A New Bird

On Valentine's Day, I took the dogs for a walk... 

As we came along the field where I saw the coyote this week, I saw a bird in a 

wild area where the roads come to a "T".  I could not get a good 

picture of it, but here it was that day from a distance: 

There he is, he was looking down on a very wild woody area. 

See those distinctive stripes? 

I saw him again today, on a tree branch over the small pond in the middle of a big cultivated field, a quarter mile from the first place.  I have been looking for him daily. 

This is what he is: 

(from the web).  

Oh, someday I am going to take pictures like this!!!

A red-shouldered hawk, not a red tailed hawk.  

It was a juvenile red shoulder that attacked two of our roosters about five years ago, 

and the two roos fought him so hard, he lost some flight feathers.  Keith was 

able to throw a blanket over him and we caught him and took him to 

Operation Wildlife, who rehabilitated him. 

This is not a small hawk, though this picture makes it look like it. 

I'll be looking out for him now. 

This girl had a hard, hard day.  We walked about a half mile at noon, and I could tell she was limping a little, but she seemed eager. 

When these two got here: 

We decided to go back to the park for a while, to walk a little more, and 

so the kids could play at the playground. 

Lilly was worn out, I didn't realize it.  She was unable to jump into the car and I helped her scrabble up into the back seat.  The kids had to sit there, so I had to help her out again... and she could not get back in.  I finally lifted her and she went for me, the pain seems to be in her rear right hind leg and hip.   She made it home, but she is pumped full of rimadyl now, and won't be walking again. 

At least, until we go to the vet this week. 

I think she was pretty pooped out, and I didn't realize it.  This was right before we went back to the car. 

I have been trying different settings on the camera.  I have GOT to learn to shoot manually. 

Some pictures come out better than others. 

Fail. 

Better. 

I had to run by the grocery before the kids came, so I ducked into the cemetery to practice 

for a few minutes. 

Keith got a new vehicle today, a Dodge Grand Caravan.  I'm glad he didn't go for another truck. 

I'll get a picture of it in the morning. 

Right now, we're watching "Goosebumps" on tv before the 

kids' parents come back. 

I hope I can sleep tonight! 

Sunset. 

And moonrise. 

So Far Behind

I am so, so far behind reading your blogs, and I apologize for that! 

I can't believe that my days are busier, instead of quieter... 

if someone had told me retirement would mean this... I would have laughed. 

I'll try to get caught up on what everyone is doing tomorrow. 

This, I think, is a dark-morph redtail. 

It's a beauty, isn't it? 

You can sure see why they are called redtails! 

It didn't go far. 

About 30 feet. 

Jes was not feeling so hot yesterday or today. 

I think he's better now. 

Here is the big hawk who lives down on the corner of 155th Street.  He is just almost perfectly camouflaged, isn't he? 

I took this picture to show you what happens when you don't take care of your fence lines. 

The pasture behind these red cedars is also overgrown, and unfortunately, the buffalo live there. 

The beautiful barn is on the piece of land where the buffalo are supposed to be kept.  There was a house there, too, but it is burned and falling in. 

The greater piece of land around this... 146 acres, was for sale from the time we moved to Calamity Acres.  Yesterday, I took this picture: 

The for sale sign was being taken down.  We don't know what this means. 

Keith called about it once... they wanted nearly 2 million dollars for the 145 rolling acres along the highway. 

Tonight's sunset, from our back door.  

Wow. 

Any doubts about the glory of God???

Happy Grammy watching! 

(I'm taping Downton and switching to Grantchester at 9:30) 

A Happy Weekend Post

Here is Ralph, Keith's dad, at the Hereford House yesterday with little Brynn, 

who was born the day of our family lunch last year!

The Hereford House is a Kansas City landmark, western-themed of course, and famous for 

it's steaks. 

This is the second year we have gone there, and the food was great as usual, and we had very good wait staff. 

As I waited for everyone, I was looking at the chandeliers... aren't they amazing?  They are all hand-tooled leather... as if they were made from saddle leather.  

Andrea, Keith's oldest daughter, and her husband Nick were our guests, because Keith's other daughter, Amber... was busy giving us THIS: 

Meet Carson Joel Sheets, and his big brother Jace... with their proud 

Papaw!  

Last year Andrea and Nick missed the lunch because Brynn had just been born, and 

this year, Jesse and Amber were missing.  Don't think that there weren't some jokes going around about next year's lunch!

So today, we celebrated! 

And here is the birthday girl herself, enjoying her cake! 

Keith's mom and dad drove down from Ames, Iowa, for the weekend, and we were so glad to see them. 

(notice the change of clothes after the cake!) 

And cousins Brynn and Jace loved the little schoolbus slide given to Brynn by another set of grandparents. 

As Keith said... these children are very loved. 

