Cool beans...

As the sun moves north, I get a great view of the old oak tree to the east of our place. The skies have offered up a few nice sunrises this week.

 

Other projects I have going on are fun and playful.

This Steampunk Character Minifig is one that I've been pining for! So many possibilities for portraits and cool dioramas I can make from junk stuff!

I actually made Digital Backgrounds for this guy...Cog and his dog Gear. 

Oh I do so LOVE Steampunk! If I could dress like that and just walk around our little town, I'd be happy for the stares. 

In fact, I'm looking at getting some tiny craft Steampunk gears to make a diorama of my own for just this character!

Next we have Boooo! How on earth did anyone know that I also secretly coveted this crazy blue monster???

I had even imagined how I'd photograph him in an eerie way.

In the early afternoon I took a break from indoor things to do outdoor things and take Charlie into the valley to see if we could find a skunk cabbage or a Marsh Marigold.

We were 'skunked' on the skunk cabbage, but the Big Spring had a few Marsh Marigolds popping up!

At the start of February, I went to a large dry run that was filled with ice from a small spring. The dry run is a 1/4 of a mile long and filled with boulders and rocks.

In the winter the ice forms in the run and actually covers up the boulders.

The layers of ice formed over the winter are too many to count!

Meltwater has created a canyon in the thick ice.

In this spot I measured the ice. It was up to my hips which is well over three feet thick. I just cannot wrap my mind around the power of ice and the power of water. Nature is simply amazing. I'm almost sorry to see winter go because the ice will leave and I'll have to wait again for cold weather to enjoy it.

Once spring really starts I will enjoy hunting each wildflower in the forest.

Until then I will continue to await the appearance of the skunk cabbage flower. It is quite an unusual flower and generally shows itself in late March and early April.

Meanwhile, my partner in 'crime' is assisting me in some Lego Therapy.

And I am thinking up new ways of presenting Legos. The dirt pictured below is simply dried used coffee grounds.

"Our birds may be small compared to you guys, but they have magical powers too!"

I have these awesome Aarakocra Rangers now who may join with Princess Sara in her quest to save the Magical Dragon Egg from the Rock Monsters...

Yep. Good versus Evil. Who can resist a story like that?

I'm still working on a couple of more 'scenes' for the other minfigs I received as a Happy Up Day Gift!

The Creek and Prunes

So, I got out of the house and down to the creek. I was really surprised at this one section of the creek. The difference from February 25th to March 9th was pretty incredible. First shot March 10th. Second shot February 25th.

So how thick was this ice?

Thick. I tried counting the layers. There were over 10 layer lines of ice. Yes, that ice was really quite thick.

Charlie walked alongside of me while I was standing in the creek bed. The ice had grown tall over the water seeping below the ice. The height from the rocks to the ice was about 2 feet.

How does that form? The creek holds secrets that I may never figure out.

I couldn't help but stop to admire last fall's moss on one of the logs that stretches across the creek.

Of course, I had to take Mini Me and Charlie along. 

We also found a wild strawberry leaf!

The real life Charlie got quite muddy and wet. It didn't bother him at all. He was so happy to be out after days of being left alone in the house for hours on end and no humans to tell him what a treasure he was.

A word about our nurse from Hospice. We know each other. It was pretty funny when he asked Rich if he'd eat prunes to help with ... well you know... and Rich made a face.

I jumped up and brought out some Prunes that I have that are individually wrapped and tossed two down on the table.

The nurse picked one up and dared Rich. Rich picked it up and made a huge face.

Of course I commented "Come on Rich, you were Army, are you going to let a Navy man show you up?"

When you do a Double Dog Dare between two Service men things get done.

 

Ruff Stuff

The photo above is part of where I hike through our valley. Over the last winter and summer, these trees have fallen across the creek bed. Yesterday was warm so I grabbed my little chainsaw and hiked down to the bottom to carve a way through that mess.

If you are a contortionist, you can make it through rather easily but it requires squats, high steps, and a lot of twisting. I thought I'd make it easier on myself with a bit of trimming. The after shot never got taken, however I can walk through without playing Twister right now.

My little saw can take on a lot. But the large trunk of this old oak was still too solid for me to cut through. I cleaned the area up so now I don't have to go around this obstacle any more. The tree toppled in 2018. A 'friend' offered to clean it up. He did a fairly poor job at it. But I beggars can't be choosy. 

So for the past 6 years, I've rerouted. However, now I can just step over the log on the left side of the trail.  It is only about 18" tall.

Now I can go straight down the old trail that was put in years ago instead of detouring. It was originally put in with a bull dozer in 2007 and then again cleaned up in 2016. I don't know if I'll pay to have it done again as I am the only one that uses the trail. I imagine I'll let the next owners take that expense when I sell the place.

At one time my husband used it so he could drive the 4 wheeler down through our land and also use the skid steer to pick up a deer he got in the valley. I use the 4 wheeler, but don't need to drive down into the bottom. I prefer to walk.

