Who needs sleep?

Sleeping is a thing we are supposed to do.

It reenergizes you for the next day. 

I am an cyclical sleeper.

This means I can sleep like a log for quite a few nights and then I am wide awake... or wake up and can't get back to sleep on other nights.

As a child I never had this problem. Maybe it is because my brain decides to be overactive and have its own clock. Or maybe it is my age.

Or maybe it is hubby in the other room waking up at all odd hours and sitting with the light on. I'll get up and check on him [I can see him from my bed in the living room].

1:30AM

"What's up?"

"I dunno. Can't sleep." 

I watch him for a bit and note the struggle he is having. We aren't talkers in the middle of the night. More like 'grunters'.  Sometimes his meds seem to make him wakeful at night. It is a killer for me on those nights I sleep like a child.

At 3 AM he asked to get dressed. I helped him. 

Lucky me! 

I remembered that the Perseid Meteor Showers were supposed to be peaking. I got hubby dressed and warmed him up a cup of coffee. Then I trotted outside and stood in the yard. I watched the NE sky and suddenly saw a 'falling star'. 

I went back in and made his coffee for him as well as my decafe. 

"Whatchya doin'?"

I held up a tripod and camera. Why pass up a sleepless night? May as well make good use of it.

The moon was very bright so the meteor shower wouldn't be as evident with the naked eye. 

Below is our place among the few pines we have and a star trail of 15 minutes. The horizontal streaks are more than likely satellites?

The bathroom night light showed up through the windows of the house. The ghostly smudge in the driveway [bottom right] is me walking out with a cup of decafe.

I pointed the camera to the NE a bit better and tried shooting over our shed.

On the left there is a streak that starts, stops, and then continues. I think I am pretty sure that was a meteor!

Cool beans.

I don't know if the other streaks were also meteors, but I can pretend they were.

By the time 5AM rolled around, it was getting to be foggy. I had run back and forth to the house to pour hubby his coffee and to make him his breakfast. The camera was on a timer and did its thing without me.

I took 5 15 minute LiveComp shots and decided on these two. 

The last shot was a quick one as the skies lightened. In this shot, there was an airplane flying over the house.

By 7, hubby was ready for his morning nap. I helped him to bed and adjusted his 02 hoses. Charlie and I piled into the car [in my PJ's!] and drove to my favorite spot to watch the sun come up.

The sun was already up and shining, however we had valley fog which is amazing to see too.

My first glimpse of the ridge didn't seem to promising...

but as I got higher on the ridge, it looked more and more scenic.

I parked at the cattle gates to a large pasture and stepped out with Charlie. I did a little happy dance and enjoyed the views.

The sun came up a bit higher...and the trees started to glow.

I really really ...really

do miss my morning walks and drives on the ridgetops the landscape always leaves me a bit breathless even after all of these years.

Ahhh, and finally, there IT was...

...and in black and white...

I couldn't decide which shot I liked best.

I do love this land that I call home. 

I promised myself I'd go back to bed and take a nap when I got home.

But.

There were chores to do, tanks to fill, lunch to make because today is Wednesday and that means Fishing/Adventure Day for hubby. He looks forward to it so much that I can't tell him I am too tired.

So here we go....!

Kinda flopped

 The smoke from the fires kept me from seeing the Milky Way and the Northern Lights. But it sure didn't keep me from trying.

I set my alarm for 1:30am and got up and dragged my sorry butt out of bed and walked to the Meadow. I had a little camp chair I took with me and set things up. 

Not much happened in the skies. So I decided to play with my headlamp to see if I could do some experimental light painting on the Hickory tree in the Meadow.

The sky was lit up with very faint colors but it was really just brown-ish from the smoke. Interestingly enough, it was very cool out and there was no evidence of fireflies anywhere.

By 3AM I gave up on the lights but was happy to faintly see the Big Dipper. So I took this last shot and decided to head inside. I got a wee Star Trail as a result. The smoke completely obliterated where the Milky Way was supposed to appear.

I must have bumped the tripod a bit when I walked away. I can see it in the photo but I kept it anyway.

So this is what the skies really looked like above 👆. However, just for fun I did something pretty awful and fun.

Same photo as the one in the Meadow with the orangish-brownish sky.
I cheated with adding a sky swap.
So of course I would title these as what I wish I had seen. However, it sadly was not true.

The scary part it the ease at which I was able to change the photo. 

