How did your day go?

Mine started off with a BANG...or a whimper...or a shock...or 

a flat.

These were the trees that needed trimming from a blog in July.

The guys showed up midmorning and got to work immediately. My neighbor at the top of the hill came down with her 'littles' and we watched the first two pines come down together.

I wasn't sure about all the stuff left in the yard at first. This shot is from the upstairs East facing bedroom.

But in about an hour, the yard was clean.

A shot of the day before and the day after of where the pines stood.

 

Before and after with the Locust trees on the west side of the house. Sorry I didn't get the right exact angles for the before and after.

4 second clip of tree tipping for your fun! Those two pines took no effort to push over. Dominic said that he just barely touched one of them and it came right down. Here is a note to self.

Hey self, THAT tree was dangerous and I walked under it every day multiple times!!!

This was the back of the little shed in a very bad and tight spot.

Last year this old oak split and half came down on the fence and the other half got hung up in another tree.

All gone! Another worry gone. The hang up had to be roped and pulled off the other tree. I didn't get a video, I was too busy holding my breath and watching safely from the porch.

Here is a 4 minute video, not the best quality of course...but I wanted to look back and remember this day. It was interesting to see how he took down the trees and moved them.

His Excavator looks so much like a dinosaur in the woods!

I am extremely pleased with his work and he'll be back in the spring to do some landscape work and pasture work.

He will eventually also be doing debris and junk clean up. He is able to dismantle and clean up the crushed garage which is also a HUGE Dream of mine to have done so I don't look out the back door at a mess.

It will cost, but think of the nice view I'd have after years of looking at a building that keeps falling in.

[Hubby still thinks he will go in their and look for things that are worth $$$. However, anything that remains in the garage has been open to the elements now for 11 years. 

To each their own, but I found someone who I can hire to get things done that I cannot do myself!

Olive came down this morning and supervised my changing of the tire to a donut. I'll take it to town to get fixed after the Holiday weekend.

Bye Bye Trees?

I'm going to be saying goodbye to some old friends later today.

The first shot is of two pines, one is completely dead and the other is getting there. Both have been the gateway to drive through after coming down the long driveway. They have been here forever and I'll probably miss them.

I won't miss wondering about which way they will fall in a windstorm though. They do get to Hula Dancing in harsh winter winds.

The shot from the other day is one of the pines.

Sorry for the repeat as I didn't know this tree would be cut down today. 

The trees have entertained us for a long time with all sorts of Woodpeckers visiting. The Pileated Woodpeckers were the most fun to watch! They are so huge.

This view is from the West facing bedroom window upstairs. 

The trees are so tall and have survived so many wind storms. They have root rot and cracks at their bases along with holes where Woodpeckers have drilled for insects.

Last weekend, another one of these trees had its top broken off by a storm less than a 50 yards from these two.

These trees have hung my laundry for ages. I will miss their shade and amazing blooms in the spring.

Maybe I'll think about planting a small bush in its place. I don't want to see it go, but I don't wish for it to come crashing down on the house either.

 

This shot is from 2006 when we allowed our very pregnant donkey to roam the yard and she sought shade under my laundry. I had to rewash everything, but it was pretty funny at the time.

I will miss the sweet smelling blossoms these trees put out each spring near my birthday....

However, as much as I admire them, my pals have to go. There used to be another one not far from where the Subaru is parked. One afternoon it just tipped over and landed in that parking spot.

I wasn't parked there as it was not really a parking spot until I had the driveway redone last year.

The next shot is a photo from 2013 after a 3" rain deluge and high winds. That WAS the garage. 

I'm also hoping the clean up of that crushed building will be in my list of projects in the next year or so.

Lastly, a photo from 2007 after the most devastating storm we've had in all the years we lived here. It took over 4 months of constantly sawing, piling, and burning to clean the yard up.

Shots of the day after the storm and a month later. 

It took another year to clean up most of the mess in the forest around us.

So there it is. It should be a spectacle today to watch.

Can't Sleep? Solve the world's problems!

 Yeah, I do that too.

But I am not very good at it at all. Last night I kept waking up for 'no' good reason. So for a long while I just mulled over everything. That means politics, house keeping, elder care, yard care, tree trimming, fences, mules, farrier scheduling, hay ordering, and then there was my list of things I'd LIKE to do.

