Hannah/lost and found and more

Sunday morning I checked the weather and it looked perfect for another campout. I took the dogs with me to set up the tent, they saw my backpack and ran next to the car and sat.

I had to laugh and imagine me explaining that No, they were going to help me set up camp.

I usually struggle a little bit in putting up the tent, in the end, I get it done. Instead of using the rain cover, I tossed a blanket over the top vent to keep our body heat in overnight.

I turned around and there was only Charlie sitting on the old camp cot I have. No Hannah. So I called, whistled and hollered. I tried her 'beeper' collar. She always come running to that as it means she gets a treat or a pat on the head.

Nothing.

I grabbed Charlie and took him home on the 4 wheeler and put him in the house so I could run down through our woods and call for Hannah.

I spent 45 minutes calling and then realized that since we are surrounded by 600+ acres on the east and 200+ acres on the west, and hundreds of acres of fields and forest to the south and north -- she could have gone anywhere.

I stopped running around. Hannah knew the lay of the land. She'd either come to camp or go home eventually. When Rich and I would lose a hound while hunting, we'd take our coats off and lay them down at the last place we'd been with our hound. By morning, the hound would have made a bed of our coats and we'd pick him/her up.

I got back to the house to grab my chore flannel off the porch and check on Charlie. He was happy to see me and then he ran to the porch door. I asked if he had to go out when I heard a very quiet 'woof'. It wasn't Charlie.

Hannah was laying on my insulated flannel in the sunshine on the porch. I wanted to yell at her and tell her she was bad bad bad and wished she could tell me what happened. 

I didn't. She was so overjoyed at seeing me. She launched into wiggles and smiles. Yup, she draws up her lips while wiggling and shows her teeth in an awkward smile.

I hugged her and gave her a treat for being so smart as to come home and lay on the porch.

We eventually got back to the campsite and got set for an October camp. It was going to be a chilly night with temps dipping into the low 40's. I figured if we got cold, we could just walk home and go in the house.

We left at 5pm and spent quite a bit of time sitting on the old junk cot watching the fire and listening to the forest around us.

At sunset, I walked out into the meadow and took this shot looking east with the pretty pink clouds and the neighbor's meadow. The line of fog is actually smoke from my fire lingering in the woods far off.

Once it got dark, the temperature started to drop. That is when the first group of coyotes started to sing their hunting songs. Not too far off an owl started to call. It was a different call than the 'Who Cooks For You' but it was a Barred Owl --> I think.

The fire had burned low so I banked the coals and we retired inside the tent. It was only 7:30, I cracked open a book and started to read. My cohorts made a bed on my jacket and some blankets and seemed to be interested in what I was reading.

Around 8:30 I decided to check on things outside before calling it a night. I walked out with the dogs and had them do their thing while I looked at the stars.

I couldn't believe my lucky eyes. The Milky Way had not quite set yet. I kept the dogs collar lights on and grabbed my camera out of the backpack.

I thought that time had run out on seeing the Milky Way, however, it hadn't quite set yet.

I was so tickled and happy, I did a little jig and Hannah did one too. Charlie huffed and went into the tent to make his bed. Apparently he was not impressed.

I could see my breath in my headlamp so I know the temperature had dropped again. I thought I'd take a couple of night camp shots so I could remember our 'night out'.

So the night sounds we heard were really quite beautiful. We heard raccoons chirping in the forest. Yes, they do make chirping sounds! A buck not too far off was grunting which sounds hilarious. I am guessing he was chasing a doe who he thought was in heat.

We heard from the coyotes a few more times but they didn't come our way.

The coolest sounds we heard were from the Barred Owls or perhaps they were Great Horned Owls. The songs were odd but definitely an owl of some kind. It sounded as if a Barred Owl couldn't quite get it right and was trying to sound like an adult.

They kept at it every once in a while until nearly dawn. 

I enjoyed the night noises so much especially the owl 'talk'. It was one of the highlights of my night!

By the time 6am arrived, the dogs and I were buried under layers of blankets together. I got dressed and had to convince the dogs to leave their warm blankets and walk home with me in the predawn. 

We walked through our meadow towards home and listened to the group of Robins that were chattering. They were migrating through and gave us more 'songs' to enjoy on our camping adventure.

The outside temperature at the house was 38 degrees F. Hmmm. We survived!

And, I got a pretty good night's sleep!

[I also want to say that Hannah is a huge scent driven dog. She can track me if I hide from her, a playful trick I used to do to all of our hounds. Charlie doesn't have that sort of scent drive, but he has also learned to stay close over the past 8 yrs.]

Tent life [part II]

I've always wanted to stay out in the forest overnight. 

My parents did car camping when I was a kid. 

I recall sleeping in the front seat [the steering wheel was never in the way]. I think my sister may have slept with mom and dad in the back of the station wagon but I don't recall. Maybe I was in the back seat and parents and sister were in the back.

My brother slept on the roof I think. I believe it may have been our only camp out, but I can't be sure. I'm not even quite sure of the year we did it. 

However, I woke up thinking that this was the coolest thing ever.