And then it was home to do chores after the Chiefs took a lead in their game this afternoon. How wonderful it was to be outside, scores of geese were going back and forth above me, as we are surrounded by beanfields on all sides.  I heard hundreds of them honking, but couldn't get the camera in my hand fast enough to get good pictures. 

And it got up to 40 again, and, as you can see, Icelandia is slowly turning back into Swamplandia. 

Wait... is that a goat in the pasture through the fence? 

Maaa Maaaa ... you forgot to let us in the yard!!!!

There are always chores waiting, and Soon-to-be-Skinny Minny was coming along with me.  I encourage her to get as much exercise as possible. 

Today is the third Sunday of Advent, and in all the beautiful home tours and 

gorgeous house dressing I have seen on the net this month, 

I have seen very little of the Reason for the Season....

The third Sunday of Advent invites us like this: 

"Gaudete"... which means

"REJOICE" as in the command to rejoice! 

Keith and I are doing that tonight, after a weekend of 

loving family... a new baby... seeing the older folks... celebrating a first birthday... and joying in the simple chores it takes to keep things going around here. 

Those are the things that are priceless, and that make us truly joyous. 

The End of a Long Week

I can't say I am too sorry to see this week come to an end.  Unfortunately, we had one more sad occurence... a very nice little cochin hen, Widget, who was the last to go in every night, had to be put down this morning.  I saw her in the dark in a far corner of the little henhouse, bent over, and ran to get the flashlight.  I am so glad I did, as she was in bad shape.  Keith put off leaving for work long enough to take care of her.  She had managed to push her egg bed all the way out, and had prolapsed.  Once that had been taken care of, I could finish up chores and change clothes to leave myself.

The day started beautifully...

This was taken to the east at 7:20 this morning.  That's the Spehar's pond you see in the distance.

Aztec was in there somewhere, too... they were all having a leisurely cud chew as I left for work, having eaten their breakfast.

I had to go to Fort Leavenworth this afternoon for a doctor's appointment, and this is a barn I pass everytime I go... it always makes me feel so sad.  It was full of hay, and they have just let it sink into the ground.

As I left the post, I passed a big flock of turkeys (I know they are not a "flock") almost at the gate, busily eating away just off the sidewalk that runs along Grant Avenue... almost at the guard station... as if nothing was wrong and no people were near.  I could NOT get a clear picture, you can't stop there and cars were coming up behind me.  My picture turned out to be a blur, and I wish that I could have shown you how beautiful they were.

As I drove home through the countryside, I passed hundreds upon hundreds of geese in the beanfields feeding, and on the bigger ponds.  I didn't get good pictures of them, either.

Here's something I did get a picture of:

I counted 28 mares in this field, there were more stretched off to the right and left.  Keith and I have been watching this herd the last few weeks.  You see, they belong to a young man who used to take care of our horse's feet, he was wonderful with them and very quiet, but then began to miss his appointments and we gave up on him eventually.  We have noticed that he has moved all of his stock to this field, which is across from his home and barns.  He breeds Arabians, but many of these mares are paints, appys, and a couple of palominos.  He appears to be rebuilding his corrals at his home place, but we have also noticed that these mares are going through hay like you wouldn't believe, and today, they appeared to be eating maybe hay that had been thrown out for them (because they were so spread out) instead of big bales.  We just wonder what is going on, and if he needs help. He has some beautiful horses.

Of course, I got home to find these:

UGH.  Even worse than yesterday.  Poop in them, poop all around, wherever you see white, it's poop.  Double ugh.  It wouldn't be so bad, but it smells! And the waterers INSIDE were as dry as these.

Not a lick of water or feed for our birds left at all.  The big henhouse flock is going out into the pasture during the day now, so I think they are finding enough bugs, etc., but I can't let the little henhouse side out at the same time, Rambo and the two young boys will fight... Rocky and Brutus.

Someone suggested something last night that I am going to write her and find out about... we are ready to go to extreme measures (laugh).  I guess extreme would be blasting away with a shotgun.

When I got to the door, my help came out to do chores with me...

Here they come, barreling out of the henhouse.  Biggify it, and you'll see Abby is at the gallop.  Gertie is looking around for Lilly, who goes after her savagely if she gets too close to the henhouse, where Lilly is Queen of Mice Control.

And here is the aforementioned Queen, surveying All She Commands.

Sunset was as beautiful as the sunrise.

And here is Lilly again, waiting for Keith to come through the gate in his truck when he got home from his trip up to Doniphan County, to look at the levee repairs.

Yes, the "Christmas" curtains are still up.  They are lined, and are keeping out the cold.

I'm strill trying to think what to put up in their stead when we are feeling compelled to take them down (like, um, Easter).

(Linking this to Farmchick's Farm Photo Friday)