Birdy Birdy...Migration and not...

 I have a phone app that sent me a message over the weekend telling me that the BIG Migration was on! I was so excited, I told hubby that on Sunday morning I'd drive the Reserve and watch birds and photograph them!

He pointed out the window at a bunch of little birds that were flitting about our south yard.

They were so many of them! Yellow Rumped Warblers! 

I thought: "Great, I'll see so many birds it will be crazy!"

Sunday morning I'd intended to be at the Reserve by dawn. However the fog was so intense in the morning I decided to wait until about 9am. Even then, the fog in the valley was very thick in many places.

What surprised me most was not the fog but the drivers who didn't have their lights turned on.

I pulled over on a wide shoulder to take this shot not far from the Kickapoo River. The sun was trying to shine through but the fog was so thick it cast everything into a murky scene.

When I got to the Reserve, and parked it was sunny out and warming up fast.

I chose a trail that goes along the river in the woods to get down to the ponds. This is a shot looking to the east through the trees. 

I only had my 100-400m lens with me which limited me to a narrower view of the mix of sunbeams, and fog. But it was still there, just very faint.

Further down the trail I got a wider angle with my cellphone looking down on the river...with the sun and fog combined.

The trail goes down a steep embankment that the Reserve made into a sort of stairway with logs and I shot this through the branches and trees towards the river. 

Not a fabulous photo, but it does define how the fog hangs over the water. You can see a faint outline of the far side of the valley through the fog.

This is a spot that I often get a glimpse of a Kingfisher bird in the spring. No such luck this day!

I took another secondary trail that comes up on one of the more popular ponds for waterfowl. Guess what I found? 
One solitary Mallard.

One Canada Goose flew over and kept going.

Before I left home I'd checked the DNR site to see what was migrating through our area. The Yellow Warbler [check!], Wood Ducks, Swans, Pelicans, and Geese.

Cellphone shot of the pond.... empty.

Bummer. Last year I did get to see quite a variety of ducks along with Sandhill Cranes in this same area. 

Mental note. 
The best spots to see waterfowl are along the Mississippi River which is 40 miles west of me and the Wisconsin River which in an hour east of me. So close and yet so far!

I was bummed. I mean really bummed out. 

So I decided to see what I could find just walking along the paths and making a loop back to the parking area.

Yellow wet leaves.

Spider Webs! The one in the tree was a surprise for me. You might have to click on the photo to actually see it.

And.... while coming back up the Harrison Trail I heard a rather loud ruckus in the brush. It sounded like a deer. So I waited and waited and then...

this red squirrel popped out with a mouthful of nuts. I grabbed a shot and then ... he/she was gone being chased by another red squirrel.

So my Bird Migration plans were pretty much a huge flop. When I got home I was greeted by more Yellow Warblers. This one on the porch...seeming to say...

"Howdy! Why'd you go looking for birds when I was right here posing for you?"

Well. So much for that. But it was still a great morning.

Falling into Autumn...

 This is just going to be a few shots and not much else. Fall is starting to show up and I am spending time just admiring the sun angle and the deep woods around our farm and on local trails.

Charlie sitting on a bluff.

Hiking...at the Reserve...

The forest that surrounds us... I got stuck on stuck leaves!

Much of the canopy is still green but slowly turning and in places the leaves are brightly colored on damaged limbs.

Many leaves were slowly drifting down from above in the forest making a noise almost like a rainfall.

....

And then I was stopped by this.

Light, dark, shadows, yellows and colorful.
Everything we look for in Fall Colors. 

Music and Moods...

So sometimes things get a bit heavy in the mind and I look for a way out. I had a wonderful workout with the Legends group this morning. One lady, Julie had an announcement. She had an appointment with her oncology team for a follow up after a day of tests. She said she was apprehensive and a bit concerned as two PA's the oncologist doc, and other members of her cancer team crowded into the exam room.

Her voice and face lit up as she announced that the latest test results showed up with no cancer cells. Our small group cheered and she cried tears of joy. She was so happy to share the news with us. Her workout buddies.

I actually cried with her!

I decided right at that moment to send any negative thoughts and those black mental clouds to another universe. What was the fastest way to do that?

Music.