Here is a shot that my dad took. I think we were at Arches National Park. [It was NOT crowded]

I don't recall if we parked and slept there or near there. All I know was the experience was amazing and I fell in love with rocks.

For reference, the station wagon was a 1965 Dodge. Mom is at the picnic table, my brother is running next to the car and I think my sister is sitting on a rock above the car in the bottom left partially hidden by a tree.

I think that this was my first camping experience and I fell in love with it 61 years ago. 

Rich and I would camp/sleep in the back of his truck and later in a gooseneck horse trailer [not fancy]. But the thrill of it has always stuck with me.

This year was my first time at camping with a tent.

[Last night, I took out the camp cot, it was too uncomfortable.]

Here is what it looks like with a 'dog pile' on a nice cushy camp mattress [3 inches thick!] and piles of blankets.

The dogs love it. I do too, they can sleep on the thin mat next to me or scoot in to keep warm.

I read until I was sleepy, then last night out we hit the sack.

The part that feels so free to me is the fact that I never checked what the time was. It was dark and the moon had not yet arrived.

Monday night we didn't have a fire because the smoke would have blown right into the tent. 

We heard much of the same serenades as we fell asleep. I woke up with a start as Hannah growled. 
I listened.
And then I laughed. There was a turkey not far off trying to roost in a tree and making clucking noises. A bit later I was awakened when I heard a mule softly snort not far off.

I thought, oh how nice, the mules are here.

Then I became fully awake. The mules couldn't get back by us!

The moon was out casting silver light. I peeked out the window and there was the shape of a deer standing not far off. I guess it didn't expect us to be there.

I got back to sleep rather quickly and the dogs crept under the blankets with me.

The dogs love pre-dawn. Hannah is the first to get up and annoy Charlie into getting up. In turn, they both annoy me to get up.

I open the tent flap and out they go for their morning duties. Both dogs leave the camp area to do their business. I like that.

In the predawn dark, we walked back home. I feed them and make coffee for me then head back out. I can have some quiet time with a thermos of coffee and watch for deer.

And....

 I'm successful. These two does come out every morning like clockwork when the sun just peeks over the neighbor's trees to the east.

I have my coffee and sit watching the meadows. One would think that this is the time of day where I think deep and poetic thoughts. The world dissolves into just breathing and being.

My mind is quiet.

I watch the day come alive and that is good enough for me. 
I watch. 

I see the fog, the morning light, and listen to the sounds.

I still pinch myself wondering exactly how lucky I am to witness this in the mornings.

When the coffee is gone, I walk back home and start my day.

And...

I know I can't wait to do this again.

Looking to find normal

 or something that might be normal. I imagine people who have lost a loved one go through this also. I found myself this morning just standing in the kitchen area wondering what to do next.

I felt as if I was stuck there. Stuck to the floor with the kitchen sink staring at me. I blinked. I sighed. I wondered, did a few moments go by while I was in 'Stuck Land'?

I shook it off and decided another morning walk would be the right thing to do. I needed to go check the pasture fences even though no mules where in the meadow.

This is one of our morning views. Fog branches trees, a large wild meadow....

I didn't have my zoom lens I use for wildlife with me, but this guy showed up in our meadow. I did crop this hard. The buck is a 10 pointer. I will only admire him with photos. Though I wouldn't mind some venison myself this winter.

Sunrise in the fall is magical. The heavy fog and dew create a magical place for photographers.

My 'friends' the orb spiders are still building nightly webs in the east meadow. I am enjoying walking among them and feel slightly honored to be able to photograph them up close and personal.

I had a lunch date with my MIL's cousin who may be in her late 80's but is no frail flower. She is a force to be reconned with. We often try to meet up at least once a month through the spring to fall months and have lunch together. She is stubborn and strong like ... well myself. She has opinions and insights and is just an amazing woman who is struggling with her husband's Alzheimer's. 

She is an independent cuss just like me. She doesn't speak Bull-it, she speaks her opinions, for that I love her. 

We missed 6 months of lunches but made our date today. She is an elder that I have the utmost respect for. She has lived most of her life with her husband who lived on the road and has an independence streak that would put most elderly ladies to shame.

I see her and I feel comforted. We are comforting souls.

This afternoon I had a Pet Trailer for my bike delivered. I like bike riding and there are several choices of nice flat riding trails within 45 to 60 minutes from my house.

I figured it was NOT fair to Charlie to leave him home alone all day while I went exploring. So I did this....

He isn't too sure about the whole thing, but he likes the treats he finds inside the trailer. 

Charlie is now my soul-sole companion. We can adventure together. We can watch out for each other.

I think I will find out how good my leg muscles are soon after not having much exercise for the past 6 months.

My ex daughter in law sent me a card today and I took her letter and card to heart.

The pain of a loss
Reflects
How deeply our Hearts
Have Loved.

Busy day

The other morning, before my appointment, I went to feed the girls and they were in a place they weren't exactly supposed to be in. All I had to do to get them back was rattle the feed bin and bring out their hay. 

[BW shot with my Infrared Camera out the door]

I just shut them in this large paddock until I could get out to check fences.

