Well I'll be durned!!!

Thanksgiving is generally the 3rd week of November right??? The third Thursday of November.

Deer Gun season always starts on the Saturday before. 

So I was talking to the grand daughter last night and she informed me that I was wrong! What? WHUT?

Well I looked it up and indeed, Thanksgiving is on the 28th. Duh. I was wrong wrong wrong. However, I did get all of my outdoor work done for the gun season I thought was starting this weekend. It isn't, so hurray for me. I got everything done a week ahead of time. That includes most of the ingredients for our Thanksgiving dinner.

Maybe I was having a Miss Merry Moment! 💖

Well, that actually made me very happy in so many ways! I have another 7 days of being able to go out to the woods and play! [Um, hike...I mean. Hike. Yeah.]

The trail cams have really been capturing a lot of very cool bucks doing some fun things right in front of the trail cam. I'm glad I turned on the option for short videos. It really helps me study what the deer are doing.

Two different large bucks are walking right up to a little branch in front of the camera and rubbing their faces on it. Later in the night there is a doe that stands under the branch and smells it intently. 

Does that mean that the bucks are leaving a scent on that branch as a message to the ladies? Maybe. I am no deer expert. So I looked it up. Bucks do rub their faces on branches to mark their territory. They also lick the branches to leave markers for the ladies.

Until I had a camera that could take some video, I had no idea. I knew the 'marked' territory, but I thought it was just like dogs and coyotes did. By peeing on things. In a buck's case, maybe peeing and scraping his antlers on trees. 

I learn something every day!

So this buck does exactly that .. and later on, a doe comes up to check it out! 20 second video.

I think this is the way the way a white tail buck leaves an email on his dating app!

Well. I'll be durned!

Have a neat weekend.

A Day off the Farm!

I always start with a fence-pasture check and see how the elderly girls are doing. I went into what we call the Meadow to put an SD card back in the Trail Cam and came out of the forest to the above shot. I only had my cell phone with me.

I imagine the doe had run off while the fawn was sleeping and suddenly the fawn looked a bit confused.

I stood quietly and just waited.

I was able to switch to video ---> 28 seconds...

I ended up seeing 4 more does on my walk back to the house.

I did chores and got moving as I had a 'date' with my Grand daughter Ariel and a 2.5 + hr drive to her new apartment. This is not something I normally do. Travel that far, but I had two neighbors for back up and prepped lunch ahead of time for hubby.

I cannot believe she is going to be 21 years old in another month or so! OH MY! Where did the time go??? I'm sure her mom and dad are thinking the same thing.

She grew up under my nose! 

She is employed, owns her own vehicle, and now has her own place to live. She wanted me to come see her 'new' place and chill out with her. Here is a view out her living room window. She didn't give me permission to take her photo or to take and post photos of her place so I just won't do it.

Suffice to say, IF I'd had an apartment like hers, I would have loved it! She is in town and can walk all over and ... it is 5 minutes to work for her. Like most young folks she had parents and grand parents who helped provide her with things she needed.

I was so tickled to see one of my favorite shower curtains in her bathroom! Small things matter!

We went to a late breakfast then went shopping at JoAnne Fabrics. Ariel has taken up crocheting and is making soft fuzzy blankets for her relatives. She introduced me to the Big Fuzzy Soft Yarn she likes to work with. She studied all the colors they had to see if anything tickled her fancy. She asked the girl who was stocking the shelves if they had new colors coming out.

I know a lot of ladies who read this blog who love yarn and collect yarn! I could definitely see picking up crocheting with that fuzzy soft yarn. Ariel even showed me some loop yarn that you don't even have to crochet! Hmmmm. I could dig that! Might be something I could do at night while I sit with the other half and he is watching something boring!

We then parked in a public parking lot and took a tour of the town. We spent time in a bookshop that served coffee and sandwiches. We browsed and Ariel showed me the books she admired most.

