Joe gets it...

Homeless Joe and Dog

Joe agrees with Dog, he should have something more to keep himself warm too. Perhaps they should go to the Time Warp place where he found Dog and see if anything has appeared.

 

Joe gestures down into the giant rusty artifact. He still isn't sure if Humans actually existed but this is a very curious metallic thing. This is where Dog appeared so ... maybe...

They climb down and discover something that could be useful.

Dog smells it and bites a hole in it.

They leave this place quickly before Time changes again. They don't want to be swept into another place.

OH! So that is why Dog bit a hole in the blanket! 

Joe is pleased, this feels pretty comfortable.

They head back to camp. Joe hears himself laugh. Dog licks his face.

Life certainly feels pretty good for Joe and Dog.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Oh...here is how Charlie helped with this series.

Honestly, Charlie has now learned not to tip figures over while I am photographing them. He has become quite the assistant. These figures are small and easy to carry in a small plastic case. 

The 'cape' is a piece of material that I hand stitched some floral wire into so I can 'pose' the cape. Pretty cool, huh?

Still Life Challenges

Photography

I do enjoy Toy Photography as much as Still Life. I don't have to wait for perfect weather or perfect light. With a little effort and fun, one can create any world they wish too.

I took an on line class to learn and force myself to do Still Life years ago. I was pretty sure I'd hate it, but I also thought it would be an interesting way to spend time learning a new skill. 

I found out that I really did enjoy it. The class I took was in 2014.

I should do some more of this. Still Life is beautiful and always open to any interpretation. 

I don't want to be stuck in any one genre of photography.  I will say that I am not comfortable with Portrait Photography though. Weddings and portraits are tough and I am very uncomfortable with that genre. 

I have done portraits but mostly those just of my grand kids and a few other little ones. Kids are naturals and fun to follow around with a camera.

Maybe it is time to refocus during these cold, wet, and nasty days.  I might  put the toys aside for a little bit or just mix things up more.

My regret is that I didn't pick up any flowers at the store yesterday!

But I did have some time to make an effort at something much different anyway:

Glass Heart 
&
Pearls

Glass Heart
Pearls
Old Silk Rose

Below: Old Thank You Card I made when I was making all of my own cards to send out in the mail. Remember sending things in the mail???

Anyway. 

It is a good challenge on a dreary wet and nasty day!

Outside Exploring

Yes, I did get out for a bit even though it was cloudy with a mix of drizzle and rain. I walked along the creek bottom to see what I could find. I like to observe how things change and what is going on in the woods.

There is a pool that is about knee deep or so next to a rock wall. During the summer it was nearly dry, but with some of the rain and moisture we've had, it appears to have more water in it!

I was so happy to see the little trout swimming around.

I love to just sit and watch them. If they notice you, they flee to a darker shaded area of the little water hole. So I waited a few minutes and then they came back out and began to swim around. 15 second video.

I found the partially fresh carcass of a deer. It was mostly bones but there was enough color in the bones to indicate that it had only been there a couple of days. 

The birds were happily cleaning what they could off the bones.

I climbed out of the creek bottom and made my way along an old deer trail when I spotted a old birch log in the wet snow. I recall reading somewhere that one could start a fire in the woods even with wet birch.

I had some time so I decided to try that theory out. 
I picked birch bark off the log and made it into strips than piled it in the snow on another log.

I had a lighter in my bag, so I thought I'd try making a tiny fire.

Imagine my surprise when it worked! I watched the little fire catch and burn and then stomped on it. There was no danger of it spreading anywhere. However, now I knew if I could find birch [which is common in this area], I could always build a fire if I needed to.

This was my New Year's Eve day adventure. I had about an hour or so to use up and so I hiked through our woods and enjoyed fresh air.

I hope to start out the New Year once more Exploring. After all, I love that the best. 

Fresh air recharge

We finally got our schedules to mesh up and go view the ice caves. I met with my ex neighbor and her kids at Weister Creek. 

Charlie was beyond happy. 

The view of the first of the two ice caves?

Let's just say there where a lot of ... Wow's!

The upper two iced areas are the ice caves that a person can get into.

Comparison photos....

Just a little over 4 weeks ago:

Yesterday in the same spot with me holding Charlie:

We did a lot of exploring and when some other folks appeared we let them have the cave to themselves.

The lower half of the ice formations were incredible with different hues of colors.

I would like to go back and climb down in there to get a closer look at the icicles. 

Briar was our comedian. He too, loves snow.

 

The second ice cave wasn't so exciting and two groups of people were already there so we hiked out to Weister Creek to enjoy the ice falls.

4 weeks ago:

Briar asked if he could explore the ice and I cautioned him to be very careful as the water under the ice is deep.

He stood on it. I wouldn't let him go out more than a foot on it.

When we turned to leave, he took a large step and his foot broke through the ice. 

Thankfully, it was just his boot that went through.

We hiked down to another ice fall area to explore the colors of the ice.

As we were admiring the ice falls and discussing the colors of the ice, we turned to see a woman walk out alongside the dead tree that lays across the stream.

We collectively held our breath.

I wanted to shout out to her to stay off river/stream ice unless she wanted to take a cold dunk.

