Tainter Hollow and other places

 These were the views traveling along part of the Tainter Hollow roads I've never gone on before. There is Tainter Rd, Tainter Hollow Rd, Tainter East, and Tainter West. If that doesn't confuse you, you are not alone.

However, the drive isvery scenic on gravel back roads that go up and down and twist all around the valleys and hills.

Then I found this truck sitting in a field. 

When I was 22 and pregnant with my first son

I worked on a Potato Farm. 

My job was to sort potatoes as they came up the belt on the harvester I rode on. The ugly misshapen potatoes went into a large bin and the pretty ones continued on the belt to be dumped into the truck like this one below. When that truck was full, the gent driving would drive back to the farm and dump his load.

I often rode with that old fella back and forth to the fields we were working on. He was a hoot. He had a country boy's explanation for everything in the world. 

One of his funniest quips was. "I didn't get much of an education, my parents sent me to school on the second Tuesday of the third week of each month."

He was quiet while I thought about that one and burst out laughing. 

I was paid $1.90 per hour. My work hours started predawn and stayed until midnight if there was going to be a frost. If the weather was good, we'd put in about 12 hours and be done for the day.

The farm owners brought out a snack for us in the field at 10am and at 3pm. We made our own lunches and ate out in the fields also.

I actually enjoyed the job even though it was hard. The family who ran the farm were very good to us. 

When the season was done, I got 100lbs of the ugly potatoes. What can I say? We ate potatoes with all our evening meals. 

We eventually made it to the Mississippi River and admired the river bluffs.

Now that a lot of leaves have fallen and been blown down, I was able to see some of the homes on the bluffs.

Yikes. I'm pretty sure that I wouldn't want to be perched on that bluff, though the view has to be amazing.

Charlie can see out of this car much better than the Outback so he seems more comfortable. It was a good day even if it was overcast and drizzly.

Frosted

I'm just going to put these shots up from yesterday.

Mother Nature really outdid herself with the Hoar Frost....

Boy was it incredible!

And the fog looked like it would let up this afternoon, only to swoop in again this evening.

Hoar Frost. My favorite, but 3 days of it? Wow!

Charlie Morning

Charlie, after we had a morning excursion together.
I stuck my baseball cap on him that I use for outdoor work.

He was not impressed.

But he is such a good sport about it.

The sideways glance as if to say. 'Really? You are going to keep pointing that thing at me?'

And...I am bored. Totally bored. Let's do something else.

Yesterday morning he didn't let me out the door without him for my predawn bicycle ride.
I let him come along and wondered how his tiny legs would deal with me pedaling.

I didn't go very far, but he kept up when I pedaled slowly and when I sped up he just followed unless a scent at the side of the road interested him.

Charlie was behind me sniffing at the edge of the gravel road. At this time of day and any time of day there is almost never any traffic. Only 3 homes are on this road and the guy at the end of the road never is up early. My closest neighbor leaves at 7 to go to work. Most of the time, this road is empty. Well, not during planting or harvest season!

Anyway, that is getting way off track. I just wanted to assure you all that Charlie is perfectly safe with me. He has come a long way and has instant recall. Well, most of the time, that is if he isn't on a chase. So he still wears the collar on these outings when I don't have him on a leash.

I'm very lucky that I have all of this time to work with him. That makes a huge difference I think!

Even with the cloud cover things got pretty neat. Bluish sky and pinks on the horizon.

And then the horizon began to glow...

I zoomed in on the trees and caught the change of light. 

And when the sun peeked through, it was partially hidden by clouds.

The whole sky changed colors and the clouds moved in.

Charlie and I headed towards home.

Just before going down the driveway, I had to stop and take one parting shot using field corn for framing.

We got back to the house and did our morning chores together. Sven was happy to have a new spot to eat nettles and other weedy plants. If I had an army of goats my weed issue would be gone. However, I'm not prepared to re-fence this place for goats.

Rich got up after 10am and I convinced him later in the day to take a short drive with me and check out Runge Hollow for fishing later this fall.

I intend to go back there and to Sidie Hollow to get some photos in infrared and in color. Sunrise at Runge would be pretty neat. Sidie has incredible fall colors that reflect on to the man made lake.

Oh ... and how did Charlie do? He loved it! He never once ran in front of the bike. If we were to go a long distance however, I doubt he'd be up for it. Friends have suggested I get a basket or buddy seat to put him in.
I'll consider it.

Dirt roads

...and out of the way places....

Getting there in the morning is easier now with my new stealth vehicle.

Fog can be seen over the Kickapoo River Valley and building in the dips and tiny valleys in between as the ridge starts to come alive with birdsong.