We ended up at an interesting little shop that sold Geodes, candles, scented soaps, carvings, incense holders, and all sort of cool hippy stuff. I found some neat 3D printed dragons that would go along with my Lego People. I like dragons of all sorts.

They'll show up later in some Lego or Toy adventures.

Back at her place, we relaxed and chatted. She told me about her job and workplace and how she was doing. 

Again. Hard to believe I was sitting in her apartment with her as an adult. But there it was. When I was getting ready to go, she asked if I'd stop and see her brother who works at Culvers. He'd just gotten promoted to a supervisory position, and she thought we should say hi.

Another small kid....who GREW up!

He gave me permission to post his photo.

When Ariel and I started to walk out the door we turned and waved to Dennis and the whole front staff all hollered out "See yah Grandma!"

That was super cool.

I headed home to the farm with warm fuzzy thoughts and a huge smile on my face.

A day off the Farm! 

Unplugged

My day started out with a pre dawn hike with Charlie to the ridge. I guess it really was just a walk as we weren't in much of a hurry. Charlie sniffed around and I walked across the crop land hoping for a colorful and blazing sunrise.

Well that didn't happen, but listening to the birds and watching the deer run across the unplowed land was just fine.

We went by the little tree and just watched for quite a while.

I was pretty grumpy and felt ornery and tired so I thought a walk would do me good. I wanted to cancel my gym class but decided to do it anyway. I had to get groceries in town, so I may as well suffer through a class.

I left my phone at home and was surprised at how I didn't miss it at all. No little dings letting me know that there was news, or email, or whatever.

CF put me in a good mood as did the sunshine. Between CF class and Mobility, I took off on a jog/run. Last week we had a run/jog WOD which I enjoyed immensely. I hadn't jogged in two years and I found my rhythm as if it had never left.

After lunch Charlie and I went looking for leeks in the woods and we found some above the creek. Yum! Looks like forest food is coming up! I picked some newly emerged nettles for tea and greens for supper.

Before heading back to the house, I sat on a mossy log and listened to the creek. In the past two years, it has been so dry here that this part of the creek was nearly dry and silent. I watched water bugs and listened to the creek music. 

10 second video of creek sounds and a woodpecker marking his/her territory.

Things are still without color mostly in the woods, but with this warm weather the plants will get a jump start.

Late afternoon I found my phone and discovered texts and emails. One was from our grand daughter Ariel. She is coming to visit us on her own, was that okay?

Another was from Olive. She wanted me to meet the new addition to her family. Gertrude or Gerti. She had Monday and Tuesday off, could we get together?

Being unplugged is nice, except when you miss something! I took care of the messages and brought the skid steer out of the shed and parked it next to the house running...

I told hubby that he needed to clean up the gravel pile that Frank had left and fill in the dip in the driveway as his granddaughter was coming to see him for his birthday. 

Wow! He got out! 
I'll be washing his skid steer today and making him strawberry shortcake for his birthday. I need to run to town to get Almond Milk for Ariel with a couple of other foods for her special diet needs.

I hope we get to meet Gerti too! Olive texted that she thought Gerti and Charlie would get along just great. So I am assuming she has a new dog!

Guess I'll plug back in.

At least I got rid of the Grumpies....

Snow Melt and Rain

All Sunday night it rained hard and by morning everything was icy slushy. Ice on the ridge top and the roads, slushy here in the hollow.

I went out and fed the critters in my old coveralls and a rain jacket. I actually stayed warm and dry. I walked down to the fence line to see how deep the slush/water was and was surprised to hear water running in the 'dry' run.

The dry run is that line of trees in the distance. The dry run ditch takes all the water off from the ridge and fields 100 feet above us and washes down through the depression to the little creek that runs through our property.

I went back to the house and changed into rain pants and grabbed my camera. Hubby was not surprised that I wanted to go out in the rain and sleet.