Bike riding, hiking, hiking, hiking, bike riding, trying out camping, traveling, and of course photography.

None of that really helped me go back to sleep.

I decided to just turn the light on and read a boring book. That didn't help. I put the book down and got a pad of paper. I made out my list of to-do's for the next day and checked the weather report. I laid out my plans for the week and wrote down a plan of action.

I turned off the light and rearranged pillows and Charlie. Yep, he sleeps with me. Honestly he rarely takes up any room and never bothers me at night. I moved him over and put my chin on the window sill and started listening to the night sounds.

Something struck me and nearly took away my breath. The crickets were singing, off in the distance an owl called her/his song. 'Who Cooks For You?' Another answered. There were no other sounds. I wrapped myself in those thoughts. Peaceful, quiet. Just outside my window for me alone to enjoy.

I decided to not waste any more time and I got dressed to take a walk. Why? Why not? 

Because the view was this. A sliver of a moon and stars coming through the light layers of clouds and mist. [Cell phone shot with my Google Pixel phone---night site really came through!]

On the walk up the driveway and out to the ridge I counted 8 fireflies. I was so surprised. I never thought I'd see them in late August.

I popped up some deer who blew and snorted at me before they crashed off through the forest. Forest sounds.

Somewhere close was another creature walking through the forest. There was a faint crackle and the slight noise of leaves being crunched. After about a half hour or so, I headed back home. I felt more relaxed and my mind wasn't on all of those things that were running about in my brain.

I made some coffee [I drink decafe] and took Charlie out on the porch with me to sit some and listen while the skies started to brighten.

I tried to get a shot of the moon sliver. Here it is, but it isn't very good. [Not cell phone!]

Soon enough I heard realized which birds had already left. There were no Robins or Wrens making their morning racket at all. They'd been missing for a while, but I hadn't gone out in the predawn just to sit and listen for them.

The catbirds were still around, but less of them. Just as the sky was starting to brighten, I heard a pair of Sandhill Cranes. 

And one even perched on the old oak tree east of us.

Just as quickly as the sky started to brighten, the fog moved in and obscured the sky.

Maybe not being able to sleep wasn't a bad thing after all. I got a walk in, I enjoyed seeing things I normally wouldn't see. 
Charlie was content to sit on the porch bench with me and enjoy the night scents and sounds with me.

I did not solve the world's problems and I was disconnected from the outside world which left me free to let my mind chill out. Plans are made to be broken. Life doesn't always go the way we want.

And sometimes, you just have to adjust and deal with it.

I think of that Disney Movie song:

Let it Go.

Blistering Hot & Spiders!

This was Sunday's view from the ridgetop. I usually can get a decent shot from different parts of the ridge, but this year, no one on this ridge is growing soy beans. My choices to see the sun rise this year are slim. I have to walk a mile to get an open view of the sky without corn blocking my views.

Our hollow doesn't see the sun for about an hour or so after sunrise. The sun has to come up over the trees on the ridge to shine down on us. In a way I miss places I used to live where I had a fairly clear sight of the horizon. But I'm used to it now after 29 years [this coming weekend].

The humidity and fog are intense in the valleys in the morning. The shot below is from when I drove down to the gas station in Readstown for some milk. It was taken in Infrared that was the camera I had with me. The valley fog from the river was dissipating but it still makes me stop and admire it after all of these years.

Infrared Shot

Before the sun gets into our hollow, I get the chores done and make sure the tanks for the ladies have fresh water. The mules are spending a lot of time down in the Buckthorn Forest where the sun doesn't shine and there always seems to be a bit of air movement.

Our mornings have been like this muggy, foggy, and a very high dew point ---> that leads to the discomfort of being outside. If one's sweat doesn't evaporate, one does not cool off.

I did the smart thing on the hottest of days. I organized and re-organized my files regarding our financial paperwork. I need to get together with my daughter in law and have her teach [or reteach me how to do a spreadsheet]. I could do this at one time, but can't remember how to do it now. I learned over 30 years ago.

I did stuff I normally don't do until the first day of fall. I organized my 'junk' room and cleaned it up again. So I can make another mess.

My early morning walk this morning to check fences revealed that one of the critters was in a spot she wasn't supposed to be in. Tsk, tsk. After some chasing, I got her settled back with the others and moved on to go into the neighbor's large and wild meadow.

