Photo courtesy of AndiF
Recent Posts
- Day 14: Louisiana Senator Approvingly Compares Trump to Stalin
- Day 13: Elon Musk Flexes His Muscles
- Day 12: While Elon Musk Takes Over, We Podcast With Driftglass and Blue Gal
- Day 11: Harm of Fascist Regime’s Foreign Aid Freeze Comes Into View
- Day 10: The Fascist Regime Blames a Plane Crash on Nonwhite People
Day 3 of the plague here at Chez Cabin…however, we seem to all finally be on the upswing. I think Finny is even going to make an appearance at nursery school for the first time this week. 🙂
Looking forward to the weekend – last one before my annual trek to the Maryland Sheep and Wool Festival next weekend. And this year, my mom and I are planning to go it alone, sans Finny (he can come again next year). A more relaxed yarn expedition this year. 😉
Has it stopped snowing in North Dakota and Colorado yet?
Morning CG,
I was reading in the other cafe where NDD said he had gone skiing. Down here it is starting to get warm. We’ve had a couple of days in the mid-80’s. Oh the summer is going to be brutal.
Glad y’all are feeling better. Hope everyone else is good.
Take care
Whit
Hay FM! We’re still in the 30s at night but going to the 70s today. Give George a hug for me.
Hiya Boran,
Good to hear from you and hope the everyone is fine. As soon as I see George I’ll give him that hug. He’s now living as an outside dog at my sister’s house. The place I had to move into after my trailer burned doesn’t accept pets. So my sister and b/l said they’d take care of him, but no pets in my sister’s house. So I go over to see him when I have the energy and feel up to it. The only problem is that after he goes crazy from seeing me, I have to leave after awhile. From the backyard to my car is a ways so I’m listening to George crying for me to come back the whole way. As much as I love George I never expected him to make it over 17 years. It really tears me up to see him in his old age mostly alone, but I do try to get over there as much as possible. As I’ve said before, George is a yapper and my sister and b/l said he hasn’t stopped. So I guess that’s a good indication that he’s still young at heart and in good health.
Hope everyone is doing fine.
FM (Whit)
Nice to see you around these parts this morning! And glad to hear you’re having a few nice warm days before the brutal summer heat sets in.
I’m sorry you and George have been separated. I didn’t realize he was 17 – my Gracie is only 13 and she’s getting old (can’t hear very well, and we need to go stand in her line of vision to call her in). It’s so sad when pets get older. I’m glad you SIL/BIL took him in though, so you can still visit together.
Well, after an hour and a half of work time, I’m ready for a nap now… 🙂
Hi CG,
George is getting that way with line of sight and I think his hearing is starting to go. However, once he hooks onto me he’s just like a puppy again with wanting to jump up in my lap and having the back of his ear rubbed.
Howdy Whit. Give George a scratch from me. 🙂
Hi Andi,
I’m going to try to get over to see him today since it’s not raining. I’ll tell him his Aunt Andi said hi. 🙂
Hay FM. Are you still in need of a laptop?
Hiya Boran,
Thanks but I’ve got this computer now. If I was still getting out a good bit I would say yes, but since I’ve become somewhat of a hermit this one does me fine. Thanks again.
The next thing I have to get is a comfortable chair. I’ve got now some dining chairs at a table and they are the most uncomfortable things I’ve ever sat on. I knew when I lost a lot of weight a lot of padding was going, but my goodness I didn’t expect this. 🙂
A nice pillow might help with those chairs. I’ll hold onto that old Apple in case things change.
Thanks Boran. Trust me I have a nice pillow. 😀
Glad that things are looking up!
Its 40ish and raining here, but according to the weather oracle, better days are on the way. Enjoyed a lovely outdoor afternoon Monday and most of the stiffness in my old bones is beginning to work out at last after a winter of physical inactivity.
Hiya ID,
We’re supposed to get some rain here today. From the rains here flooding hasn’t been to bad, but I hate to see all the flooding up North and along the Mississippi.
I think you bought up one reason I didn’t see for moving down here. The heat helps with old bones and arthritis. Go figure. 😉
I was asked to walk in a parade next weekend as part of a historic CCC float and find myself dreading the long walk a little.
