Don't keep me IN!

There is not going to be a big ol' Thanksgiving deal going on here today. No turkey since I am cooking and dis--like Turkey. Mashed tators, gravy, chicken breasts with crispy ranch coating, veggies, and red velvet cake.

So I have no big prep to do. Thanksgivings here have generally been a chili meal while the Great Big Hunters go out and sit in the woods to return and tell of the big one that got away. [Reminds me of fishing stories] 

Other years I made lasagna. Super easy. One dish no fuss.

The past couple of days were crappy ...rain with fog. Absolutely perfect for going out to the woods.

I mean, I had to get out of the house. I felt closed in.

Besides, wanted to see how the M1 Mark III did in the rain. I know, ...take a digital camera out in poor weather? Well, it is made for that. For skiing and rock climbing, I will use the Tough TG6 pocket camera.

Olympus makes more than one camera that is weather sealed and they also make weather sealed lenses. Those lenses are generally a bit heavier than the light weight kit lenses that I use the most. 

Nah, you aren't interested in that!

So how did this camera work? 

A dull rainy November crappy day.

And the messy but wonderful creek.

This camera has internal ND filters that you can use. This photo is shot at 2 seconds. The water smooths out with that exposure.

Fog, rain, and snow. 

It gives the creek such a different look doesn't it?

Without the 2 second exposure, the creek wouldn't have been as noticeable.

I had to walk to the ridge to pick up mail and drop off some cards to be sent out.

Charlie felt it was a good day to be out and find deer poop to nibble on.

We took a trail that led us down through the woods next to the driveway.

Multiflora and Berry Brier tangles...

Barberry in the wild and very invasive...but pretty.

Duck this thorny stem!

And the Meadow in all of its Gnarly Foggy Rainy Glory.

Ewww, just not pretty at all right now.

Today? I'll be putting up a hay feeder for the elder mules. Taking Charlie for a walk, and probably talking to family.

One of my Fractal friends told me to download another free fractal program called Mandelbulber. I'm going to watch a couple of tutorials later and see what fun things I can discover.

A couple of photos from this same day, 14 years ago.

Grand daughter and Grandpa together.

Have a wonderful day however you are spending this day.

 

My Momma said ....

Don't play in the rain!

I don't think I listened to my Mother.
I went out between huge downpours to give the mules some dry hay and check on the creek.

The creek was up a bit but not flooding. That would occur overnight with another 2 inches of hard rain. The Kickapoo is out of its banks today but our stream wasn't.

I wanted to take the little waterproof camera out in the mists and explore. Plus I wanted to see how the Mark iii performed in low light.

It did nicely. And it was rather nice not to have to carry a tripod or put on an ND filter.

As I made my way back up out of the valley and headed towards home, the next front started to rumble in.

We had a lot of thunder and lightning with very heavy downpours.

After the Pres Debate, I let Charlie outside and stood on the porch. 

Not only was the rain coming down hard, but there was an eerie fog oozing through the pasture.

I wasn't going out to play in the fog. I'd wait to do that another day.

Mom never said anything about fog...

Morning trek

I watched the sun come up with a pink - reddish glow in the clouds ...

Charlie and I watched the red fade away and the sky become a dull metal grey color.

I went in for a cup of coffee. Charlie came and laid at my feet. I browsed the news on the internet and decided that none of the news was good news.
I knew that I had some fencing to check and the mules probably were ready for a rotation....
I set my warmed up coffee down and set up a fresh pot.
I hit start...
I asked Charlie if he'd like to check fence with me.

Charlie didn't answer, but ran to the door when I put on my 'woods' clothes and tossed a camera bag over my shoulder.
He saw me headed towards the electric gate and jumped on my work boots. I scooped him up and used the other hand to open the top line. He has a healthy respect for hot wire.

The middle pasture looked pretty good. The grass wasn't as plentiful as it was in the meadow but it had grown at least 3 inches since last week. I decided to check the 'creek' pasture which is on a steep hillside just above the creek itself. I won't let the mules in there until it dries out much more or they'd just tear up the hill 'path' and it would wash and erode.

However I did want to make sure that the lines were all intact. Charlie led me to the creek on a narrow deer trail and we walked below the wire in the water.

The leaves of the trees were still wet from last night's rain and the 100% humidity.

Not a very clear shot, but the low light and humidity probably didn't help.

I even had a hard time getting a shot of my brave assistant it was so dark...when...

Some light suddenly broke through. Not much, but daylight was preparing to come to the valley.