I was having so much fun at trimming, that I stopped in the summer meadow on the ridge and knocked off some overhanging limbs on these box elders.

When good spring weather comes back, I'll grab some chains and ropes and drag those large branches into a burn pile with the 4 wheeler.

While I was clearing another bunch of snags by my favorite cottonwood tree, I had to stop and admire the deep reflections from the trees above me. The ice is hard and there was about a quarter of an inch of fresh water on the surface.

This too is part of my daily walk. I just felt like clearing a path along the steep bank that would make it a bit easier to hike through.

Mother Nature will have to break down the big logs. Flash floods will move them to another area. The creek in this narrow valley often gets changes. That is one of the reasons I find it so fascinating.

Below...The Old Man Cottonwood and my shadow.

Today or Saturday I hope to take a hike on groomed trails at KVR to give myself a break from the rough stuff. 

We are so dry, we could really use some nice snow or even rain.

Another spot I've followed ....

...through the years.

I went hiking on PeeWee's. The large tract of land next 'door' on Saturday. I wanted to check out one of the first ice formations I discovered.

The hike to there is done through two valleys and a ridge and across a large field that used to be pasture for cattle. It is now cropland that is rented out.

The hike to this spot is 1.5 miles. To get an idea of how remote this spot is...

well there are no houses or roads anywhere nearby or within sight. 

The guys that inherited this land call the area below this dry run... The Lost Valley. 
The valley is very remote. It is steep and narrow. More on that in another post.

This is another favorite spot of mine. It starts at the top of the ridge and drops about 150 or so feet down into the Lost Valley.

I've followed this spot over the years ever since I've discovered it. 

Some years this part of the dry run gets an ice sheet over the opening of the rock shelter. Racoons, love to use the 'cave' as shelter in the winter.

This black and white shot is from 2019 when I was brave enough to take a rope and climb down into the gully.

Close up to the jaws of ice...

2011 another time I climbed down into the gully. I couldn't climb out of the dry run so I had to scramble over boulders and ice to follow the dry run to where it emptied into the stream below.

[The reason I now take a rope if I am going over the side.]

And when spring arrives...the ice loses its beauty.

I shot this shot last year leaning against the same tree as I did for the second photo.

This next shot was taken in November of 2001.

I climbed up the dry run from the creek in the valley wondering where it went. I had a Pentax K1000 with a broken light meter but I was able to guess at the exposure.

This shot may have been the very beginning of my love for Ice Caves, Falls, and Ice Formations.

If we get moisture in the form of snow and rain, this may develop into a more spectacular ice formation by late February or early March. 

The hike took me to the west side of this ridge and a newer ice falls. During the huge and devastating flash floods of 2016 and 2018, the small dry run turned into a huge ravine.

To my utter amazement and delight, this too had ice formations. I'll have to check out a safe way to get down into the area, but color me happy to find more ice.

The edges of this dry run in the spring have the most amazing spring flowers. I also visit this area in the spring to see all the Hepatica, Trillium, Skunk Cabbage, Spring Beauties, and more.

It was a long and satisfying hike. The ice falls/caves are doing well but need more moisture!

Ice Bubbles?... At The Spot

Ice Bubbles and a little history of photos for The Spot.

 Amazing ice bubbles?

I've seen these before but never tried to photograph them to show their depth and bizarre-ness.

This is at our creek along 'the wall' where the tiny trout hang out. I've always seen itty bitty bubbles come up from the bottom of this spot.

Apparently they froze and spread out as they got to the surface of the water [it is deep and very still in this spot]. Then the next bubbles froze in layers? 

The ice was very thin and clear. If our weather stays below freezing in the valley, this spot would eventually freeze over and I wouldn't get to see the bubble ice!

We didn't find any Blue Birds or Robins this time around, however the Nuthatches, Juncos, and Chickadees were all busy in the area.

This is the same spot with Charlie and I a few years ago.

The same spot in the spring of 2018 during a snow melt...

...and since I've been photographing this 'spot' as it changes for 20 years, here is a photo of me on my mule Badger who was 15 hands at this spot in 2005 when this 'spot' was dry and the creek ran trickled just in back of my mule.

Since then different flash floods have slightly changed the depth of the creek and the route. Trees have fallen across areas and water has swirled out deep pools where the ice bubbles formed.

The area has deepened which would be obvious in comparing the photo with me on Badger to the one with me holding Charlie.

It is my Spot.

I hike there nearly daily.

Years ago with Morris and I.

Since these shots were taken, the trees that are above me have finally given in to gravity and nearly lay on the ground now.

I think it is time to take an update photo of me in the same spot if I can get around all the fallen trees.

I Dun Did It!

What did I dun do?

I am a person who needs a challenge each year or some sort of goal to achieve. Sometimes my goal was learning something brand new like Infrared Photography, Still Photography, or things related to activities.