And then I waited and watched.  Zeke's cabin was quiet. He never gets up early anyway.
On days like this, I envy his view, however during blizzards and cold gusting winds...I
don't.

I turned around like I did yesterday and worked the gears and cruised towards the next high point across the ridge. Those folks that say you don't forget how to ride a bike? They are right. But the near gearing is pretty neat and allows me to get up all but the steepest of the hills.

I was sweating, but I got there in plenty of time to watch the fog start to roll across the ridge top.
According to my clock, the sun had been up for about 5 minutes, however it was hidden behind clouds.

I can't resist a good *purplie* morning. Not when there is fog involved. And from now until November, we should have morning fog off and on.

Someone said I should get a basket put on the bike for Charlie. Even if he doesn't/won't ride in it, it would be handy to carry my tripod and a few other things. I'll have to inquire at the bike shop or look around. I wouldn't mind a rack in back either.
Time will tell.

I think I'll hit some trails tomorrow, my day off from appointments. I'll just make a lunch and pack a back pack.

I'm diggin' the new Stealth Rider.

Good Morning...

Sometimes the mornings are the best.
I listen to the birds, and Charlie and I have the gravel roads to ourselves.

Rarely do we have traffic anyway...but...

somehow an empty road and a tiny dog makes things look bigger and the possibilities ....
endless...

Enjoy your day.

Walking the...goat?

With the rapid warm up, things have turned to mush, the gravel roads are soup in places as is my driveway.
Patience will prevail and things will return to normal once the deep frost comes up and out of the ground.

Sven is such a hoot. My neighbors are still bottle feeding him and letting him out in the yard to play with the kids and go on little walks with him.
He'll come home in about two weeks.

Lauren and I decided to go for a walk on Thursday, we both took a break from our 'house' duties. I put Sven on a lead and off we went up the road. He is such a quick learner! I didn't put a collar on him but used what I call a slip. If he pulled and jerked the rope tightens a bit [no I would not let him choke himself]. As soon as he stops pulling it loosens.

It only took him about 100 yards to figure that out. He walked better than most dogs do on a lead!

We walked about two miles and enjoyed the fresh air. Basil and Sven and two ladies walking up the gravel road and enjoying the first day of Spring.

On the way back I wanted to see if Sven would follow me across some running water. He did, but mainly because Basil went first. We crossed again and he acted as if it were no big deal.
The arrow points to Basil's tail as she leaped over the water....

I can't wait to take him and Charlie on a walk together next. That may be a goal for this weekend.

The amount of yard work I need and want to do is almost overwhelming. Along with that I need to put up the fencing for the sunny side of Sven's new pen. My Kenosha Friends are going to help me with the goat stall inside the shed and the 'goat' doggy style door I want put in.
I have some old wooden spools to set out as well as some old broken plastic water tanks to use with planks to set up a play ground in his pen.

I intend to have Sven out on a tie out in the summer to clean up the nasty weedy spots in the yard. Goats are good for that.

So more goat walking is in the near future.
How about a trip down through our woods to the creek?

We visited with Rich's PCP for the VA this week. She noted the deep depression he had and suggested some more 'tests' for lung function and some therapy. I should have just told her to forget it. If you don't help the depression he won't care about the rest.

Though his latest set back was actually not a medical one.

All right. The sun will come up soon and I need to go for some feed and groceries!

I still like mornings

Pre-dawn is my favorite time of the day during the summer. I like to be out just as the birds are starting their morning songs.

This morning I cajoled my Grand daughter Ariel into coming with me on an early cruise. She held Charlie and we went out to watch the most glorious part of the day.

I do love it when we have mists or fog.

It lends an air of mystic to the low spots on the ridges.

In the valley bottom on the other hand...it is dull and grey.
This was taken at one of our favorite spots at Bridge M.

The ridges were clear and the valleys were immersed in grayness.

Didn't I say that I loved foggy mornings???

This view was from Kolstad Road looking down on the ruins of an old shed.

A July misty morning is not complete without a quick stop at Linda's cropland to grab some morning shots of her oats and corn.

Last year she had soy beans in this spot. This year it is field corn....

Did we enjoy the morning in all of its glory? Yes I think we did.

Mr. Morris has a new clock

Mr. Morris decided that I needed to take a walk the other day. I wanted to check the mailbox on the ridge and any excuse to get out for a bit is a good excuse. Fresh air is good for you.
However we happened to pick one of those days that the winds were roaring overhead on the ridge.

I put on my fur fox hat and grabbed my camera bag [of course!]. Even though we'd had some very light snows, the overall color of the season right now is dull, drab, and dirty looking.

