Body shops and caves

 

So I finally got a carwash and took my car in to see if they could buff out the scratches on the right rear side where that lady hit me two weeks ago. The damage was more than I thought it was, however, it is cosmetic. That said, I'm pretty particular about my 10 week old car.

Talk about sticker shock. Think of your modern cars as Lego cars. If a part gets damaged, they have to take the bumper covers off and repaint it. They can't buff those parts out, they are not metal. 

Okay. That was enough bad news for Monday morning. So instead of doing my paperwork, I took a drive while the body shop worked up an estimate.

I ended up at Wildcat Mountain State Park to visit the very large Ice Cave. It is a short walk and is very popular on the winter weekends so I figured Monday was a good day to go.

It was amazing as usual. Below is a tree root that got ripped off one of the rock bluffs with the last big rain and washed into the picnic area. I didn't have anyone to stand in front of it for size.

Evidence of family fun in the picnic area:

The trail was straight forward and very level. I'd say it is only a quarter mile long to the rock shelter, but once there your jaw drops.

The scale doesn't look that imposing. So I set up my bendy tripod and did a selfie. 

I'm still not next to the rock wall which drops about 6 feet down behind me. But I did walk around the ice curtain and take shots. The piles are where the ice melts and drops and then forms again.

Below.
10 years ago with my stepdaughter in blue and grand daughter in the middle. Me in the skunk hat. By March, the ice curtain is massive if there is a good winter of thaw and freeze.

This is why I find winter so amazing and exciting here where I live and why I learned to dress for the weather and enjoy winter hiking more than summer hiking.

The water comes off the rocks and eventually runs along the rock wall and into a small creek which empties into Billings Creek.

The colors were beautiful.

To get around all of the ice, cleats are recommended.

I left there and took another drive to see Warner Creek. I walked around the rock bluffs and explored some of the rock formations that are so unique.

Charlie wasn't really with me, but I had his Mini in my pocket so I could take a shot at the unusual rock structure.

I am never short of amazed at these rocks. The details almost look hand carved and are so tiny that if you don't look close you'd miss it.

When I got home from my drive and exploring, I felt calm and collected. I was able to sort paperwork and text the lady that hit me.

To my utter surprise, when I sent her the estimate she replied that she would contact the body shop and pay for it.

This indeed has been a very auspicious beginning to 2026.

Surprise surprise SURPRISE!

Sometimes I get surprised out of the blue. I went to the mailbox to collect my mail. I'd had a notification that a package was delivered. I just figured it was some of hubby's meds from the VA. I was curious, there was a box on our mailbox.

I should have taken a shot of the box and the multiple layers of brown paper bags. I'd shaken it when I picked it up. Oddly enough, it did not feel like a bomb but sounded like Legos. I glanced at the return address and didn't recognize it. My brain was on another Earth. I grabbed it and headed to town to pick up my groceries.

When I got home, I handed the package to Rich and he shook it too. "What in the heck is it?"

I tossed groceries into the freezer and put other things away. 

"It's Legos."

"Huh?"

"Legos! I know the sounds they make. I've ordered enough sets to know what they sound like."

[No argument there.]

I had to find my box cutter and used that along with scissors just to peel the tape and paper back. I saved the return address so I could remember to thank whoever sent the package.

Inside where little blue boxes tied up with strings and a little heart. Each heart had a date on it and the note said:

Sometimes I don't know what to make of people's kindness and thoughtfulness. In a million years I wouldn't have thought to do something like this.

Each box had a surprise 'blind' box minifigure in it with a note.

"we do not need magic
to transform our world.
 We carry all of the 
power we need inside
of ourselves already.
~~J.K. Rowling

This morning I opened the last box as soon as I got up.

I've got a few new minifigures which I will set up later today and photograph after I take care of some of the heavy wet snow we accumulated yesterday. We got quite a bit more than was predicted so that is going to take up most of my morning along with chores.

However, I have to say how fun and wonderful it is to be so lifted up and surprised by a box in the mail.

Thank you Aurora!

You are so kind, creative, and thoughtful. The minifigs are impatiently waiting next to their boxes for me to come over and play with them!

Happy Spring Day!

Birds, Bees, Fungi, and the Surprise!

Beautiful rains.

The only way to make it rain? I set out a Lego Aztec Minifigure to do a Raindance when the clouds moved in.

After the rain quit the first time, I put on boots and headed out to the creek bottom. It was just a joy to see wet leaves and water in the creek.

As I moved along through the tangled brush and briers I noticed some pinkish peachy colors on a log. On close inspection I was so excited!

Its common name is Wrinkled Peach Fungi, its scientific name is Rhodotus Palmtus. Yikes, I prefer the Wrinkled Peach name. It is so delicate and beautiful. And... ---> not edible.

This is the bottom side.

From the top.

I found some Oyster Mushrooms too.  The Slugs were really into them. 

On the same log in the creek bottom that had the beautiful peachy fungi, I found Bear Scat.

 Ewwww. The slugs were all over that too!