He shrugged. He knows how I enjoy a good snow melt event.

Yes, the water turns brown as it gathers dirt and manure from our pasture, the neighbor's cattle pasture, and the dirt from the fields on the ridge. This water is probably some from the gravel road up on the ridge also. It all comes downhill through a rocky ravine that is generally dry but only fills with water with snowmelts and heavy run offs.

I followed the water through the neighbor's pasture noting that it still followed the depression in their land. The water eventually makes its way around and over all the fallen branches and obstacles and heads to the creek.

The water keeps searching for the path of least resistance and dumps into the creek where the spring is.

The brown expands outwards as the snow melt and run off increases. The water runs over the slushy ice and eventually melts it too which adds to the volume as the water seeks its way down the valley.

Over the past few years the snow melts have been rather boring and weak. Our normal snowfall and rains have been less than normal. Our creek has become a seasonal creek over the past two years. Parts of it have become dry and others have tiny springs just barely flowing.

I watched fascinated as the snow, leave debris, and water searched its way down the creek.

Below is one of the now dry areas that only flows during a flash flood or run off.

I walked to the other end of this and then climbed alongside the last dry run on our land. I found the spot where the water was working its way down from the ridge. It was going to be an hour or so before it joined the creek bottom.

Still, it was interesting to watch. Well, it was interesting to me.

I waited a while down in the bottom and just watched the little swirls and eddys of bubbles and water.

The rain started coming down heavier again and I figured that hubby would be worried about now. Sadly, I climbed out of the creek and started towards home.

However, I was pleased to see the run off, it made me happy.

Below is a couple of video clips of the water moving through the valley and two different dry runs.
It is 50 seconds long.

I hope we get some more moisture this coming year, so the water can return to normal in our creek. If there ever will be a normal again.

Time Out

 

After hours of freezing, drying, and cooking, I thought a day 'off' would be in order.

Charlie and I headed to KVR to check out how long it would take me to get to the ponds if I parked at Star Valley or Willow Camp.

Star Valley used to be a road that joined Old 131. It is a maintenance road now and allows the KVR people to access different areas with equipment needed to mow and clear trails.

I had an idea that this next month or so that I am going to hike down to the ponds to take some photographs of a sunrise over the water.

I took the following shots with my little Infrared pocket camera.

The walk through the trees was wonderful for the light and shadows.

However, once we got on the main trail. IT was hot! 

I stopped more than once in some scarce shade to give Charlie a break from the sun and some water too.

We made it to the ponds after I had a brain fart and turned left instead of right. Well, it pays to do these things in the daylight if you plan to do the hike at predawn I suppose.

We made the ponds and I took shots with my little pocket camera in Infrared of course.

These were taken with a pocket camera. A Canon ELPH 180 that I ordered from Kolari Vision. I did have my Olympus OMD EM 5 [old and abused camera converted after I had fun with this pocket camera]...but the Oly is having major issues now. I can still get a decent photo out of it, but the LCD is green and dullish.

I take the Canon pocket camera on hikes when I don't feel like dragging along extra weight. I also use the little red pocket camera on hikes. Less equipment = less weight.

I am doing this for fun and creative distractions.

Call it art if you wish.

But it sure takes my mind off from all the world troubles.

So here I am...another photo...a self shot of me having fun with CrossFit later that day. I was following my coach's suggestion of using Charlie as an awkward item to lift.

Note the messy hair!

Here is the funny video I made for my CrossFit coach and friends....

Naughty Charlie was digging in the yard.

He has discovered voles!

Enjoy if you want and laugh aLOT. The mules did!

Last note.

I started getting the photos for the Nonnicorn and Buddysaurus Book of Adventures ready. I even did an outline for the little fun book. 

I needed a project to do while this world is raging with so much angst and upheaval.

Be well, be safe.

Enjoy life as you can.

Busy Day

Thor says....