Okay. Well onto a couple of other Meadow photos that are not faked. I was able to get out just before sunrise and take these as the other half was up on this morning at 4am and had eaten his breakfast and had coffee so I could get out and enjoy a few morning moments in the Meadow.

We had a very busy week last week and even busier weekend with lots of comings and goings.  

The horse we called Fifteen went to her new family where she will get tons of attention and love. 

I was surprised, I haltered her up, and led her to their tiny trailer where she loaded like a pro. To her credit, she is smart but I don't have the time for her. The last time she had loaded into a trailer was the day she came home to us 6 years ago.

The mule gals absolutely had a fit after she left. But after 24 hours, they quieted down as if nothing in their lives had changed.

Happy Morning...

First...

there was

the morning trip to the mailbox heavy fog that lit up the forest.
It looked bejeweled...

I came around with my packages and mail to the back door and got to see 

the first of the many sunflowers 

bursting forth with happiness and hope.

And then on my news feed an interview with Kamala Harris and some kids came up from 4 years ago.

I watched it and played it for hubby. 

Maybe it is my hope for our children, grandchildren, and our great grandchildren that struck me soooo much.

Kamala said this:

If you are interested in the interview here is the link:

I did want to be a teacher when I grew up because I believed in children. I still do. I believe in children and a good education.

This video set my tone for the day and I spent the rest of it happy and content.

I want kindness and hope for our nation not hate speech and negativity.

I feel hope...

We won't go back...

Holiday Weekend

The Kickapoo Valley Reserve closed all trails but old Hwy 131 and Star Valley to bikes and horses. This was because the Kickapoo River likes to come up fast, crest, and come down quickly when it floods.

If we get a half inch of rain right now, the rivers and streams just fill up and overflow their banks.

I thought it would be fun to check out the bridges and the places where the river had crossed the old trail.
Keep in mind that this trail was the original Highway 131 that was closed in the 1960's when the government built a new road that didn't flood. The intention was to put up a dam too and make a manmade lake for tourism.

Anyway I've gone over that history before on one of my older blogs.

The point is, the old road is maintained for bike riding, walking, riding horses, and in the winter one can cross country ski a groomed trail along this same path. Walkers are welcome if they stay off the groomed parts.

I took my Infrared camera because bright sunshine, green grass, 

water, and clouds make for 

more interesting photos in IR.

The water was brown and a bit angry. The river had come up on two of the bridges but by the time I got there, it was already receding.

Looking at the other end of bridge 15.

Angry waters...

Just around this bend was what is called a log jam. The Reserve posted this shot today to show anyone who thought of canoeing, that the river was still a bit unsafe and to use caution. Also a person would have to pull out of the river do a portage to continue.

People are asked to use common sense and caution. This quiet little river has its ways of being sneaky. I kayaked it last year when all was calm and quiet and it still can be a challenge.

I promised hubby that I wouldn't ride through any of the water that was over the trail. This part was only a few inches deep, but further north of this spot it could have been as deep as a foot or so. 

I was just more interested in seeing the water on the trail.

Photo taken with my IR camera.

I just wanted to explore the beauty of the water and the reflections. 

I enjoyed my time on the bike even stopped to visit with this little guy. I couldn't pass up the opportunity to use my Alien Tourist.

I went to bed early and woke up at 2AM. The smart thing would have been to go back to bed. I don't always do the smart thing.

I wanted to see the Milky Way. The photo stinks, but there it is. I went for a walk in the dark. It just seemed right at the time.

I stayed up after I got back home. I asked Charlie if he wanted to go out with me to see a foggy sunrise.

And it was amazing...

By 7AM I was ready for a nap. That is exactly what I did.

The 4th of July was super chilled here. I read a book while sitting on my little rocker on the porch.

Why not?

It was just perfect. Naps, beauty, reading, and rocking...

Except when I went to take a shower and found out that the water heater was ka...put.

Oh well, even that won't wreck our holiday weekend.

Tomorrow morning, I am meeting a friend from the gym and we are climbing a bluff just before dawn to watch the sun rise and welcome in the day.

Sunday~~ day of rest???

 👇

Well, sort of. I promised myself not to do too much work. Well, that didn't happen.

Saturday I found pie at the Farmer's Market and purchased some fresh greens to eat. I decided to head out to a place where there is a Mennonite Store in Coon Valley. [Yes, that is a real name. Coon Creek runs through Coon Valley]

Years ago I got a couple of Hens 'n Chicks from a friend. I have been finding different ways to use them as they multiplied.
Since I am not a huge fan of pies ~~ baking, that is, but had many pie tins given to me in the hopes of making me a 'baker'....... 