I went back home to get out of my hot clothes and report the bear scat findings. It wasn't exactly fresh. There has been a bear in the area for the past few summers [don't know if it is the same one or not]. However the bear uses the creek as a pathway to get from the berry patches on one neighbor's land to the wild apple trees on the west side of our land. 

Back home the humming birds were going nuts on the Bee Balm.

These two photos are a combo of shots. It is the same bird taken in rapid fire and composited so a person can admire how quick these guys are!

They spent a lot of time going to the Bee Balm and then back to the feeders. They really argue quite a bit!

My favorite bird is this guy, the Ruby Throated Hummer.

See his tongue???

8 seconds of him watching for intruders!

The bees were insane on the Bee Balm, but I didn't want to sit or stand in the hot sun and watch them so I opted for some shots of the Humming Birds instead.

HAH!

After I finished chores, an older Cadillac came creeping down our driveway. I was all set to give them a 'What For' thinking some old fart was lost or it was a pile of Jehovah's Witnesses.

It wasn't!

It was our friends from Missouri who had traveled north to see the Northern Lights and then were quite disappointed by their accommodations and the weather.

More on that after our weekend is done....

Surprises!

 After days of brutal cold, the temperature on Sunday was up to -4 when I got the itch to take a walk after chores.

The wind was from the NW, so I thought I'd put on the snowshoes and head along the tree line through the summer meadow and walk down the ridge trail and retrieve one of the trail cams so I could see if it still had any battery power after The Big Chill.

The wind chill was still pretty cold so I put on my balaclava mask and some clip on sunglasses to protect my eyes from the bright snow. I took only my little pocket camera which I could keep inside my breast pocket so it wouldn't freeze.

Once I got down into the forest, I got rather warm. The green jacket I am wearing is awesome. If I was going for a long snowshoe trek, I'd have to wear lighter clothing under the coat to keep from sweating.

These are my old Cabela's Snowshoes. I purchased these ...gosh...maybe 20 years ago? I've replaced the back straps but these snowshoes just keep on giving even with all the abuse I give them.

I've walked over rocks and jumped creeks with these. I've used them to brush bust through the woods and climb over logs. It is pretty fun considering a person has to approach each obstacle a bit differently than if wearing boots only.

These are my tracks along with deer and other creatures looking back towards the summer pasture.

Mother Nature's fierce winds create amazing sculptures. She makes the most interesting patterns in the snow.

Snow that looks like a sand dune! It was surprisingly hard packed and not soft at all.

Then there were leaves scattered across an area where no oaks were. I imagine the powerful winds blew leaves to all sorts of places.

I just liked the leaf and shadow against the all white.

I didn't spend too long out in the meadow, the light breeze was a bit cold. 

Towards evening I got a text from Olive. Would we like a home made pizza? She would be down to deliver it after the Packers game.

Gosh, who would refuse something like that? 

She was supposed to make pizzas for her family get together but all of them ended up sick. So she and her little boy came down for a little visit with us and dropped off a freshly made pizza.

Aiden entertained Rich by admiring his Lego Tractor and his red truck which they both played with for a little bit.

Funny how such a kind act can make a whole day bright.

Her visit was short, but so well loved. I walked most of the way back up the road with her and we made a date to snowshoe together on Tuesday.

Wednesday I have a 'date' with the little girl who gave me the little bell attached to yarn when she was 9 years old. She is now 18 and set up a time we could go hiking at the Kickapoo Valley Reserve together. She is now a part time reporter for a local paper and I've given her my old Nikon to use. We'll do some easy photography lessons tomorrow.

I'll meet her at her mom's place and she will do the driving. MY goodness, how time flies!

I won't drive with other passengers in the car at this time. I feel I can get around okay, however with distance being fuzzy, if I can get a young sharp eyed person to do the driving why not?

I'm have a fulfilling week scheduled. 

What wonderful surprises I have. 

[By the way...Hubby is busy working on his latest Lego puzzle and is doing all the work except the stickers on his own!]

Wow!

I so often hear tales about lousy customer service. This morning I can say that I will brag about customer service! 

I called regarding the skid steer. 

I called the place we purchased skid steers over the years and talked to the Service Manager. He aske me some questions.
Did I check connections?
Was I sure it was just the battery?
What did we use the skid steer for?

I finally understood what he was getting at and I just got honest with him. I said I'd tried charging the battery and it wouldn't take a charge.
I don't know enough about wiring and told him so.
I said we use it every few weeks but needed it now to help fix the washouts on the driveway and to dig a hole.

I told him we didn't use it daily like other farmers who were feeding stock or cleaning feed yards. We used to, but not any more.

He said he'd call back with something regarding a schedule.

I decided it wasn't worth my time and headed out the door to take care of a few things. I felt dumb and stupid for not knowing the technical answers to the questions this guy asked of me. I suppose he thought I was a dumb woman. Of course I had told him this:

If it has an engine and doesn't start? I call a mechanic.
If it is a mule, horse, donkey, or dog, I can train it and handle it. Machines and I don't get along.