Joyful music.

I listen to Pandora and turned to the station called 'Happy Radio' on my way home from work. I found the black thought clouds being chased by songs. 

Pharrell Williams with Happy was the first song to hit.
Roy Orbison: Pretty Woman...
James Brown: I Feel Good
Manfred Mann: Do Wha Diddy...

and it only kept getting better. 

Once I unlocked some cheering music I found myself smiling for no reason. The sun was brighter, the air was fresher, and my steps were lighter. 

I was energized. When I got home I played some more happy music. I wore headphones so I wouldn't wake up hubby while I was hand pulling chicken breasts and making BBQ Chicken. I couldn't help myself but do a little dancing when 

The Contours came on with Do You Love Me?

Yeah. Get this I'm doing little funky dance moves in the kitchen with handfuls of chicken I'm shredding and turn to see my husband staring at me with a smirk on his face.

His comment? 

"I was wondering if you were just having a seizure or do you call that dancing?"

Of course I'll never forget seeing this for the first time by Boston Dynamics. Their Robot dancing to 

Do You Love Me?

It sure changed my whole outlook on things. 

I'm so glad I have the Happy Radio bookmarked on my Smartphone.

Do you have a way to brighten your moods???

Do share!

What about it...bone time again...

         It was time for the annual Wellness Visit. Doctors do annual Wellness Visits that are not really 'exams'. For me that entails a fasting lab, and a short visit with the nurse who does the height-weight and blood pressure thing along with the long questionnaire designed to see how your ADL [activities of daily living] are getting along. 

There was a review of medications [right now, none for me] and a review of family history. 

The subject of osteoporosis came up and I came clean that I quit the meds after 2 months and didn't notify anyone. 

I won't be due then for another bone scan until 2025 which is fine with me. The Ibandronate made me so sick with headaches and nausea for 3 weeks after each monthly dose. On the 4th week before taking the med again, I felt pretty normal. 

[If I am not taking the medicine for Osteoporosis, the insurance won't pay for a scan except every two years.]

I have a history of sensitivity to medications. But I kept trying. After 3 strikes, I'd like to call it quits for the moment. 

I'm not in pain, I haven't broken anything, I even got run over by an E-bike and a woman and I came out with just a bruise.

We read the lab test, she asked how I am doing with being a caregiver.

------>>> 

We discussed the bone stuff. 

Here we are again. 

Discussing bone numbers. We discussed the 3 meds I've tried and not gotten along with. 

Of course Prolia was mentioned again. Pretty much because my medication choice has run out of options. 

I told Ann "forget it". 
She agreed that it was my choice ultimately. Then she discussed my results from last year once more. She urged me to call Emily and talk to her. [Emily is an Endocrinologist]

Her biggest point was again to point out to my that my LS [Lower Lumbar spine] scored a -4.8. The scale for Osteoporosis only goes to -5. Ann said she never had a patient with such um, alarming numbers.

Winner Winner Chicken Dinner!
I scored High!
Go Big Or Go Home!

Yet here we are.

I will call Emily's office and either make and appointment or talk with her via phone. 

My biggest concern with Prolia is that it may play badly with me. 

I've reacted terribly to all the bone meds so far. What happens if I start to have hypocalcemia with a 6 month shot in my system? I've had that before with the first med.  It is a critical emergency if that happens. Not all people have it happen, though. 

Prevention of hypocalcemia and by more lab tests. Yum, who doesn't enjoy a needle poke? Another place to monitor is the kidneys. Rut Roh. My kidneys have been flagged, so there is that. 

For 3 years they have been in the low normal range and now have dipped into the hmmm, range.

So what happens if my kidney numbers get worse with the meds? Um? Back to a med that caused me so much pain?

The really fun thing about aging is this. Your body ages, parts start to break down whether we like it or not. Skin gets wrinkly, joints get stiff, ... If only we were like old classic cars that could be rehabbed.

My lower spine got rusty. Unfortunately there is no body shop for spines. 

The issues with where the awful numbers are lies in my lower spine which supports by body weight and helps support my hips and legs. Eventually one way or another there will be a compression fracture in the low back. 

Eventually that causes a domino effect of compression fractures. 