This was the view.... 

A huge meadow filled with spider webs from Orb Weavers or Orb Spiders. 

I saw it the day before when I didn't have a camera with me. I couldn't resist climbing through the fence [I'm allowed to hike there whenever I please] and explore.

I found lots of empty webs, and quite a few occupied webs.

The spiders don't bother you if you bump into their web, they just scuttle off into the grasses or bush they built on.

Imagine that they remake or build a new web each day -- or night? How industrious is that?

I used to be so afraid of spiders until I met a 9 year old girl who wanted to become an entomologist. She and I would go around and look at spiders and any other insect we could find together. I started photographing them with her and of course, I found a new and exciting subject to 'shoot'.

This stunning beauty is in one of my wilder flower gardens. I won't go in and pull weeds or anything until she is done for the season. 

I'm going to go out early again tomorrow morning and each morning to try and get glimpses of these beautiful creatures. At least until they are done for the season. 

I find them to be so amazing and so oddly beautiful.

Well now...

I sure had plans for this week. A bike trail, a hike at Billings Creek, and of course gardening, yard work, and grocery shopping.

Monday's text from the tree guys said: We should be ready to do your trees later this week.

I replied: Let me know a day ahead of time so I can take down the fence and move the animals.

So we hurried up and mowed the yard, I took down fencing that would be in the way where they would stack the cut up pines. I scurried around and cleaned things up so when I got the text there would be less to do.

And now it is Friday and I am wondering if later this week means Saturday or Sunday or??? Did they get held up on another job?

Everything got turned upside down this week. Wednesday was a complete wash as I didn't feel good.
Then there were the phone calls with the Palliative care nurse and the pharmacist regarding hubby's meds. I had to stay near the house all day and wait for an overnight delivery of meds and a video appointment with his Palliative Care Team.

I should learn never to make real plans this year. It just doesn't seem to work out well.

BUT!

I did get out just after sunrise each morning and take a walk through the pastures way out back.
After all, no one calls, texts, or needs me for anything at that time of the morning. So it is just me, nature, my camera, and sometimes my tiny box of Legos that need to go adventuring.

My method is just this. I walk along and look at interesting things in the pasture and woods. I look for interesting light and plants while checking to see if the hot wire fences are still intact. They usually are. Only during rut season do they generally get knocked off the insulators.

If something catches my eye, I stop.

I couldn't help myself in this spot of morning light coming through the woods. The rock was a perfect spot to do something with my little alien tourist and Skate Board Willy.
The little guy on the skateboard actually belongs to a space lab build, but I just imagined him as having more fun as a skateboard artist. Maybe gravity doesn't matter to him so much?

That must be his uncle taking his photo, right? What a daredevil.

The little sun flares just seemed to add to the fun so I kept them.

I had another character in my box. He is a rare Lego [I like finding the rare ones!]. 

I couldn't resist putting him in a ray of light so the sun shown through him.
He is a Rock Monster and in my thinking, he must be joining the others to steal that dragon egg that looks like a rock!

Truly, only a strange mind could think all of that up in an instant, right?

Creativity for me gives me moments of euphoria. It is a warm fuzzy feeling that is combined with a huge sigh. 

Soon enough after having those moments, I have to get back to managing another person's health care and running our small place.

Things don't always go as planned, but small moments of joy sure help out with that.

Onward.

My first equine love...

I had many though...
My uncle raised horses and we rode them in the summer. I learned about horsemanship from my cousins. We rode bareback a lot because my uncle only had a couple of saddles. My mom promised us girls that one day we could have horses.

We had to make that promise happen ourselves.

Cheyanne came with me when I moved across the state to be with Rich.

She was half Arab and half Quarter horse. She floated when she trotted and had the nicest lope in the world. 

We were so bonded in so many ways. Below is when she had Sunshine who is now 26 years old. Chey was having trouble so I went out and helped.

She crossed the Rainbow Bridge at 28 years old. You can read what I wrote about her then: The Rainbow Bridge and a poem I wrote for her called Friend.

At that time I'd already fallen for my first mule I'd ever owned. Badger was my soul mate and pure of heart. There was absolutely nothing he would not do for me. Below is a photo of me on Badger with my dog in my lap. We were headed out into the neighbor's wild woods to pick black berries. He watched over me and kept me safe.