I began to make Hen 'n Chick pies. I have added other little plants. Dragon's Blood Stone Crop and a yellow type of stone crop someone gave me. I add some soil, some rocks, and make a Succulent Pies.

I used a plastic dog dish one year and any other odd little containers I can find. Eventually, I ended up with multiple little pies and containers of cute little succulents.

This year I thought I'd try a little rock garden.

I purchased some little plants. I used Google Lens to try and ID this but really didn't get a good answer. The table I purchased this from just said: Succulents.
I liked its color so I went with it.

The next two are mysteries to me also. But I like them for their textures and shapes. So I put them in the one spot of the porch that is very sunny and warm during the summer.

It is also the place where I like to have my fossil rocks displayed. 

I don't know if these 3 plants will overwinter in my zone and come back, but I know that the other little succulents will.

I don't know if you can see the little dog planter I found -- in the photo below.. It was just too adorable to pass up. I worked on this part of the porch while the grass was still so wet from our heavy dew and foggy sunrise.

I still need to add some mulch to the area to tidy it up and make it look nicer...

and I need to tidy up the porch next to the bench so I can take the rocking chair out there and a little table for coffee.

This is the same spot last year at this time....how things change!
I did plant nasturtiums in this area last year.

The Ajuga I have on the other half of the porch has gone crazy. One year I lost so many plants and this past year, despite the drought, the Ajuga...or Bugle Weed has come back strong. It has presented us with an amazing carpet of purple.

Next year, I may have to dig some out and share the plants with others or find a good spot that they would like. This year, I will enjoy them. They make a good border for around that side of the porch. [And the bees are really loving them!]

I had to mow the hill on the highest setting on our self propelled mower and it still plugged up. I just mowed it last Monday. 

Insane! 

The setting says it is mowing at 7 inches. I nearly gave up and thought about fencing the area off for the mules to chomp on. However, I am very grateful for the rains compared to the last two years of very dry and dusty springs.

In fact, the rain and warm weather have been providing the forest with a huge Flush of Morel Mushrooms. My neighbor found 5 lbs yesterday in a spot where we have searched before and found nothing!

I turned the dirt over in my 4 little flower gardens and then weeded until my fingers wouldn't work any more.

I wanted so badly to start planting seeds but thought it was a bit too early.

My wildflower 'beds' are ready for planting along with the area next to the house that I plant zinnias and 4 o'clocks. 

Our foggy morning seen through my infrared camera.

Sleepy mules:

Box Elder tree and fog:

Enjoy your Monday.

Fogged!

This was my driveway looking up towards the ridge and mailbox and back towards the house in the dense fog on Wednesday.

I think of this tree as the Little  Haiku Tree. It is invisible in the summer when hidden by greenery.

These Grey Dogwood seed pods were ice covered on Wednesday.

Foggy Forest scene.

I'm just loving this mix of weather. I know it looks dreary and awful but I like it when the weather is odd and strange.

I wonder if I lived in a city or a suburb, if I could find enchantment with fog and ice. 

Thursday was fog and rain. I went out in the morning to grab the mail and then later down into the creek bottom. The creek was still covered in knee deep snow except in places where it trickled over the rocks.

I found a large north facing rock outcrop that had frost on the rock face along with moss. This was thanks to Charlie who took a detour and led me past this spot.

The rain started coming down pretty hard while I was in the creek. I'm thankful to have an Olympus weather sealed camera and lens.

The snow had fallen off a log the crosses the creek and I was able to grab some rain drop shots of the moss holding droplets.

The rain got pretty intense so I headed back up the hill towards home.

I met the mules in the another section I'd let them into. They were digging through the snow and eating some of the long grasses that they left this summer.

After their hay and grain, they wander off to find 'goodies' in the forest. This is the first year I've let them do this and I am finding that they will eat the leaves off from weeds and multi flora rose plants that they won't touch in the warmer months.

They are half donkey and donkeys are browsers. So this seems to be a pretty good thing for them.

I had a lot of outer wear to hang up in the basement to dry when I got home.

We may see the sun shine again by Sunday afternoon. Hang in there, decent weather will come again.
However I am grateful that it isn't 99 degrees and smokey. 
So there is that.