It will happen with or without the medication in my opinion, since at this stage the meds can only maintain me at that low score. 

So I ask. What am I preventing? 

The bottom line is, I am not going to give up Hope. 

I found an inspiration just the other day from one of my older cousins. How much older? I'm not sure. She was a teen when I was a little kid.

I grabbed this from her FB page:

You are seeing it right. She is in Mongolia living with a family and learning to hunt with an Eagle from a Mongolian pony.

I would love to grow up just like her!

Night Moves...

We had waves of storms come through after over the weekend. The hail storm sounded absolutely wicked and put holes in the leaves in my remaining flowers around my porch. 

The sky cleared up, the temperatures rose quickly and then another wave came in, thankfully without any hail.

I caught this sky looking southwest late in the afternoon. They are called Crepuscular Rays. I used to call them just Rays. Grandma called them God's Rays. All cool names.

It was a good afternoon to do a deep cleaning of the little house. That was pretty boring, but necessary since I really hadn't made an effort while I was sick.

Between storms I had a chance to take Charlie out for a nice walk and let him inspect the forest floor and scents. When we came out of the woods, the sun was shining, but I could hear what sounded like a Herd of Trucks in the distance. To the northwest was another storm front heading in.

Just before I went to bed I stepped out on the porch to watch Charlie do his night time thing and saw lightening in the distance along with stars.

What was even more amazing was the fact I could see the Milky Way. By October the Milky Way will 'set' and I won't be able to see it again until late February or later. In the shots below, it is faint, but still can be seen despite the light in the clouds. I was pretty excited to catch so much action.

Lucky for me, we have dark skies here. Only one neighbor who is 1/2 mile off uses a yard light. My immediate neighbor shuts off their outdoor light at night so they can enjoy the stars.

The next morning was fresh and wonderful. I put Little Richard out for his last few days of fresh grass on the hillsides were it is difficult to mow.

He has been with us for 26 year and has had a job doing yard work each summer. He is probably the most handled animal I have on our land. At least twice a day I am leading him either to a new spot or over to the hydrant for some water.

He is a good boy who is getting quite grey in the face. However, the way he still acts, you'd never know he was 30 years old.

Princess Sara, the Dragon Quest

I'm thoroughly enjoying the process of following my toys and conjuring up a quest for Princess Sara. 

The greatest part is the absence of rules, allowing me to invent as I proceed. Do you recall the freedom of play as a child? We would take our toys and spontaneously craft stories without needing a structured plot.

I remember the trolls my sister and I cherished in our youth. We'd bring them outdoors, where they might be found constructing sandcastles one day or aboard my grandmother's boat the next, leaping from one escapade to another without a final destination.

The narratives didn't need to be logical; we were immersed in the play of the moment.

Adults always want a definitive beginning and a logical outline for a story. But the child's play is more inventive and creative with no bounds.

I find this holds true for Princess Sara's Quest. The Quest can veer in any direction, entwining countless subplots. I certainly didn't intend for it to be that way. But I follow where inspiration and imagination takes me without constraints.

The concept is to not dwell on the little details, but to relish the journey.

Below, the Rock Monsters have absconded with the Magical Dragon Egg and are concealing it.

Emerald, the Forest Dragon, confers with a clan member, stressing the imperative to retrieve the Dragon Egg at all costs. The egg is believed to contain a dragon destined to bring peace to their kind and ensure their survival. However, not all clan members are persuaded.

Emerald is aware of the Rock Monsters' formidable magic and their merciless leader. Rumors suggest that the Little People hold the key to vanquishing the Rock Monsters.

Yet, trust in the Little People is scarce among Dragons, who have been hunted by them for ages.

Despite this, Emerald is certain of the legend's authenticity and thus seeks counsel from the wise ancient Dragon sage, Sago. [LOL, think Yoda??]

Sago summons the Wise Old Frog.

Together they will find the Little People and speak to them.

And so the Quest goes....

why not?

Quiet Time

Time for some chillin' off the farm.

I could have stayed home as the temps were supposed to be in the 80's again, but I thought I'd make my own breezes again. This time I promised myself to just pedal until I found something interesting and then stop and look at it. 