Dingy ~ Gloomy Drab Dark Dirty Shabby Squalid

This is the view down the private drive of the neighbor. Dull, dingy, dank, dark, and dirty looking. However to avoid the raging winds, I walked this way as the trees protected Morris and I from the biting cold.

Morris keeps having some pretty decent days. Most of his time is spent sleeping. He has a routine that he now keeps.
Up between 4AM and 5AM. Outside immediately. He wears a pet light so I can see him in the dark.
Breakfast must be served between 5 and 5:15 or he gets frantic.

One more outside visit and the couch is his for napping.

Between 2:30 and 3PM, it is time for activity. He walks around the house and grunts until I get dressed. He bounces around playfully and shoots out the door when I open it.

I have been keeping him on a leash since his last little adventure when he went home after about a 20 minute hike into the woods.
I brought the leash but let him off when we headed down the neighbor driveway. He was more of his old self. He'd trot ahead, then stop. Smell. And when I'd whistle he'd come on the run.

Since the view up the driveway seemed SO drab I thought it appropriate to edit it with some grunge textures. I used Topaz Studio to edit my files quickly and very easily. I actually didn't walk past the tree on the right as the winds whistled fiercely across the open area beyond.

I thought to myself that this was so ugly, it was almost beautiful in a way.

I watched Morris sniff around at the coyote tracks and the 'possum tracks. He trotted back and forth. I bent down to pet him and put him on his leash.

And this is what I got!

The little turd!

However to be honest, he does love to walk on leash out to pick up the kids at least once a week between 3 and 4PM. The route is the same as is the timing.
I can now count on this being a part of his routine. As soon as 3:30 hits, he will turn and head home.

I didn't mind this at all as I could see him trot up ahead. He went to the mailbox and made a turn down the hill. He sat on the porch and awaited my return patiently.

When I arrived, he calmly walked inside and stood next to his feed bowl.
He stared at me while I got undressed. As if he was trying to mind meld with me to let me know "food" was urgent.

Precisely at 5PM, Morris will stand in the kitchen and then walk to the couch. He goes back and forth. Eventually he makes a nest and settles in. If we walk into the living room to watch Netflix or something, he sighs deeply and gets off the couch.
He is adamant about laying between the two of us after we settle in.
I think he wants us to know that the couch/love-seat really belongs to him.

Morris still rules.
The Little Old Mr. Morris has a set of rules that must be followed by the rest of the members of 'his' family.

Weather a very strange year so far.

We've swung wildly from very cold to just freezing. From frigid to mild with rains.

Thankfully the animals seem to be taking this weather in stride. 
The mules and horses refused to go to the stock tank on Sunday until we put down barn lime and a combination of sand and hay chaff.

We've had an ice event each week. 

Who came up with the name Ice 'Event'? 
Once a week the temperatures have swung to just above or right about freezing and it has rained.

Getting anywhere safely on the country gravel roads has become an issue. Our township is running low on sand according to the patrolman Rich talked to our town only has one bin left of sand/gravel.

I hope that is enough to get us through to a real melt down!

Traveling back and forth to work has become rather unpleasant. This is a shot I took -- yes I stopped-- of 'good' weather and good roads!

There are no shots of course of the bad places, the scary twists and turns that come down off the ridge at an 8% grade into the valleys.
It is trips like these that make me dislike working period. The drive to and from work is stressful. 

This is one of the roads I take to and from town or work. This is a nice sight to see on a slick day. Fresh sand and gravel over ice.

And...this is where I park when it gets like this. I can walk up to the ridge from home and I don't have to worry about falling off the driveway into the woods and wrecking the car.

Our road is a dead end road. It doesn't rate getting more gravel/sand on it as there is only 3 homes on it.

My neighbor on the top of the hill has purchased 'chains' for his and his wife's vehicle. He found out the other day that even the 'chains' didn't help. 
This is a shot of the road from our mailbox area. This is good winter driving!

Yesterday morning I took a sled-full of hay chaff, sand, salt, and screenings up to the ridge and spread it behind the Subaru so that my neighbor could park behind me. Our driveways were still solid ice. It is surprising how this mix adds traction to an area!

In the afternoon, the temperatures rose yesterday and the sun came out. 

Rich used the skid steer to break up ice around the stock tanks and then proceeded to work on the driveway.

I was so happy that I quit doing all of my catch up work around the inside of the house and came outside to enjoy the sunlight and the mud/ice.

Mud and ice! Snow slush! 
I know it looks like a mess. But it is much better than glare ice.

It was only in the places that the sun shone, but it made us very happy.

And it made Val-Barbie happy too!