Meanwhile in the Forest

My Moultrie camera has been on this tree and the one behind it for over two years now. I found the Highway and rest area for all types of creatures.

I get a ton of activity in 3 short months. Most of it isn't fascinating, but some of it is hilarious and some of it is curious.

This doe likes her photo taken or is infatuated with the click of the camera. Often she or someone just like her will walk up to the camera and stare at it.

I read a lot of articles in hunting magazines regarding how to place a camera. I had terrible luck in following their directions. However after a few years of experimenting it seems I found some great spots. And obviously the animals aren't bothered at all by the cameras.

This fawn had a great playtime with this camera I had low on a stump.

The racoon love to chew on the camera and try to move it around. Most are slightly curious it seems. I leave the cameras in one location all of the time and rarely move them.

The deer share the same trails as the racoon, the skunk, the 'possum, coyote, and bobcat. I should have saved a fun and curious shot where two fawns were following a lumbering racoon. Tsk, I didn't!

This seems to be a great spot for napping also. As well as family get togethers.

Predators also use these trails often.

Here there is a Bobcat and a coyote coming through a couple of hours apart.

Out of curiosity, I set up a camera that shows the driveway. It does a nice job of catching me going to get the mail. And at night I was surprised to see deer in the yard . 

Another time, there was a coyote that trotted towards the mule's fence and turned and ran. I assume because the mules came up and gave it the evil eye.

It will be interesting as winter moves in with snow and other weather what we will see.

I moved this camera back one more tree to catch more of the criss cross of trails and the log that so many deer like to nap near.

Sven comes home...

Sven.

Well what can I say? Charlie thinks he has a new best buddy. They are nearly inseparable.

On our hike Saturday, Charlie went back across the creek more than once to 'get' Sven to cross to us.
Of course the Kenosha Gang was there and we all called to Sven. Sven cried a baby goat noise and Charlie charge across the creek to him.

Today I raked the yard to pick up more of the pine-cones and  debris left by the two day storm. I tied out Sven. Charlie stuck close by.
They were perfectly content to watch me work.

Sven was fine being tied out and only got frustrated when I went out of his sight. Later on the two of them lay in the sunshine together while I made lunch for us.

I dragged two sleds full of sticks and pine-cones to the brush pile and burned it.
Sven decided to nap.

After yard work they assisted me in checking fences and redoing the 'above' the creek fence section.

Sven decided to check out the hot wire by Mica and jumped into her paddock. Mules have a tendency to chase or hurt an unknown animal in their territory. Thankfully, Mica just nosed him and he ran out of her paddock, ducking the hot wire.

The rest of the day was spent on outside work and hanging sheets and blankets in the fresh spring air.

Now I have had goats before, but only used them basically for dairy and not for fun like this.
And make no mistake.
I am having a LOT of fun.

As...
is Charlie.

Here is to having best friends....

We don't have to be the same to be best friends. We can be as different as night and day. ~~ Charlie and Sven

Hot Summer Afternoon, Butterflies and Bees

Hot and Humid.
Humid
Icky.
Give me winter!

Okay I don't want winter. I had yard work to do yesterday, I wanted to run the trimmer and do a bunch of trimming. But the humidity was at 100% and the air was a bit stifling.
So I passed on the trimming and push mowing.

I had town errands to do so I did those instead and then when I got back I decided to take some time to just sit on the couch in the A/C and read a book. I know what happens when I sit down to read a book.
I fall asleep.
Charlie helped with that.

He showed me the finer points of napping during the day.

Even with the heat of the day, some chores still have to get done. I went out and did the stock tanks, filling them with fresh water and checked on all the animals. They seemed fine and had found nice places under trees on the hill to relax and catch any slight breeze that came their way. They all looked sleepy with tails swishing at the pesky flies.

I checked the garden. The peas and the green beans needed picking. It wasn't going to happen in this heat. Perhaps early in the morning or late in the evening. But certainly not during the hottest part of the day.

I set up the fan on the porch and decided to finish up a project I'd started at the start of summer. I brought out my camera too. The butterflies and bees were busy with my porch flowers so I hoped to 'catch' a butterfly with the camera. They always bring a smile to my face when I look back on the photos in the dead of winter!

The butterflies must have known!

I think this is a swallowtail butterfly. For whatever reason, they really liked my marigolds. This one hovered around for a long time.

The sunflowers on the porch and east garden were humming with bees. I found that interesting as I figured bees only visited sweet smelling flowers. See? Little do I know!

This insect was on my Malva. I don't know what it is, but it was pretty!

Charlie was not impressed.

He laid in the sun until he was panting and then moved onto a rug on the porch and did his thing.

And I painted...on a skull.

The beans would wait one more day and then I'd just have to sort the overripe ones from the others. I think I have enough beans now to last through the winter and through most of next summer with quite a bit to spare.

I'll see if my neighbor would like any more and then I may just be done with them as the sweet corn is about to burst in on the scene. I will save seeds from the beans though. These plants this year really produced well.

The hummingbirds came to visit while I was daydreaming about cooler days.

There he/she is darting through the cosmos to swoop down on a Zinnia.

And I figured my lazy day was done.
I went in the house and tried to make beet pickles.
I'm not sure how they will come out.

I just did refrigerator pickles as I didn't want to process them in a boiling water bath with the A/C on.