Good morning Friday...oh and Saturday too.

I'm giving up on the weed fight. The neighbor's on the other side of the fence don't cut the huge meadow [we used to cut it a long time ago for them and we pastured our mares on it].

The invasive species that keeps drifting onto our land is maddening. This particular area, I would love to have as a 'yard' or picnic area. Right now the mules keep the grasses down and this spring I twice weed whacked the invasive plants. It is too hot to go after them right now with the dew point and temps being the same...along with 80-90% humidity. 

It is like breathing through a wet washcloth pressed to your face.

I may have it professionally brush hogged next year a couple of times and eventually try to reseed this area into a yard. 

Ok. 
I can dream, right?

That swing is one I made last year and I still use it. 

In the afternoon I went out to assess the storm damage from the last few days. One huge old oak came down in one of the sections of the forest without damaging anything. 

I found the mules in the darkest part of the forest where it felt much cooler than anywhere else. It was tolerable.

Some of the downed logs from many years ago were sprouting slime molds and beautiful coral fungi.

I went further into another section that is above the creek and found the 'ridge trail' completely blocked by an old cherry tree that came down. The tree took several smaller trees with it.

Come this fall when the weather is more conducive to working outdoors, I'll take my saw and just make a re-route around the fallen tree through the brambles. I'm not going to pay someone to come back out with a bulldozer and redo the ridge road. I'll let the next folks who own this place do what they wish. 

I can get by with deer trails for my adventures.

The moth below is called a Blessing Moth [common name]. They are pretty beautiful and I don't see them very often.

Our friend Jason, the Geologist is coming for a weekend visit. Both Rich and I are really looking forward to it. Jason can cook a fantastic meatless meal and his company is always interesting.

We had a busy busy Friday but things look quieter for the weekend. Jason is not one we have to entertain. We can just hang out and enjoy.

Have a nice quiet weekend.

Light and Dark and Quiet

 There is always light.
If only we are
brave enough to see it.
If only we are

brave enough to be it.
~~Amanda Gorman

Sunday morning's sunrise was so amazingly beautiful. I dropped what I was doing [making hubby's coffee] and ran out the door in socks.

Charlie and I ran up to the pasture to the north and I just stood there and said OHHHH & AHHHH out loud.

The pony looked at me as if I was from another planet and Charlie sniffed around for interesting things.

I guess I was the only one excited about the amazing colors.

When I got back to the house I notice the clouds coming in from the south west. I had to do a double take as there was a rainbow too!

This has happened more than once so I usually check the skies in both directions. 

I imagine the moisture in the air along with the angle of the sun created the rainbow. I like to tell folks that our pasture must be amazing and full of gold as I've seen this more than once now!

The rains and high winds are preventing me from really going out and looking for other signs of spring. I expect that this week when the weather clears up, I should be able to wander about and look for spring beauties and other wild flowers poking up out of the leaves.

Hubby's daughter and her husband came to see us on Saturday and she cooked an amazing meal. It was to be our Christmas Dinner that we would have had in December but too many people were sick or getting sick.

It got put off until the timetables worked out for everyone involved, which happened to be this weekend.

Today is the big hulabaloo regarding the eclipse. I think we'll have about 75% or up to 85% for the eclipse.

I plan on going to the Reserve and doing a time lapse of one of the ponds. I think it would be interesting to observe all the waterfowl as the sky darkens and then lightens again.

In August of 2017 there was a very partial eclipse here and I was working in the garden and noted that the birds got quiet and the bees stopped what they were doing on the flowers.

Taken in 2017:

I think it will be an interesting couple of hours.

Plus it will be some great quiet time for me after having 3 weekends of visitors in the past month!

I got out!

The weather was nice Saturday morning, so I arranged for my neighbors to be available if hubby needed something and hurried out the door before anyone could change their minds.

I was bound and determined to find some cool birds and explore an area at KVR that led to backwater Kickapoo River ponds that take a lot more effort to get to than just walking on old 131 Trail. I wanted to see some ducks and not just the Canada Geese.

My job is 24/7, so I cherish that time when I can get off the farm and explore.

I found a mowed trail that the duck, turkey, and pheasant hunters use. It isn't marked but in the fall, the Reserve mows a path around the marshy area and near the ponds. This is a hot spot for bird hunters. I saw the trail on the Satellite map and thought it would be cool to check it out.

I was SO tickled to follow my ears to this little marshy spot and listen to the chorus of spring peepers and frogs. I sat on a log and ate my snacks.

16 seconds of Peepers!

I did some more listening and found another pond that I could get to. No Swans, no cool ducks, but a lot of Canada Geese. Overhead several Turkey Buzzards were circling.

I imagine I could never nap like this! What balance!