I do have to mention that Sunshine has been with me the longest. She is special in a way I cannot describe and like her half brother Badger, she watches over me at all times even when I am not riding her.

I guess she is special to me as she is Cheyanne's daughter and has proven over and over again that human - mule love is special.

I am so lucky to have a second generation equine from my first horse.

Thanks so Lori and Sandra for this idea!

Wintergreen Trail

This is one of the most used trails in the Reserve. However most folks don't go beyond the look out point on a rock bluff.

Charlie and I always go to the very end and spend some time hanging out at the dead end and watching the river. No matter the season, it is always beautiful with something to see.

I decided to do the Wintergreen Trail, it is only 1 mile out and you have to turn around and come back. I would like to go on an all day hike, but it wasn't going to happen. The afternoon was predicted to be muggy, hot, and smokey. 

With the recent rains and all the foggy mornings, I felt it would be a perfect morning to look for fungi. We were not disappointed. I did come across 4 elder ladies who had been foraging. It looked like they had a small bag of mushrooms of some sort. State lands prohibit taking anything from State owned land. I don't know the Reserve's stance on that though. I just hoped that they'd left beautiful fungi for me to admire and photograph.

I found another one of these brilliant white ones. I spent several minutes trying to get a good shot. [This is an Amanita Cokeri which is poisonous]

...and since I brought the mini me...

She...

was meant to be holding her camera. However, she dropped it when I finally balanced her...

and I spent 15 minutes looking for a tiny Lego camera in the debris under and around the mushroom.

I did finally find it and moved on.

The colors of Fungi are incredible and the different types are so amazing. Wintergreen Trail follows a bluff facing west along the Kickapoo River and has a micro climate that is conducive to interesting Fungi. One just has to keep looking.

Especially if one finds a friendly dragon.

Busy busy!

Between the humidity and the two days of rain, I've gotten a lot done around the inside of the house. I'd picked up 2 dozen ears of corn from a farm stand and have it all frozen and put away now.

I did laundry except for the stuff I want to hang out to dry. That will have to wait for the rain to stop. Being forced to stay inside made me clean the house and scrub the floor. Yuck. It needed it.

In between rains, I grabbed the SD card from the Trail Cam and see that this guy has been using the forest trail.

I did see him the other morning when I was checking the meadow pasture. I can't help but be in awe of our wild creatures.

I finally had some time to look at the photos I took last Friday when I hiked part of the West Ridge Trail. 

Much of the first mile of the trail is in fields. But this time I decided to really try to be interested or more aware of 'what' was in the fields around me. Normally, I consider this trail ... at least this first mile quite boring.

Charlie didn't care, nothing is boring to him. He uses his sense of smell to keep up with things that are occurring in the present and the past. Imagine being able to have his sense of smell. 

I was excited to find this grass on both sides of the trail in great abundance.

I haven't ID'd it yet, but the first thing that came to my mind was Bluestem grass.

Another delight along the trail was blackcaps. The ripe ones were so danged sweet! I had to stop often to grab some to eat.

There were a few spots where this butterfly weed grew wild.

Such a brilliant orange.

Then we went into the woods and headed down the trail for a ways.

The undergrowth was SO thick it was hard to see into the woods for any distance until we got into an area with a heavy canopy of maples.

I found Downy Rattlesnake Plantain! And...I found it flowering! Wow...wow! Wow!

It is considered an Orchid. Did you know that? I did not!

Below is a photo of one of the new plants. They are so beautiful!

When I walked the trail, I finally got to an area where I knew I should find fungi. I found them too. 

The last ones are Golden Oyster Mushrooms and I've seen them now in this same area in June and August. They thrive all summer long when they have moisture.

This was also the trail that the fellow at the bicycle shop recommended for a bicycle ride experience. I may try it. But in order to make a loop to get back to my vehicle, it will take some road riding or 9 miles of hills, roots, and rocks to get back.

I'm going to first check out another nice bike trail that was made out of an abandoned t train right away that isn't too far away. 

The Pine River Recreational Trail in Richland County. Apparently there are a multitude of trails even closer to home in my own home town. Looks like it is time for me to put on my exploring cap once more!