She got back to the bank without breaking through and we all sighed. Too often people from not around here assume that the ice that forms over streams/creeks/rivers are the same as the ice that forms on lakes.

 

It is a very dangerous assumption.

This is the current under that ice.

We had to hold Charlie to keep him from exploring the edge and falling under the ice.

Exploring the area is beautiful. But one needs to use their head!

This photo was done with my infrared camera. Who says IR is only for summer?

We explored up one of the dry runs until we got to a spot where it split in three directions.

There was a huge log laying down that would have been a perfect spot for a picnic.

We enjoyed the warm sun and listened to the breeze rustle the leaves above our heads.

Charlie was worn out from 'snow swimming'. Everyone had picked him up at some point and given him a small lift. Being a tough little guy, he wiggled and was put back down. He was the trail leader after all.

We really had to laugh when we got back to the parking area.

Subaru owners do this on purpose. If there is another Subaru around, they will make every effort to park near the others. There were two more Outbacks just out of frame and an Impreza pulled in as we got ready to leave.

Mine is the dirtiest one!

Charlie was all ready for a cuddly nap when we got home.

As much as I didn't want the adventure to end, I felt relaxed and recharged.

friluftsliv

 Norwegian

~~ Literal Translation : Free Air Life
or the connection with the outdoors.

Hygge:
~~Quality of cozy and well being.

I've never put names to it, I just know that being outside and in the surrounding woods are essential to my well being. Daily trips through my woods and along the creek let me observe the changes of nature around me. I always find something to make the trip worthwhile.
Sometimes it is only Caddisfly larvae 'homes' in the creek. Sometimes it is the ice that glitters or the way the creek flash freezes in subzero temperatures.
Or in spring, I note the first signs of Jewel Weed coming up in the creek. Later in the summer I am pulling the Jewel Weed because it chokes the creek!

I decided that it was warm enough yesterday afternoon to go for a stroll. I guess my intentions were to put on the snowshoes and take a slow walk back to the creek since I hadn't been there. Yeah, those muscles were not happy, however it had been quite a day already.
I won't bore you with details. 

The temperature reached 4 degrees so I put on my cold weather gear and snowshoes and headed out. 

I needed some Friluftliv or some fresh air and outdoors to keep me from going bonkers.

Imagine my surprise when I heard robins in the creek! What on earth were they doing?

I had to sit on a log for about 30 minutes and remain nearly perfectly still for them to land in the creek area. I was as surprised as all get out. 

I turned and decided to walk up the creek and take a look around. I was using my snowshoes as the snow in the valley was still pretty deep. I walked over 'submerged' rocks and logs. Stepping over logs with snowshoes takes a bit of practice.

Frost on roots near a little spring that was flowing.

The upper portion 

of the creek was frozen

solid.

I love the way the snow covers the boulders and makes everything appear soft. Under the ice the water is still moving along.

I eventually made it to the fenceline and then climbed up the hillside and through the electric fence to the summer woods. [It is disconnected]

I was happy to see the end of the trail in sight. I was tired and sore. But I was also warm.
Most of all, I felt happy and calm inside.

Or was it Friluftsliv?

Snow Day!

I'm way behind on 'stuff' but there isn't a whole lot going on around here. 
 

There is Charlie who adores snow and cold. You would not think so with his short legs! He literally snow swims and bounds through the snow. He has more issues with heat than he has with cold it seems.

I have to remind myself that he has a very thick hound dog coat that is moisture resistant.

Below is Siera taking a snooze in the snow. 

At feeding time, they all got squirrely and ran around while I pulled the hay sled through the snow to the feeders.

And then there is the Fearless redheads. They follow the sled and nibble out of it while the ding bat bays run like the sled will eat them.

Sundance~~ I'll just take it from the sled thank you very much!

Charlie, Bear, and I go on a little snowshoe trip to the valley.

An 'outtake' from an idea I had...

The day after the big/little snow. It was below zero.

But that was the day of mighty winds and a trip with a friend to hike along the Kickapoo River and search for ice.

Did I say how much I loved winter? 

Yeah. 

I do.

A sense of wonder

 

The above video is of the Robins singing. It may not be very clear and you may have to listen very hard. I took this so I could play the audio for Rich when I got home. 
My intention was to hike with Charlie along the creek and find a good spot for the Lonely Looking Bear to sit. I brought a Rabbit to be his friend.

When I got to the Ice Wall, I stopped to listen. Birds.
Bird song. Not just the Nuthatches or the Cedar Waxwings...no, and not just Cardinals either. A sound...

gosh

a sound I shouldn't hear in January!

Robins? It could NOT be!

Yet there they were. Hundreds of them flocking through the oak trees in the valley. I called Charlie in close and sat at the base of a tree. 
Just
Sat

and listened. 

You know what? I forgot about the outside world. Whatever was occurring outside that valley was not important. The bird song was important. 

Mindful

Every day
I see or I hear
something
that more or less

kills me
with delight,
that leaves me
like a needle

in a haystack 
of light.
It is what I was born for--
to look, to listen,

to lose myself
inside this soft world--
to instruct myself
over and over

in joy....
~~Mary Oliver

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...