This was not a work out, it was a pleasure out. I took my ancient camera that I had converted to Infrared. I put on the hot filter to shoot in normal colors and traded off with some infrared filters of 665nm and 850nm. The 850nm presents in black and white with the greens becoming white and blues are dark.

One of the places I really enjoy stopping at is the pond that is near a place called Star Valley. Okay, it was a place called Star Valley. A community lived here from 1901 to 1962. In the 60's, the government started a flood control project called the LaFarge Dam Project. People's homes/farms were purchased and those who refused had their land appropriated.

There still is a lot of resentment over those actions as the project was abandoned in the 1970's.  I've referred to the project over the years. You can check out one of those posts here: Dam Hike & Forest Wandering.

By the time I got to the Star Valley Memorial after riding about 5 miles, I was so chilled out that I could have laid on the bench and napped. Instead, I sat and just let my mind wander while I ate an apple. Funny thing is, I never thought a bit about my schedules for the next week. 

I knew then, that this was exactly what I needed.

Here is the pond in color, then in IR Black and White, and lastly in 665nm.

The presentation of the foliage and the pond reflections are startling in IR. I guess that is what the biggest appeal to me is. The wild colors are pretty much up to the person who processes IR. I happen to like a pink tint to the 665nm foliage. Sometimes the Black and White is more appealing. I love how the clouds and the reflections stand out.

I couldn't resist bringing my mini-me and Charlie along. In real life, I couldn't do this!

The colors were starting to turn in various places but nothing spectacular quite yet. The sumac offered some beautiful reds.

Bridge 16 is in the background of this shot.

Here is some different colors and a different variety of Highbush Cranberry.

Fully mature Nanny Berries! They turn black ... 

Last but not least was some curious vines I'd seen before but never stopped to investigate.

I've seen it flowering in the spring but had no idea that it is a type of wild clematis, with a common name called Old Man's Beard.

It was a pleasure to have some solo time. It was a beautiful afternoon and oddly enough, I never saw another person on the trail. There was no sign of hikers, bikers, or equestrians. 

Fall is coming. It will be here eventually....

Moon me!

The full Super Moon of September 17th is known as the Harvest Moon and the Blood Moon. 

I've missed quite a few moon rises this year because I just didn't feel like going up to the ridge to wait on the moonrise. 

This was my first glimpse of the moon after it came up out of the river mists from the valley below.

I stopped on my way home...

I don't know if there was smoke in the air or what, but it sure was orange at first! Perhaps this is how it earns the 'Blood Moon' moniker.

I was determined to stay up and see the partial eclipse. I've done moon eclipses before and over the years I struggled with photographing it. 

Practice, practice, and practice helps. So I gave it another go.

I took some stages of the moon and then overlayed them on one black background to try to simulate what I saw over an hour. The shots started at 9:00 PM and went through until about 10:15 PM.

This morning's moon was surrounded slightly by a hazy sky but I took one last shot of it anyway...

Orange and not orange...

My porch is surrounded by nasturtiums and a pumpkin vine!

I tried to get them to climb a stick, but that didn't work well. Next year I think I might shape something out of chicken wire and a tomato cage to see if I can make them grow up that!

I really do love the way they try to take over. 

The plants actually grew on a chair after I coaxed the vines.

I will miss this riot of orange and green after the frost hits.

Here is an old barrel with a skeleton goat and one of the pumpkins that got chewed on. Since the other ones grew up nice, I may toss this one back in the pasture for the red headed mules to munch on.

I do adore the warty pumpkins, they have so much character!

And the stars of the oranges are the Nasturtiums.

These old time orange ones really shine and do so well. I've tried other colors and they aren't as prolific as these seem to be.

And not Orange.

Lil' Richard out in the morning light near the old oak.

This was another hot hot day. The humidity was pretty intense in the morning but that evaporated quickly.

I didn't get out in the woods to hunt up those maple trees across the field. For whatever reason, it seemed like grabbing a blanket and sitting under the pines in the shade with Charlie was a better choice late this afternoon. The breezes were soothing and cool under the trees.

So we just enjoyed the quiet time.

Tonight is a full moon with a partial eclipse happening! I hope to be able to stay awake for that!

AND...I missed a wonderful display of the Aurora Borealis last night.