One year it was the KVR trail challenge. The challenge was to hike all of the trails in the Reserve and do it within a calendar year.

It took me 3 tries over a 3 years before I actually finished and completed all 69+ miles of marked trails at the Reserve. I'd had many many side trips while hiking with others during those years. 

One can't complete just the 69+ miles. You have to mix and match the trails to get them all in.

Anyway, I checked my 'yearly' hiking miles this year in November. I hadn't much thought of adding up how many miles I did. But my smarty-watch helped me keep track. 

I had a distance in mind but wasn't sure about how it would work out or if it was even possible. 

My hiking/walking was simply for looking for things and enjoying fresh air along with movement.

I missed many days due to heat, rain, BUGS, and of course the 9 days of gun season. So I was surprised that when I checked things again a week ago, I realized I could reach a goal of 1,000 miles. I mean, I was good with anything that I had. I thought I'd just establishing a baseline for future years if I decided to keep track. 

[Dang, that is a baseline? What should I set for another goal???]

I did the math and distances are an  accumulation of about 2.7 miles a day.

To get those last 5 miles in...

I decided to head to Weister Creek to check on my favorite Ice Formations. Rock Shelters with ice curtains.

Everyone calls them Ice Caves.

Over the years, visiting as many ice caves as I can is always to do in the winter. Let's face it, the land is unique and so are the 'caves'. They are just plain cool to see.

Below is a wide angle shot of the first set of caves. This spot is unusual in that it has several rock shelters and a lot of water seepage. By February, if the weather cooperates, these will become ice caves.

You can slip behind the sheet of ice and look out at a curtain of ice.

In this shot, Charlie and I are in the top right corner 'cave' in the photo above.
 

I'm about 5' 3' so that can give you an idea as to how tall that ice really is.

The trail [cough cough] -- not really a trail, a faint deer path... isn't marked. It is demanding, steep, and requires one to walk on a steep incline over obstacles. 

Climbing down to the caves is another adventure entirely. 

But when the ice sheets are full its so beautiful. 

It is worth the trouble of putting on ice cleats and trudging up into the caves.

What it can look like on a good winter from behind the ice.

There, I got in one pre Christmas Hike to visit the Ice Caves and accomplished something.

Let's see what happens next year. I have a couple of long distance challenges I've been thinking off.

The shot below is at the area where I generally stop in the winter and turn around.

This is what makes the hike so special ... so much cool ice!

It's hard to get to and find, but worth the difficulty. 

Generally in February there are guided tours given by staff of the Reserve to visit this area.

Hi Ho Winter! I love you!

 Finally!

After so many days of being stuck indoors. I grabbed Charlie and we went on an adventure of sorts.

We went wilding. Not a savage thing, an untamed sort of hike. Through the brush, brambles, burrs, prickly ash, and multiflora rose. Charlie is 7 inches tall so he has it easy, he can walk under most of the brush. I have to bust through it.

Years ago, Mike was the owner of the land. His cattle kept the forest clean and made nice trails. Since his death in 2005, his brothers have abandoned the land except for the deer hunting season. They lease out the farm land and lease out sections of the forest for a few trophy hunters to bow hunt deer and hunt turkeys.

The land has regrown in many places to invasive underbrush. I still get around on deer trails and always wear heavy coveralls to get through some of the rough stuff. 

Its getting harder to get to the special places I do like. Oddly enough, I don't even think Mike's brothers know of these cool spots. I like my secrets. I've walked and ridden this land for 30 years. I know the trees, the creek's secrets, and cool rock formations.

Charlie and I did get to our favorite spot in the creek though.

I had quite the surprise. I was following coyote tracks along the creek bottom and found this.... ----->

I swear that it looks like a coyote slipped and 'biffed' it. Doesn't it look like the back legs spread eagle as its chest hit the ice and it scrambled back to its feet?

It is very possible that this did not happen at all. But I'd like to imagine that it did.

Charlie sniffed the tracks and then walked to the edge of the ice. He knows better than to go off the edge. The water in that spot is over his head.

Another surprise met us at this spot in the creek.

An Ice Fall.

Closer..

The color in the ice is from the reddish sandstone in this area and the dirt. The moisture seeps out over the rock wall [which is warmer from being underground]. It hits the frigid air and makes these beautiful ice formations.

Another shot of a different section.

I can't help it, but this absolutely fascinates me. I run my hand over the ice ripples and marvel at nature's art.

I mean who doesn't love this? I love this. I can't wait for cold weather to see this phenomenon.

The creek is the main lifeblood of this forest and it is evident by all the animal tracks that can be found there.

In this section we found a nice set of coyote tracks.

If anyone is worried about Charlie. Don't fear! He sticks to me like glue when he smells these guys.  

If all goes according to plan, I plan to look for some more ice falls in another place soon. If the temps stay below freezing ice falls will develop. I sure hope they will!

Oh winter, how I love you!