to try to get to it next week.  I also need to trim all the bushes. 

This little guy was at the park yesterday morning when we 

got there.  We didn't get a walk today, it was raining when I got home. 

You know I love watching the birds in our yard. 

And this is a reminder for everyone.  I hung this hummingbird feeder out on 

Tuesday.  In the humidity, mold began to grow in one day. 

This mold can cause a hummer's tongue to swell, and he will not be able to eat anything, and die. 

I'm going to be much, much more careful now.   See how it built up on the edges, too? 

Tomorrow, I am going to "Wings over Weston"  in Weston Bend State Park (Missouri), 

about 30 minutes from us.  I hope to get some good bird pictures, it's Global Big Day, the bird count day. 

I'll share, of course! 

Not Much to Talk About

Well, 

maybe this. 

If these are the twins...

What is this? 

I thought it could be a dead calf. 

The original calf I saw.  

But.... it was not there yesterday or today. 

I think there must be a third tiny calf, but I have not 

seen them up and around yet. 

I have seen very, very few vultures in the last week.  I did see one today almost in a traffic lane, eating a raccoon.  A single vulture. 

Little Mr. Studly posed for me when I stopped to take the vulture's pictures. 

Our gorgeous old girl in the morning sun.

I saw a group of red-winged blackbirds swoop towards the little pond this morning. 

And I saw this beautiful sight... I love geese, and they are feeding now on the cornfields as 

they are being harvested.  Soon we will be able to hear hundreds and hundreds of them! 

The Day Before the Day

July 3rd, and we are having balmy weather. 

And I have tomatoes by the Fourth of July! 

Yes, they are cherry tomatoes and the huge green tomatoes are getting bigger by the day, but they are still tomatoes. 

They are sweet, too, and live up to their name 

Sweet Cherry 100. 

Yum! 

A handsome marauder has been visiting the back deck feeder off and on. 

I am NOT encouraging him. 

Look what I found about a mile from us yesterday! 

LOVE! 

This little feeder is on a shepherd's hook in a planter on the back deck. 

This little girl is a frequent visitor in the evenings. 

While this little one preferred the one in the yard. 

I am changing this sugar water every other day now, it gets bad in the sunlight. 

When we rebuild the deck, hopefully, later this summer... we are going to make a 

shady spot for the hummingbird feeders.  

The bees at the National Agricultural Center and Hall of Fame were working hard today! 

We are having a huge event on the 11th, and everyone, volunteers and the few paid employees, are gearing up for it.  Keith and I will both be helping. 

Sorry, I love the bees. 

This little dove girl has been eating on the back deck for the last four days with 

all the sparrows and finches. 

I have been watching her often. 

She looks beautiful, doesn't she? 

Her beak is crossed, and her right leg is not right.  She hops, mostly on the left leg. 

I know it's summer and they should be finding their own food. 

I'm trying to only put one full feeder out in morning and evening. 

But, she's the reason. 

A reminder to everyone.... keep your dogs and cats in for the next few days... 

more animals are lost at the Fourth than any other holiday. 

This beautiful girl of ours is scared to death of the boomers. 

She is in the bathroom, where it's dark and cool, and 

tonight will go down the basement with Keith to be safe where she can't hear the noise or 

see the flashes. 

Everyone be safe!