I found this goose laying on her nest. I am curious if the eggs will hatch. It looks like the pond level must have risen with the rainfall? Or she wasn't a very good nest builder. I didn't notice this until I got home, but the arrow points to a turtle!!!

I just did a mini happy dance.

The rest of the day was spent digging in dirt and I got an email and a text from my youngest son. I won't go into our history, but I don't hear from him very often unless he needs something. Let's leave it at that.

He wanted to come by and say hello. He had his girlfriend and her daughter who was just a year old. 

We stood on the porch and watched the sun go down while we did some much needed catching up. Oh gosh, this little girl was absolutely adorable. 

Charlie adored her too, each time she screeched or laughed he was right there. It was so fun to hold a baby and play with her!

I threatened to keep her. But her diaper needed changing and they had a long drive to get home. 

I guess I'd forgotten how fun it is to have little ones around. 

What a wonderful day. I got off the farm and had visitors.

It sure refreshed my mood so I can face next week's weather and doctor appointments.

Have a great Sunday.

Awkward normals

Saturday morning... good friends of ours made a surprise visit ...they came from Missouri. For them it was a 7 hour drive.
I woke up to see their truck and a camper trailer parked in our yard. They had surprised us last year also. This year they came prepared to be self contained because of Covid-19.

They also come prepared in case we didn't want them here. They love visiting this area of Wisconsin and had reserved a spot at Esofea County Park for their camper.

They all had their masks on as they came to the porch. Charlie was so ecstatic that he could barely contain himself.

It was a surreal scene to have good friends so close and yet stay away from that HUG that is the norm each time we visit. It felt awkward and uncomfortable to have masks on while conversing and catching up on the porch. However this is the new normal right?

I see why people protest and want to fight mask mandates and rules of social distancing. 

We have been doing it all along and since we are pretty remote on the farm, it didn't feel that bad.

But it felt a bit awful and very much awkward Saturday.

When we met up with them later on at the campground, we had settled in with our new normal of working out distancing and eating a supper together while still being near enough to have conversation.

I took the kids to the playground and reminded them to wash their hands with sanitizer when we got back to the camper. 

We ate supper together/apart and conversed. Kristi said she had called her younger sister to wish her a happy birthday and discovered that her sister had Covid-19 that had just been diagnosed. Her sister said it was absolutely the worst ever cold she'd had.

We all sat quietly after that. 
I finally said, "You know, for all those out there who don't believe its real? It isn't until someone close to you gets it, right?"

My visitors had not been exposed to the sister for the past few weeks. It makes you stop and think. 

Well. 
Let's just say, so far the weekend has worked out pretty well.

The creek of course was a huge hit. 

We made plenty of space on the porch to keep everyone safe.

For our second night, Rich sat at the other end of the porch in the rocking chair. We ate suppers on our laps and then visited again.

As it got dark, I gave the boys some glow sticks and they went into the yard to light things up.

Things didn't feel quite as awkward last night. I think Rich was more comfortable on his own porch than in a campground.

It was a nice visit. A bit strange feeling, yet it was so nice to see others.

The hardest part was today. Because all the excitement was over and we felt alone. It was as if we realized what we were missing.

We'll get over it, we will be fine.

Goats, Campfire, and Cotton Candy

Saturday morning Daryl and his youngest daughter got up early and headed out to bow hunt.

Rich was sleeping, and the rest of the house was quiet so I grabbed my Nikon and headed out the door. I did have to go pick up milk at the little local gas station before the rest of the house appeared.

And why not enjoy the morning sunrise at the same time?

The photo is looking east from the ridge top across the Kickapoo River valley. New cell towers seem to always be popping up. I think they sort of ruin the pictures. I can easily erase them. However, they they are.

We eventually all gathered for a quick breakfast of 'whatever you can find to eat' and headed out to go to the Vernon County Fair.

As usual the last county fair in Wisconsin was packed with locals and visitors. There was the usual fair food that delights yet causes intestinal distress later. I didn't participate in the photography show this year. The time to organize my photos just wasn't there and my heart wasn't quite in it.
I did enjoy looking at the fair displays though. My favorite displays were those of flower arrangements, potted arrangements, and crafts.

I mentioned that I'd wanted to have a campfire in the evening. We could sit on chunks of wood and watch the full moon come up along with a nice small campfire.

The dogs and Sven joined us. It was an experiment which worked out very well. Charlie stayed very close and kept trading laps. Scout decided he wanted to go back to the house when the coyotes started to sing.

Sven hung out after he inspected the flames and decided they were not Goat-Worthy of tasting. One of the kids had a bag of Cotton Candy and Sven sought that out, grabbed it and walked away.
It led to a lot of laughter and the kids got it back.

They asked if Sven could try a bite. Yes he could. And Charlie wanted in on the action.
Sven's reaction was hilarious. He loved it. Of course! Who wouldn't like pure spun sugar?
From that point on, he kept circling and begging for candy until it was gone.