When I got back to the house, Rich said somebody called Seth was going to come out after work with a battery. He'd stop in on his way home.

I was flabbergasted.

So the Service Manager that had taken my call showed up around 7pm in his personal vehicle and toted a battery out of the back. He installed it and fired up the skid steer while chatting casually with us.

He explained that his service department has 9 techs and work for 25 techs. Our service call would have been extended to 3 to 4 weeks. He thought if it was a simple fix, he'd drop by with a new battery and we'd go from there.

He wasn't charging us for his time and he agreed that our driveway was rather 'rough'.

He spent another hour with us when I asked him about Rich's desire to have a brush hog attachment to mow pastures with. He brought in his work laptop and explained what would work for mowing a 72" swath across our rather weedy pastures. Rich thought he'd rather have a finishing mower than one that handled heavy brush. 

Seth instructed me to get a Battery Tender for the times we are not using the skid steer. This sounds like a win-win situation.

So Seth, went above and beyond to help out a customer. Amazing, right?

If we get the brush mower thingy, it will be something Rich can do and help me out immensely. Will he be able to do it forever? Probably not, but he can teach me and that makes that machine a bit more useful and solves most of my icky weed problem.

Hey, better than using the old fashioned 6 foot scythe I'd been using!

Here is a photo of one the pastures that is more open and level out back. This was in May before the weeds took over. My whacking with a weed whacker or scythe has been like putting tape on a hole on a ship on the ocean.

Spring Surprises

Symplocarpus foetidus

aka Skunk Cabbage!

I had never heard of Skunk Cabbage until I moved to this area. I'm sure they can be found in forests near damp places around the state. Now I search for them every year to see how early the present themselves.

The earliest I've found them has been March 18th. The latest I found them just coming up was around April 15th.

The Common Powderhorn Lichen seemed revived with the moisture from the rain and melting snow.

Everything is mostly brownish and muddy right now so the lichen and moss are the colorful items in the woods.

I just love the name of this. Snakeskin Liverwort. It looks like dragon skin but grows mixed in with mosses. It is hard to spot too.

And then there was another surprise in my mailbox. I opened the box and found a mass of bubble wrap and I thought that as pretty funny. Perhaps someone thought I needed more for a suit of armor.

I unwrapped the bubble wrap and found a small figure that came with a card describing it.

Into the Woods
with BIG FOOT

Keep calm, stay wild
and squatch on.
Get lost in the woods
and have some fun!

Enjoy your journey,
one step at a time.
Believe in yourself,
everything will be fine.

I have a new pal to journey with. I showed it to hubby who just shook his head and laughed when I explained it.

Then I told him I was going 'Squatching'. 

I think that is a perfect made up word for what I love to do, explore the forest.

Girry's Adventures begin...

I stopped tumbling around and suddenly it was terribly quiet. I could just barely see out the little air hole in the box. All movement had stopped and I was in a plastic bag of some sort, swinging from a mailbox door.

I wondered what would happen next. I had been told that I was being sent to somewhere where I would be loved. I was a bit curious. The night sounds came to me as dusk settled in. Something  walked past me and I heard a snuffling sound. Off in the distance coyotes called.

I wasn’t afraid. I would be loved and I felt safe inside the box even if it was scary outside the box.

Slowly the night turned into the morning. Just after the sun rose I heard footsteps and the jingle of a little bell. I heard a human exclaim something and then the plastic bag was pulled off.

The box was quickly opened as the voice outside the box read the following:

If you can read this,

then you are under the box

or the box is upside down

and the bear inside is

getting a headache.

I heard laughter that sounded very pleasant as the box was opened. “Oh hello there!” the voice said as I was pulled from the box and set on the ground.

The human person scooped me up and we headed towards the forest.

She set me down and stepped back to look at me.

“Well, well,” she said, “Aren’t you a surprise! And you are not a Bear!”

Behind me a huge black dog approached. I froze in place. I mean what could I do? Was the dog going to rip me apart?

The dog spoke. “Hey, I’m Charlie, who are you?”

“I am Girry. Are you the one that is going to love me?”

Charlie winked and said, “Oh heck no! I chew up toys like you!” He looked towards the human and nodded.
“I think She is the one that will love you.”

I looked up at the human with interest. 

“But She is a grown woman!”

Charlie wagged his tail and replied, “Oh that. Well, you will get used to her. At least you will have a lot of friends. And, she will keep me from chewing you to bits and pieces.”

Should I be afraid or happy? I didn’t know. As She picked me up and stuffed me back inside the box I was curious. What had I gotten into?

A dog that would chew me to bits, a human that wasn't a child, and a huge foresty type place that looked amazing and very wild.

Note: I had a very long dry spell after the Morris Stories. When I opened this box and saw this Giraffe from Vermont Teddy Bear Company, I was sideswiped by a story idea in my head. We will see if it pans out or not.

Anyone who knows me well also knows that I love the act of imaginative playing along with combining a story line.

Who knows where this will lead?

Here is Charlie supervising my play time: