Monday, July 27, 2009
Rainy reading day, rainbow, and critter mysteries
We "knew" ahead of time that Saturday would be a mostly rainy day. That's why Nan brought work with ther and I brought a big book.While there was time to talk to Larry and Dixie and to Mark and Susan and Will, we rather enjoyed our inability to do chores. And near sunset, we had a rainbow in our yard! (I don't know if I want to dig for a pot of gold there though. That's right above the septic tank.)
When the sun finally set, it poked out from behind the clouds and highlighted the hummingbird feeder.
Sunday morning dawned bright and quiet.
Photo by Nancy AshmoreAs I was finishing my book, a guest dropped in. Literally dropped in.
I heard this loud "PLOP" on the deck and when I looked up there was a 2-inch long green caterpillar. It didn't move for awhile. Perhaps it was stunned by its fall from the tree. Was the fall intentional? Had it missed a swinging vine? Did it have visions of flying as a butterfly?
After awhile, it began moving. Crawling toward the edge of the deck. I went out and took a close up of the front end.
There seems to be a mouth and eyes.
[Turns out its a Luna moth caterpillar. I learned this from Bill Hilton's Hilton Pond Center web site, which I found by searching for green caterpillar on Google. Coincidence? Serendipity? Bill Hilton, Jr. is a good friend of my good friend Jim Shuman who chairs the education department at St. Lawrence University in New York. Bill once left a dead bird in my freezer. (He borrowed my apartment for awhile when he was in Minneapolis and I was in Wisconsin being an archaeologist.)]
Besides the good book, the Luna moth caterpiller was as fun to see as the eagles, the loon, and the hummingbirds we saw. There were also these long-legged, long-beaked birds I saw in profile (the rising sun was behind them). I don't know what they were and I really don't know why they were perched in a tree. Shouldn't they have been wading along the shore?
Great weekend. I think we'll do it again in a couple weeks. Have to figure out what to do about the dead lawn mower at home.
Sunday, July 12, 2009
Two weekends...
Overwhelmed by the fireworks of July 3 and 4, I didn't quite get anything written about the end of last weekend.
Now, we've gotten to Sidetrack for a second weekend in a row!
Last weekend did involve two nights of fireworks. You'll have to take my word for it or look and Sank's blog. His camera was up to taking pictures of some of the fireworks. The biggest and showiest were on Big Blake Lake, just over the ridge. But we could see about 80% of the bursts.
David and his buddy did get outside and even on the lake. But we worried a bit about those two big guys exceeding the capacity of the old canoe.
On the fourth, the Nan decided it was time to do something about the mess in the Shakespeare House shed.
She and the guys emptied the place and cleaned out at least a dozen years of mouse nests. Then the useful things were put back inside. It's now possible to step in, look around, and find things in there. What a wonderful celebration of independence!
One of the things that did not go back into the shed was this bottle of gasoline (with oil in) from over 25 years ago. It'll go to the hazardous waste dump back in Rice County.
This Saturday was a wonderful day. Weather was cool and bright Just about perfect in my book. Old friends came up with their two white German Shepherds and spent the day. Great time and a great dinner, if I do say so myself.
Sunday morning's dawn caught the bridge at the south end of the Lakes Blake, but it really was an avian morning. (Again, you'll have to take my word for this.)
Just as I launched the canoe, an osprey dived into the lake, disappeared, and then splashed out into the air. We've seen ospreys here before, but not often.
No sooner had the bird headed north, but two bald eagles headed for the fisher bird. The eagles were considerably faster than the osprey, which headed for the trees on the northwest shore. It dipped and turned and flew near the tree tops, but the eagles were persistent. All three birds disappeared over the ridge. I don't know the ending to the drama, but one of the eagles later flew south along the west shore of the lake, circled at the south end and perched in one of the pine trees along the eastern shore.
All the time that chase was going on, a loon was providing a soundtrack. Pretty neat.
Then, as I paddled south to get a picture of the illuminated bridge, a shiny ball fell from a tree and splashed into the lake. A moment later, a kingfisher exploded from the water and zipped back toward the trees. We've been seeing a kingfisher on our dock and Mark's boat, but to see the bird fish was a real treat.
Before I got back to the dock, I saw a green heron (funny-shaped little bird) in the reeds, a gull sailing overhead, and a blue heron sailing down the western shore.
Got to wave at Larry, recuperating on his deck.
A wonderful morning. A wonderful weekend. A wonderful place. I think I'll be back.
Now, we've gotten to Sidetrack for a second weekend in a row!
Last weekend did involve two nights of fireworks. You'll have to take my word for it or look and Sank's blog. His camera was up to taking pictures of some of the fireworks. The biggest and showiest were on Big Blake Lake, just over the ridge. But we could see about 80% of the bursts.
David and his buddy did get outside and even on the lake. But we worried a bit about those two big guys exceeding the capacity of the old canoe.
On the fourth, the Nan decided it was time to do something about the mess in the Shakespeare House shed.
She and the guys emptied the place and cleaned out at least a dozen years of mouse nests. Then the useful things were put back inside. It's now possible to step in, look around, and find things in there. What a wonderful celebration of independence!
One of the things that did not go back into the shed was this bottle of gasoline (with oil in) from over 25 years ago. It'll go to the hazardous waste dump back in Rice County.
This Saturday was a wonderful day. Weather was cool and bright Just about perfect in my book. Old friends came up with their two white German Shepherds and spent the day. Great time and a great dinner, if I do say so myself.
Sunday morning's dawn caught the bridge at the south end of the Lakes Blake, but it really was an avian morning. (Again, you'll have to take my word for this.)
Just as I launched the canoe, an osprey dived into the lake, disappeared, and then splashed out into the air. We've seen ospreys here before, but not often.
No sooner had the bird headed north, but two bald eagles headed for the fisher bird. The eagles were considerably faster than the osprey, which headed for the trees on the northwest shore. It dipped and turned and flew near the tree tops, but the eagles were persistent. All three birds disappeared over the ridge. I don't know the ending to the drama, but one of the eagles later flew south along the west shore of the lake, circled at the south end and perched in one of the pine trees along the eastern shore.
All the time that chase was going on, a loon was providing a soundtrack. Pretty neat.
Then, as I paddled south to get a picture of the illuminated bridge, a shiny ball fell from a tree and splashed into the lake. A moment later, a kingfisher exploded from the water and zipped back toward the trees. We've been seeing a kingfisher on our dock and Mark's boat, but to see the bird fish was a real treat.
Before I got back to the dock, I saw a green heron (funny-shaped little bird) in the reeds, a gull sailing overhead, and a blue heron sailing down the western shore.
Got to wave at Larry, recuperating on his deck.
A wonderful morning. A wonderful weekend. A wonderful place. I think I'll be back.
Friday, July 03, 2009
Finally, sun
Yesterday afternoon, something strange happened. Parts of the lawn got very bright and green. Other parts were dark and gray. And there was this bright light that came streaming into the windows facing the lake.
Then, about 9:00pm, all kinds of colors showed up in the sky. After a week's worth of clouds, it was an amazing event.
Amazing things continued this morning. The big bright light highlighted one of the houses on the west side of the lake.
And there were more colors. This time the colors were more visible in the water than the sky.
The places on the east side of the lake are filling up. I'm looking forward to the "crowds" and the noise of the weekend.
Then, about 9:00pm, all kinds of colors showed up in the sky. After a week's worth of clouds, it was an amazing event.
Amazing things continued this morning. The big bright light highlighted one of the houses on the west side of the lake.
And there were more colors. This time the colors were more visible in the water than the sky.
The places on the east side of the lake are filling up. I'm looking forward to the "crowds" and the noise of the weekend.
Thursday, July 02, 2009
Eagle, hummingbirds, and otter
The hummingbirds continue to flock around the feeder, but they're too small to photograph with the camera I have. You'll have to take my word for it.
The otter who swam around the dock last night at sunset was also too small, but it was good to see. It seemed to be interested in eating the weeds growing in the water out there.
The eagle just wouldn't stay put long enough to photograph. I saw one sitting in the hay field next to the Little Blake Lane entrance. Was it feasting on a little rodent?
I did a lot of work yesterday. Moved some of the concrete from dead Red Tom. Cleaned up half the patio. Weeded the front garden and counted at least 22 Tiger Lily plants (a population that has grown from half a dozen plants rescued from the roadside a few years ago.) Removed the pine needles and seeds (nearly soil) from the roof and dumped it out back. My legs, hips, and back were stiff by dinner time.
Sunset wasn't much to see, but I did get this impressionistic design in the cloudy twilight.
This morning I did get out on the lake. Wasn't much of a sunrise either.
I took a tour of the lake and noted that there are a lot of boats and pontoons that are not in the water this summer. Is that a sign of the economic times?
Still cloudy and cool at Little Blake and here in Luck. Maybe sun this afternoon, but that's what the weather prognosticators said yesterday.
Sunrise on July 2
The otter who swam around the dock last night at sunset was also too small, but it was good to see. It seemed to be interested in eating the weeds growing in the water out there.
The eagle just wouldn't stay put long enough to photograph. I saw one sitting in the hay field next to the Little Blake Lane entrance. Was it feasting on a little rodent?
I did a lot of work yesterday. Moved some of the concrete from dead Red Tom. Cleaned up half the patio. Weeded the front garden and counted at least 22 Tiger Lily plants (a population that has grown from half a dozen plants rescued from the roadside a few years ago.) Removed the pine needles and seeds (nearly soil) from the roof and dumped it out back. My legs, hips, and back were stiff by dinner time.
Sunset wasn't much to see, but I did get this impressionistic design in the cloudy twilight.This morning I did get out on the lake. Wasn't much of a sunrise either.
I took a tour of the lake and noted that there are a lot of boats and pontoons that are not in the water this summer. Is that a sign of the economic times?
Still cloudy and cool at Little Blake and here in Luck. Maybe sun this afternoon, but that's what the weather prognosticators said yesterday.
Sunrise on July 2Wednesday, July 01, 2009
Return after 3 weeks
Finally! Back at Sidetrack. It was cool yesterday -- the bank thermometer near the Amery grocery store read 54° when I stopped to shop around noon. Turning on the heat was one of the first tasks after I got here.
And that was the exciting part of my day.
Everything looks good.
The maltese cross are blooming in the terrace and in the front garden.
The tickseed is blooming in the front garden, some little purple things have volunteered there, and a bunch of other things are getting ready to look good.
The salvia are bright and attracting humming birds. But, just minutes after I filled and hung the humming bird feeder on the deck, the little flyers were flocking to the jar of red liquid. (Pictures tomorrow, maybe.)
And, in the terrace, a hardy lupine has appeared in an unexpected area and is collecting water just as designed. These things die off and their descendants appear. Can't count on them. How did the Lupine Lady (Miss Rumphius) do it?
Sorry about all the flower pics, but if I took pictures of me reading books (about all there was to do in this cool weather), they'd be less exciting. I could take a picture while I'm here at Cafe Wren, but I didn't bring the camera. And it's just me and my coffee and the computer sitting by the window with Hwy 35 outside the window.
See Lupine Lady at Bowdoin College Museum of Art
And that was the exciting part of my day.
Everything looks good.
The maltese cross are blooming in the terrace and in the front garden.
The tickseed is blooming in the front garden, some little purple things have volunteered there, and a bunch of other things are getting ready to look good.
The salvia are bright and attracting humming birds. But, just minutes after I filled and hung the humming bird feeder on the deck, the little flyers were flocking to the jar of red liquid. (Pictures tomorrow, maybe.)
And, in the terrace, a hardy lupine has appeared in an unexpected area and is collecting water just as designed. These things die off and their descendants appear. Can't count on them. How did the Lupine Lady (Miss Rumphius) do it?
Sorry about all the flower pics, but if I took pictures of me reading books (about all there was to do in this cool weather), they'd be less exciting. I could take a picture while I'm here at Cafe Wren, but I didn't bring the camera. And it's just me and my coffee and the computer sitting by the window with Hwy 35 outside the window.
See Lupine Lady at Bowdoin College Museum of Art