Hiya ID,
You might be dreading it, but feel good you can still do it. That’s one of the problems I’ve been having for a little while. My legs are giving out. I can’t get more than 50 yards now without having to stop. About 2 months ago I was even using a walker because of my legs and my sense of balance seems to have deserted me. All of it has come back now, but when I walk I still try to be near a wall so if something goes out on me suddenly I can catch myself.
Looking at Brown County State Park pictures I admit it is very beautiful there. You’re a lucky man and choose well to where you live.
Take care
Whit
Nice needles, Andi!
Greetings from the cabin.
Breakfast time yesterday
Last night
Sunrise this morning at 5.39
The days are longer, the ice vanished from the fjord on Tuesday (suddenly, it was all gone in a matter of 12 hours) and daytime temps reach the low 50s. I guess spring is finally here.
Hi Ask. That looks so wonderful, especially the sunrise shot.
Hi Ask,
As usual with you pictures of home it always makes me wish I had gone or could be there. Beautiful pictures.
Whit
Hi FM,
It would have been nice to have you here as well. There is space – all cafe dwellers welcome.
What a lovely view! Things seem to be looking up here as well, with sunshine and warming temps the next few days.
Beautiful scenery. It looks very peaceful.
Peaceful indeed. In fact, my father named the place a term which translates to “Peaceful [Place]”. And now it is off-season – I barely see anyone unless I go to the store.
It does look very peaceful and quiet. And much warmer than your photos a week or so ago!
It is still unseasonally cool, but no more frost at night. Stopped using the stove about a week ago.
I’ve been using the A/C down here for awhile. For some reason the apartment I’m in heats up. Even today it’s in the 70’s, but if I don’t have the A/C at a comfortable temp it will get into the mid to higher 80’s in here. During Jan and Feb I went many days and nights without turning on the heat and we were getting down into the 20’s sometimes.
BTW I think your father must have been a wise man because the name he gave to the place of your pictures is most fitting.
Wow, the ice seems to have just disappeared. Glad you weren’t standing on it.
http://karereklam.net”
Ankara
Getting this computer I’m so glad to be getting back in touch with everyone. I’ve been off the net for a long time. But one thing it has done also is given me an eye into old TV shows I haven’t seen in awhile. Basically I’ve been watching a lot of documentaries (History channel, BBC, etc.), but there’s some old Masterpiece shows I like too (Inspector Morse come to mind). Since I don’t have cable this has not only been educational, but also entertaining. I’m just finding out how to see some of the show that are produced now and since I was only watching a few of those before, I’m fairly well satisfied with just the computer.
Once again it’s really good to see y’all again.
Whit
Big Morse fan here! Also like the Midsomer Murders series. Our county library has almost all the Morse episodes and we have seen them all.
Very glad you’re back hangin’ about the pond. You were missed.
I don’t think I’ve every seen the Midsomer Murder series. I’ll have to look it up. On Masterpiece I never did like most of the period shows like Upstairs/Downstairs. I not sure if I should admit it, but I gotten hooked on Downton Abbey. I’ve been watching since the first show and I thought when I saw it that it was good. I was very pleased when I saw that they had won all those awards.
So far on YouTube I’ve been watching a lot of “History of” shows, and Tony Robinson shows. He has a couple out that I’m going through now. The Worst Jobs in History is pretty interesting and a few others he has are too. Of course I’ve gone through the History of England, The History of Canada (in deference to Olivia 🙂 ), and this morning I watched one about the partition of India and Pakistan. It amazes me just how ignorant on a lot of history I am sometimes. Anyway with the abundance of things on the net I don’t think I’ll be missing TV for a good while.
Whit
We don’t miss TV at all here. Got rid of the dish nearly six years ago. We are Netflix addicts now. I’ll have to check out the history series. Sounds interesting. BTW, I’m playing the part of a CCC worker the first weekend in May, in a parade. That should be fun. I have my Grapes Of Wrath outfit all worked out, thanks to the local community closet.
It does sound like the parade will be fun. Pictures please. 🙂
That sounds pretty cool. You are a wonderful advertisement for tourism in Brown County, with all those tempting pictures and the parade description. I hear the fried bscuits are pretty awesome too.
I love Downton Abbey. It’s also kind of funny how many men I know are hooked on it too; it seems a little unexpected. 🙂
Yep I thought it was a one season run, but after the awards they came back. One thing that surprised me is the number of main characters killed off. I guess if you look at it, it’s no different from real life though. Horrible things do happen to good people.
Good morning everyone,
Almost the end of the week. However, when you’ve been retired a good while it’s just another day.
Hope everyone is fine today.
Whit
Hay FM! I hope that the weather by you is as nice as it is here. Staring off cool but heading to about 70.
Hiya Boran,
Sounds exactly like the weather we’re having today. I think I saw that it is supposed to be the same until mid next week. I’m ready for technology to get to the point where we have weather control. I’d like a day like today all year around.
Here’s hoping spring finds you, soon.
Love that splash of color!
Happy Friday! I’m looking forward to the end of the week and some fun with my favorite guys this weekend!
Agree with CG!
I don’t know the variety, but I like it!
That last painting was accepted to the juried show at the Kent Art Association. Woohoo!
Congrats b2. Good luck! 😉
Thanks Bob!
A great big MAZEL TOV to you!
Good morning Andi and MAZEL TOV to you too!
Must have been asleep when I started typing this a.m.
MAZEL TOV Boran!!!!!!!
Thanks Andi!
That’s great! Congratulations!
Thanks CG!
It must have been your fine representation of all that chrome that wowed ’em. Congratulations!
Spring had finally arrived in ND. Yesterday was sunny and the temp hit 66F out here in the boonies. The day before that was our first to hit 50F, so the lateness of that broke a record going back to 1881.
Lots of snow melted yesterday while 100s of Canada geese and t’ousands of Snow geese headed north. So far we have robins, mourning doves, black birds, a falcon are the latest arrivals.
So the x-c skiing season appears to be over 🙁 oops I mean 🙂
Sounds as if your world is waking up for spring. We had lots of sand hill cranes here a few weeks ago, but I haven’t timed my trips out to the shallows of the lake correctly to catch them on the water yet. Glad you can put the x-c gear away for awhile!
Just before 1:20 PM I spotted 5 Whooping Cranes circling to the SE of the farmyard. By the time I got the camera out they’d drifted farther off, so only one very crappy photo.
Years ago, 10-4-82 I had one standing at the bottom of the driveway going up to a lowered barn. They really look huge up close.
We get sandhill cranes here but they have the same fly-too-high-for-photos tendency.
Glad spring has sprung.
We received a bit more rain last night. The forest seems pleased.
The forest is definitely greening up here, though it won’t be really green until the oaks leaf out.
To all my friends I`ve missed for over a month,
Hugs & Kisses
Good to see you.
Rather aptly named, I’d say.
Another great reef photo and perfect caption. Glad to see you here. Back home from down under?
Hugs & kisses right back — though not quite like that. 🙂
Glad to see you back!
click for larger
Good morning/afternoon,
Intense moonrise on Saturday night:
(Shot freehand without flash, so a little shaky.)
Very cool.
Good morning all,
It’s not supposed to rain today so I’ll be getting ready in a minute to go over to see George. He’ll go crazy as usual seeing me. I’ll sit in a chair while he’s jumping up on me and all around me. I’ll pick him up and keep telling him what a good dog he is. Usually he’ll put his head on my chest and just look at me with those eyes. Then after a good while I’ll get up to leave and hobble to the car. His crying for me to come back is like a knife going through me, but where I live now they just won’t allow him there. So I have to contend with staying where I live with George living two miles away and staying there.
Sorry if this sounds down, but it was raining last night and I got to thinking a lot about George. Kinda of hard to put someone you love out of your mind when they’ve been with you 17 years.
Anyway I’m seeing him this morning and we both will be happy. I hope everyone’s week is starting out good!
Whit
It is hard to leave someone who expresses his love and longing so openly. Good news you’ll have time together today.
Gale force wind and heavy rain overnight, then it cleared up for a while, but now we have heavy winds and a bit of hail. It looks like it will be short lived, though.