The culprits of fence wrecking showed up the next morning.

We did end up counting over 30 deer congregated by the place where our fence and two other neighbor fences intersect.

Well after breakfast, I went out and fixed about 500 feet of hot wire. The barbed wire fence that belongs to the guy west of me is bent over and mostly broken. He knows it is a mess, but he sold his cattle and so he basically doesn't care. 

That said, I don't mind either because I use a hot wire on the inside of his barbed wire. Hot wire was the only way we could keep our jumping mules in our pasture as they were taught to jump fences. That is a competition with a history of hunting behind it. 

The mules I have left don't jump fences. But keeping them out of tangled barbed wire is my goal.

Winter Pasture

The winter pasture looks flat, but it isn't, there are a lot of trees, nooks, and crannies to go around.

Below, my fencing supplies.

It wasn't that hard to repair the fence since I use a fence product that is easy to put back together. By the time I finished in my chore boots, my feet were chilled.

But I had a couple of more spots to take care of before quitting. You know, once you start a job, you finish it before having to put all the supplies away again.

I'll just have to keep a closer eye on the deer. 

After lunch, I decided to get outside as it was so warm! 22 F or -5 C. I'd been bummed about the 'order' not to 'go' hiking so Charlie and I decided to go for a 'walk'. Semantics, it works for me. 

I dusted off my Infrared Camera and thought it would be interesting to see how things looked in a different light. 

Finally an hour to myself to relax! No phone calls to answer, no appointments to work out, no deliveries of meds that need to be signed for. Just me and my little dog.

We went down the good part of the trail to the creek.  It looks quite different with the snow on it. I like to try and get out to 'shoot' this trail before the critters mark it up with footprints. 

That little black dot is Charlie watching 8 deer running up the hill from the valley below.

I turned around and hot straight up the trail. Yep, one isn't supposed to do that with a camera, it causes a lot of sun flares especially when you are using an Infrared Camera. I didn't care, I liked the footprints.

I checked my watch, time to get back and make sure someone had their meds on time and prepare for the 100 questions about "What is for lunch?"

I wanted to take an IR shot of this oak leaf stuck in the snow. Yes, the leaf looks blue as the light spectrum I chose to shoot in reflects anything that has chlorophyll in it a shade of blue in camera. It just looked pretty.

As we walked back home, I kept looking for interesting shapes and shadows in the snow. I like a solo branch sticking up out of the snow with a cool shadow. But our snow is not deep so I was stuck with little weeds. 

Back under the large oak, I found a small spot that did not have animal tracks in the snow and had interesting shadows from the tree above.

I spent the rest of the afternoon cleaning house since I hadn't really done so since I'd been sick over a week ago.

October ...

Say goodbye to October.

The colors were incredible, the weather was quite beautiful but awfully dry. It was really a month to celebrate fall.

My camera was busy.

I hiked around our farm and sought out trails.

I enjoyed the beauty of golds, reds, and the colors of October skies. 

I watched wild life while leaning up against an ancient old oak. 

I listened to the birds chatter as they migrated through, stopping to rest in the yard and meadows.

I chuckled at the squirrels who scolded me from the Hickory trees.

I often sat quietly on the porch or a log in the woods, just to live in the moment.

and now we move on to the next chapter....

November....

The Meadow

There is a chill in the meadow that echoes my thoughts.

The frost lays heavy and hard across the land.

I wait while leaning against an old oak.

Watching.

A murder of crows breaks the morning quiet.

I wonder what set them off.

They circle in the east and fly off over the silver meadow.

I wait.

Eventually they come one by one out of the forest.

Searching silently.

Morning breaks and they disappear back into the brush.

The day begins.

Rest is nice....

 Almost a full moon!

And love is in the air!!!!

In fact, love is in the air so much, that he jumped the hot wire after the doe did and....he ended up chasing her through our front pasture and beyond the forest to the west.

Cold frosty mornings bring out the Rut Season and the bucks become mate happy. They can't help it. But it sure is fun to watch.

I stood behind a tree [wearing insulated coveralls, little gloves, hat, and insulated boots for about 40 minutes in the dark waiting for the first light.

I was rewarded with the following views.

I do this right up to the start of gun season in the early mornings and late afternoons. It is my quiet time, where I can sit or stand still and just be...

and watch wildlife....

Coyote visitor to our side/front yard while I was up at the neighbor's shooting the Northern Lights.

Back again...I wonder what attracts them?

However, it seems they don't go into the pasture as the mules would not tolerate their presence.

And then off again a couple of nights later. I changed the location of the camera and set it to a 10 second video along with 3 shots.

We'll see what the coyote is up to perhaps from a different angle. In truth, our land is 1/4 mile long but it is 500 deep wide. 

So they could just be going from the woods to the east to the woods to the west. Rarely do they track through the area where the girls are. The mules chase them and if they caught them, they could very well kill them.

~~~~~~

We've had 3 nights with temps below freezing so the hard frosts are here to stay at least until tomorrow. But the flowers are done, the leaves are dull, and the winds are picking up to blow them away.

Oh Fall Beauty, you were so fleeting but enjoyable!