Last night's rain was still coming off the hillsides and creating little tiny falls. I walked towards the bottom of the 'road' where it meets the creek.

And the sun broke through the leaves.

The creek fog lit up like it was electrified. I was tickled to see it though. Creek fog is pretty hard to capture in any light.

"Cool huh?" I asked Charlie.
Charlie put his paws on my boots, he wanted a lift.

Of course. I hiked him up into my arms and we proceeded to the trail and headed up the steep hill. It was terribly hot and even muggier ... if that was possible ... as we headed away from the cold waters of the creek.

There was little rivulets of water in the meadow pasture making its way downhill towards the creek.

Charlie was wet and hot in my arms.  As we passed under the box elders that the mules use for shade I noticed a brightly lit coral fungus. I hesitated. I wanted to get back to the house. I was hot, Charlie was hot, but in a few minutes that light would be gone.

To my surprise I found a slug on the fungi.

A slug hug.

Charlie waited patiently between my feet.

 I picked the little fella up and we wound our way through the sleepy mules and I let him out of the pasture gate. He trotted towards the house to wait for me on the porch.

I opened up the gate for the mules and they all trotted past me with nodding heads as if they had expected this exact outcome.

A shower for me and a bath for Charlie. He'd then be ready to go to the nursing home for a visit.

Happy 4th.

The Big Melt Down

Sunday morning I had to wear Yak Traks to walk up to get Saturday's mail.
The snow had melted all night and the fog misted down ... so the driveway was a combination of ice and water.

I had to run to the nearest gas station/convienience store before breakfast. I thought the Subaru could handle the driveway. Icy but not pure glare ice.

The gravel roads were somewhat of a nightmare, soft in some spots, icy in others, and in one spot a culvert was plugged and icy chunks of water was beginning to run over the road.

By the time I got home our township had rescued the day and had spread gravel on the worst spots and down the steepest part of our driveway. I parked the Subaru and did a short happy dance.

Since water was running I thought I'd do a quick hike down to the creek and see if any run off was occurring yet.

The fog was intense even down in the creek bottom. But the air temperature had changed so rapidly in 36 hours from -32 on Thursday morning to 42 degrees on Saturday and Sunday.

I figured that one of the dry runs could bring water off the ridge. So I walked the length of our creek starting from the west and heading towards the east. I could hear the run off before I saw it.

And as I climbed closer, I could hear the sound of the water change from above me in the dry run.

I quickly backed up.

Somewhere an ice jam had given way and released dirt, clay, and ice with water all at once.

I backed off to the other side of the creek and watched it roar.

It soon subsided yet the water still ran. I looked upstream and didn't see any of the tell tale white bubbles or discolored water heading my way.

So I set up to take a few shots before I had to get back home and check on Rich.

The top shot is looking upstream 

and the bottom is looking 

downstream from the same spot.

I wish I'd had time to stay for a while, but I grabbed some photos and headed home.

The weather calls for rain again today with ice jams and localized flooding in small streams.
This truly is my kind of weather.
Okay, it isn't pleasant, but it sure makes the creek very interesting.

Perseverance

I keep going back and it isn't because of the beauty of the creek.

It isn't always beautiful.

Just over a week ago it was rather dull looking and choked with weeds. Yet I still came.
I still sat by the trickle of water and just opened my mind.

I often go by myself with no dogs. No other people. I sometimes prefer it that way. The creek becomes something else when I invite others to explore it. I do enjoy it, but I enjoy keeping the creek secrets to myself also.

Sometimes I just stand there and do nothing.

I simply admire those familiar rocks and trees. These places that bring me great comfort and at times sadness too.

Yesterday was one of those days that the creek felt like a secret place.

The air was heavy, warm, and humid.
The creek was cold and refreshed from the latest 2" of rain.

A fog hovered above the creek.
It was dark and the trees were silent and still.

I had a gambit of emotions run through my head as I carefully picked my way along the rocks.

When I stand still and let the forest and creek surround me, I feel small and invisible, yet large and powerful, and meek and humble at the same time.

I simply stand and am amazed.

I reached the spot where the trail heads back home and glanced up to see the lonely Teddy Bear that I'd found after the flash flood.

He simply looked so lonely.

I posed him on a rock and took this shot in the heavy fog.

Suddenly my Creek walk took on another feeling.
The feeling of sadness and loss.
The Brown Teddy Bear looked and embodied so much loss and emotion in this single photo that I was stunned.

He had been swept away with another Teddy Bear in a huge flood and had been found.
He'd survived mud, rocks, rushing waters...