Morning Ask,
It appears George will have to wait awhile. It’s not supposed to rain today, but as I was driving over it started sprinkling. Now George has always hated water on him or around him, so I know that he wouldn’t come out of his dog house for anything. Plus sitting out in the rain is not one of my big things either. So hopefully later on today.
The closest I’ve come to what you’re talking about with the winds and rain is a Noreaster I went through in New Hampshire. Of course when the hurricanes come through here it can get pretty hairy also, and I live over four hours from the coast.
Thanks for the pictures.
No doubt that George will be happy to see you whenever he can. 17 years is a long time.
Morning Boran,
Even when George and I were together all the time, I could be gone from the house for 30 minutes and he would act like I’d been gone for a couple of days. When I first moved here, it had surprised me that my sister and bil agreed to care for him. George has always yapped at everyone except for Fmom and myself. Whenever I can’t get to see him and I call my sister she always adds that he’s doing fine and yapping away. I do think he’s getting used to my sister and bil though. My bil has told me on more than one occasion what a good little dog George is.
Yep 17 years is a long time. I do know that even if I wanted to after George there won’t be another one. One of the reasons is where I live, but I also know that once you find someone like George and he gives you all the love he has and you in return do the same, it’s really hard to start that over. No matter how cute and loving a puppy can be, I’m not sure could start at the beginning again.
To other things. Since I’m trying to relearn everything I used to know on the computer things are very slow on getting up to speed. One thing I would like is if anyone knows a good spell/grammar checker I could down load – for free of course. 🙂
I hope your day is starting out good and your week continues the same.
Take care
Whit
Try majorgeeks.com. I’ve downloaded lots of things there over the years.
Thanks Boran!
They’ve got Apple stuff as well.
Sandhill Cranes
Well, sometimes I get lucky with the Sandhill Cranes.
A Few Snow Geese
You might need a bit of magnification to see them all. Let me know what the total count is…
At the other end of the bird size-o-meter, the first ruby-throated hummingbirds of the year showed up today. We also had a visit at the feeder from a male rose breasted grosbeak. (not my photo)
We have both at some point, and the rose breasted grosbeaks could be here anytime now, but hummingbirds know better to come to ND now, as the dandelions haven’t even shown up yet.
According to the map, it looks like the hummers are on their way, NDD. They’ve shown up in Minnesota, and appear to be in Southern Canada. The grosbeaks only show up at our feeder for a few weeks in the spring and fall. We are just a little south of their nesting zone.
That’s a great idea to have a map tracking their progress. I wonder if anyone does that for the Whooping Cranes.
We saw ots of sand hill cranes in Florida when we were there a few weeks ago. They seem to like to snack on whatever is living in the grass by the roadside there, so we got a really close look at them. They’re huge!
We live in sand hill country up on the ridge and we have a ton of them everywhere, so much so they’ll stand in the road and block traffic, pita at times. We’ve got crane sculptures out front so they think it’s an invitation. They eat white grubs and other assorted soil insects-worms.
Great shots NDD.
Thanks BobX, ’tis nice to have folks around who appreciate nature!
I’m lucky to have had another chance to takes some photos of these Whooping Cranes.
They weren’t as close to my yard as the other five were, but the shots turned out better, thankfully.
There were two more a bit behind these ten, but they got cropped out.
Whooping Cranes sighted 10:37 AM CDT, 10 of 12 in this shot
Distant shot of Whooping Cranes
I’ve got one old friend telling me they’re pelicans…
From the photos it’s hard to tell I suppose, but they didn’t look like pelicans to the eye…
any of you birders out there that can tell from these photos?
Pelicans? What the heck would pelicans want in the middle of North Dakota? You got mullet up there? 😉
We do have pelicans in ND. Mullets, I wouldn’t know nothing about, hah! Perch, walleyes, northern pike, and bullheads… those we’ve got.
On this last bunch I had a choice of grabbing the camera or the binoculars. I’m sure the latter choice would have been more definitive.
However, the white ones sure looked like and flew like the Sandhill Cranes, so I think I’ll stick with the original ID for now.
He might be right check the long necks on this one.
http://www.learner.org/jnorth/images/graphics/c/crane49cd834.jpg
Pelicans are amazing fliers.
click for larger