Sunday morning we took the dogs and Sven for a hike to the creek. After all, my friends can't seem to spend a weekend without going to the creek to check it out.

Apparently, Sven thinks that Charlie is HIS personal pal and other dogs need to leave his little buddy alone.

And of course, everyone including Sven enjoyed the creek. See him next to the Grace watching Daryl? He is a curious and fun companion to have along.

Sven browses as he walks and then trots up to the next person to see what they are doing.
Amanda set her waist pack down on some rocks.
Sven calmly walked over and picked up the pack by its strap then began to walk off.

A shout of "Sven! No!" doesn't faze him at all. He just gives you the Goaty Eye and continues.
I think the souls of goats are lovable imps.

How are the ribs? Wow, they were still terribly sore all weekend. Laying down to sleep and get comfortable is a challenge.

However.
I need to get over it and back into the swing of things.

I think I need a bit of goat 'lovin' and another campfire....

[taken by Grace]

Opening Morning ~ Dawn.

Friday afternoon the K-town gang arrived. Scout and the kids piled out of the Subaru and hugs were shared by all.
Morris and Scout nosed each other and then trotted off to make their marks in the yard.

I watched in amazement as they began to unpack. I'd cleared the counter in the corner of the kitchen for what I've dubbed as the 'Clausen Corner'. It seemed as though I may have to expand the corner as they'd brought a ton of bread and food.

Eventually everything that was supposed to come in had been deposited in place. By now we'd gotten into a routine. The girls knew exactly where to set their things. They changed into outdoor clothes and ran outside to enjoy what was left of the daylight and the last day for the ... next 9 days of Gun Deer Season/Thanksgiving Week.

It was rather nice outside so the 'Men Folk' visited while the 'Women Folk' visited. The guys started talking about strategy and hunting. The purpose of the trip was to get meat for the family. Of course the guys talked about all the monster bucks I'd captured on the trail camera.

I laughed and said something to the effect that "They will all be in hiding from pre dawn until the sunsets on the last day of hunting season."
I got looks from the 'Men Folk'.  Earlier this week I'd seen about 10 nice bucks on my walk with Dixie through the woods.

This photo got the 'Men Folk' pretty excited though...
I couldn't blame them. This buck is in direct line with the Clausen Deer Stand.

Of course I'd gotten shots of others too.

These shots caused 'buck fever' for all of those who happened to see them.

Over supper we all talked about deer, bucks, hunting, and the weather. There was a feeling of anticipation in the air.

Everyone went to bed early. It would be a predawn morning.

Whispers in the morning. Fresh coffee. Sorting clothes and pulling out 'Hot Hands' to keep warm. Checking pockets, packing sandwhiches and bottled water. Filling a back pack.

These guys were staying put in the stand once they got there. I smiled as I poured coffee and the hunters whispered getting ready.
I loved the electricity that zapped unseen through the house as they dressed. I never go out on opening morning.
I'm the farm caretaker for this day each year.

My job is to make sure that the hunters have something to eat and a place to warm themselves when they come in from the woods. Over the years we've only had a few folks come and hunt. My brother in law did a few times, and Rich's daughter did too. Other than that, it has always just been Rich.
This year however our friends from the east side of the state said they'd hunt with Rich and help out. Plus they were looking to fill their freezer with venison.

I have to say that last year's harvest provided us with months of very good eating. Deer Harvest feeds people.

Daryl and Amanda slid out the door quietly and headed to the woods. The Hunt was about to begin.
I poured a cup of coffee and sat down to enjoy some quiet before dawn.

Oh Really? by Morris

I don't understand why she doesn't take me out with her all of the time. 
If she is looking for a good photograph all she has to do is point the camera right at me.

I can make any camera take a good photo.

I mean, come on...look at this!

Do I not look incredibly cute and handsome at the same time?
I don't even mind that my face has gone nearly completely grey. No hair color for me! Just a silver muzzled handsome Jack Russell.

Yep I'm just what the cameras ordered.

She says it is hard to photograph me while I am in the bush and summer undergrowth.
Excuses, excuses. 

But she did find some other things I guess worthwhile looking at than just me.

She said she was looking for places and things to take her visitors to this weekend.

Oh yeah, she mentioned that they would be bringing their young dog. Some whipper snapper no doubt. His name is Scout. Any dog in MY house is called 'a nuisance'. Sigh. The things I have to put up with!

All I know is that it is my house so everyone should follow my rules. Right?
Dog cookies at any time of day.
Warm blankets and a nice bed to lay on at any given moment.

And best of all.
Access to nice warm places whenever I want.

Oh yes.
And did I mention Dog Cookies?

I will pose for Dog Cookies.
I like Dog Cookies.

I really really do.