He was Hope
He was Love
He was Lost
He was Sadness
and
He was Perseverance...

Remember the Thrift Shop Adventure?

Well I came away with some prizes and I wasn't sure what exactly I'd do with them.

So last night I packed a backpack full of the essentials. Teddy Bears, a tea cup, a stuffed chicken, and my camera goodies. I had some ideas running around in my head and just thought I'd visit the creek and see what happened.

I don't plan creativity, it sort of just happens by accident. I was told once that I shouldn't depend on serendipity but should plan all of my creative adventures out carefully one step at a time.

I just can't do that. If I plan too hard with an idea, it falls apart.

It was hot and muggy. It was overcast and very late in the day. I wasn't sure how buggy it would be in the creek area or if I'd be wasting my time.
I guess I didn't care. The creative bug had struck and I wanted to see where it took me.

The woods were dreary and dark, the leaves dripping with moisture. I made my way slowly down through the neighbor's pasture to the creek. I ducked under tree branches and slid down the red clay embankment and stood in the creek.
It was much cooler here. I looked upstream and notice a very light fog hovering over the creek.
It pleased me.

It meant that the air above the creek was much cooler and the buffer between the hot humid air and the cooler air created a light fog.

The Teddy bears in my backpack were nagging me. Well, not really, but I kept thinking about them.

I climbed over some mossy rocks and placed the little teddy and the rabbit. The light was dim.

Sort of what I was thinking, but not really. I edited it with cross processing and some vintage effects.

I had emptied my toys out and had set the Teddy Bear from Ty on another rock to try something else.
This happened to be my favorite shot of the evening.

Serendipity right?

I then put all the critters on a ledge and carefully negotiated the pond to take another shot.

The muddy portion of the water is from me going through the pond and stirring up silt. While examining this I was disappointed in the stick sticking up in the middle of the bottom of the photo.
I also didn't care for the roots and clutter around my toy critters.
However. It was in the now and daylight would fade quickly. I can always go back and tidy up the area now that I know how it looks through the lens.

I imagined a tea party on mossy rocks. I liked this and took several angles. But thinking about it this morning...I wonder if smaller tea cups...doll size... would work better. And perhaps a picnic blanket for them to sit on.

The fluffy chicken in my backpack was still there. I was not able to find something for her. The teddies and the rabbit took the moment.

Perhaps the fuzzy chicken and the large teddy bear could have a picnic some time soon.

I turned around and sat on a wet rock.
The fog was hovering over the pond near the 4 wheeler entrance and exit from the creek.
If you look hard, you can see the little beach chair and the child's blue chair sitting on the rocks to the right of the curly root I'd pulled up to add to my garden.

I walked to our fenceline and took another shot towards PeeWee's. I resisited the urge to walk down to the rock wall and set things up.
That could wait for another day.
Perhaps tomorrow.

The time was getting late and I had to check on Rich.

As I walked up the hill road, I noticed the temperatures rising and by the time I reached the mule pasture, I was soaked in sweat.

Well. I guess you know where I prefer to spend my time. It is much cooler in the creek!

I may have to visit the Thrift Store again. I don't need toys, however I can always find homes for them. What is an old lady going to do with her odd collection of toys?

I guess I just never grew up. My husband says so.

After all...who poses toy soldiers in their vegetable gardens???

Me...

The Sunrise Club

Everyone started drifting downstairs slowly. Charlie and I had already been up and at 'em for a while.

Daryl took their dog out, and as soon as Scout came in, Charlie commenced to wrestling with him.
We mumbled good mornings and soon had our cups filled with fresh coffee.

I nodded towards the brightening eastern sky. Amanda soon appeared, more coffee shuffled around. Scout ate his breakfast, Charlie was sent to his crate...and Daryl went to wake up his youngest daughter who wanted to go see the sunrise with us.
She walked into the kitchen rubbing her eyes as we gathered our things and a set of car keys.

In no time at all we were headed up the driveway. I got to the mailbox and decided to go out on PeeWee's Ridge instead of our usual spot.

The view to the east was proving to be fantastic and colorful.

The view to the west, however was even more beautiful.

I lamented to my friends that corn had been planted on both sides of the drive and this would be one of the last times I could take a sunrise without the corn obscuring the ridges beyond the fields.

However, perhaps there is a solution after all...

That or I could bring a stepladder. I know now that it would fit in the 'Ru if I laid the back seats down.
Something to consider anyway...hmmm.

And then the sun burst over the field of corn...

...and a new day started.