Thor always has something to say when you walk past his area. He is one of the most vocal donkeys I've ever known!

Yesterday Mr. Morris and I went back into the valley to see exactly how much water moved around in the creek bottom.
We were pleasantly surprised at how many weeds got washed out and flattened.

These shots compared to a week or so ago, when we tried to go through the area...

Before:

After:

We walked down the valley to the snowmobile trail.

It looks like the folks who maintain this trail will have their work cut out for them.

The culvert they put across the little mild mannered creek is no longer working, the creek has moved its flow.
However it may go back to going through the tube once the water goes down.
That is unless we have another gully washer.

The trail is here somewhere, but no one has even driven a 4 wheeler down this trail this year.

Two years ago, the owners of this property have stopped mowing areas for picnicking and campfires. It seems that they aren't even willing to fence it and rent it out as pasture.

Being city folks and the fact that they inherited the land, I suppose they really don't care. I don't find hiking through 10 foot tall wild parsnips that much fun.

I do still have some trails that I have maintained and can follow, but walking through this valley will be reserved for this fall and after the first heavy snowfall.

Morris was a trooper, he struggled through the tall stuff after we left the creek.
We took the 'camp' road up and out of the valley instead of backtracking.

Both of us were hot. I wanted to walk to the end of the valley and take a look around. But Morris was panting and I felt I needed some more time to bush whack my way down the valley.

Morris was wearing his tags so I could hear him. Sometimes he is so quiet I lose track of him in the weeds.

Once we got on the ridge, it was much cooler and we hiked along the edge of the crop fields as the ridge road was overgrown.

Had I been riding Siera, I think my head would have been above the weeds.

The view from the top was absolutely stunning and made the rest of the hike worth it.

Surprisingly enough, I took this with my new Smartie-Phone.
I put it in HDR mode and took a pretty blind shot as the sun was so bright I couldn't see the screen.

Once we hit the 'driveway' Morris took off towards home, but kept stopping and looking at me as if to say...Hurry UP!

Even the driveway is showing a real lack of care. The brother of the owners who lives there used to keep it graded.

Now it is over grown and washed. 
I wonder what the future will bring.

When we arrived home, Morris immediately jumped up on the couch after we moved it. He went sound asleep.

Hubby and I began to pull the bricks off from the wall of the living room.

Part II of the remodeling begins!

Big Melt!

I took my Olmpus OMD M5 to take shots out yesterday.

I was again impressed.

I did some experimenting to see how well the Olympus would do with IR photography and long exposures.
I was not disappointed here either.

60 second exposure:

This is a line fence of my neighbors.  Morris and I finally got chilled enough to get off the wind blown ridge and down into the valley and creek area.

The sun came back out and warmed us up.

Morris is forever the patient assistant.  He will sit near me after we've been hiking a while and wait patiently until I pick things up and am ready to move on.

We were headed back home along the trail when I thought I heard the faint noise of water.
Naw, it couldn't be!
But.

I called to my 'assistant' and he came running.  We were off to the rocky dry run.

And indeed we were in for a treat.  I set my camera bag with the Nikon in it on a log on the home side of the creek bank and then proceeded to climb rocks towards the sound of water with my Oly in my sling pack.

I was able to hear the sound of water coming off the ridge above.
So I thought I'd experiment.

I decided to try and use the video option on the camera.

This is the first time I've actually gotten a few good clips of the water run off.

I grabbed a few shots and then decided that I'd best head home.  My feet were cold and the creek was filling full of water.

Morris waiting for me:

I saw that look.  He was giving me the stink eye and wondering why I hadn't crossed yet.

Just one more shot Morris!

A longer exposure of the brown water swirling with the snow....
and then a shot of the creek bottom that had been empty just a half hour before hand...

This had been my second hike of the day.
I think I was pretty worn out, as was Morris by the time we got back home to do chores and make supper.

It was a great day.
I think I will be sad to say goodbye to winter.