Eagle(s)

Roger wanted to get out a little yesterday...so we headed up to roam around Parke County....and this was the highlight of our day....isn't he handsome. I wasn't that far away from him....but those twigs in front of him make it hard to focus. I was slowly walking up closer to him when he took off....
Talk about a big bird...he seemed huge....and when he took off, he was just gone. We watched him go down the valley and then came back our way but off a ways to the side...and in the meantime I had noticed another one...a juvenile...and then there was another eagle, but all too far away. I could have stood there forever watching the three of them....I had been complaining that it had been a while since we had seen an eagle and then to see them two days in a row!!!
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I had intentions to visit blogs today but instead last night I discovered a few of my photos were missing from a particular day. I have my photos in folders by day taken...and part of the photos were there, but several weren't. I first checked to see if they were just missing in Picasa and maybe were on the computer but could not find them anywhere. I checked the external hard drive that I had used to transfer them....they were missing on it, also.

So I had to start up the old laptop and transfer them from it. And today in between other jobs I have been going through each folder for the XTi to try to make sure no more photos were missing...I found some that I thought were missing, and have gone through almost 11,000 photos and only found one that I cannot find anywhere...and with the folder it is in, it is nothing special.

I am trying to decide if I am going to do the rest...I probably will but going to take a break from it. I have close to another 10,000 photos from my original Rebel...I just cannot bear the thoughts of starting on those right away.
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It was a beautiful day here....true shirt sleeve weather. I even have a daffodil blooming but did not take a photo of it. We had storms last night, but nothing major here where I live.

More from yesterday....

The above are female pheasants...see how they blend in...they are so hard to see most of the time. They had my attention so much that I did not even see the handsome fellow below till he ran out as I was getting ready to leave.

Besides the 4 ladies and the gentleman above, I saw two others at the opposite end of the strip pits. No chance to photograph them though. It was when I was entirely focused on the eagles.

The one strip pit has lost a lot of water...I have never seen it so low. I don't think it has ever been a deep strip pit like some, but in all the years I have been driving through there, it has not been so low. I am not sure what it means as there is lots of water standing in all the normal places. Anyway, it is full of swans, other waterfowl,

And if you enlarge the photo above and look closely you will see four sandhill cranes. They blend in so well they are hard to s pot. I am hoping this becomes a regular stopping place for them...I saw three out there a while back.

In the photo above the cranes are almost close to the left edge...

Besides the deer pictured above, I cannot say how many I saw.

Oh, I also saw a skunk but by then it was too late to get a decent photo.
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I don't know where to begin...this past Sunday made two weeks that Roger had been sick. Sinus/cold type of thing. He would feel like he was getting better only to feel bad. So got in to the doctor yesterday and he feels like a new man.

And Lo and Sarah were here for the weekend. Cannot remember all she has done lately. On the way here, she asked Sarah "will Mamaw still have the play-doh?" Not sure if she comes to see me or to play with play-doh. haha We were playing with it and she had a ball of it that she was calling the moon, so I asked her if she wanted to go to the moon...she say, "Oh, Mamaw, I don't want to go into outer space!" That from a three year old.

Any day is a good day....

Roger and I have a little saying when we go out for a drive...we say that any day we see an eagle is a good day. In fact, the thrill of it lasts long afterwards. We bore everyone telling about it.

Anyway, all of the following are cropped portions of photos...and in the first three, the eagle(s) are quite quite far away. Anyway, I suggest you use the right click and open in a new tab, at least for 4th shot. It is really a great capture....

I headed out for a drive this afternoon, with the intentions of just passing through the strip pits, but only just passing through. I had almost passed through when up ahead I noticed a couple of birds...one I was sure was a Northern Harrier. But look what else was there. This was from quite a distance...I wasn't sure it was an eagle till I extended my lens.

He was really moving...in both the above photos...not just gliding but wings flapping like he had some place to go...

He went a ways and then turned back towards me and I thought oh, boy, he is coming back to me but only came so far and turned around and continued on. Look closely at the photo above...you might even want to enlarge it to see better. What is funny, I did not see the eagle on top of the power line pole till I downloaded the photos...total surprise here. And thrilled!

This fellow above and below is the first one I actually saw and was in the vacinity of the two adults....it is a juvenile bald eagle, at least I am pretty sure. When it first took off, its tail feathers looked like they were trying to start to turn white... And the photo above is the one I want you to right click on and then click open in new tab or new window...

I was actually willing to trespass to get closer to it, but it took flight before I could even stepped off the road....

The above was not near all I saw but it was the most thrilling...I think....yeah, it was. But saw lots more which I will show another day. Just had to focus on the eagles today.

A new addition to what I normally see at the strip pits...

The other day we had to run to Wally World, and decided to run through the strip pits before coming home.
One of the first thing we noticed were the swans were in motion. This is just one group of many that we saw.

One of the next things I got to shoot was this pair of mallards...

and TA-DA--here we have my first photo of a coyote from there. I have seen one other but much too far away to photograph, and this one sure was in no mood to cooperate. He just stood till we paused for me to try to get a shot and he was off. I must say he was the most beautiful one I have ever seen.

Just on a little ways and on the other side of the road was this pheasant...he was the only one we saw.

And as we left the area, there was this deer...and two or three more had done crossed the road. This is shot through the front windshield and not very good...

We did see more deer, and then there were these crazy birds...not sure if they were the white fronted geese or some other waterbird...they fly so crazy I don't know what they are but I thought they looked too small to be the white fronted geese. They will take off in a group and it is as if they are saying 'Which way do we go, which way do we go?' They head one way and suddenly change directions.

Back in business--sort of

Before getting into anything else, thought you might enjoy a few pics of Lorelei...taken last weekend.
She has a little CD player that has its own CDs...she would put one in and got to one certain song and dance and dance. She always has her eyes closed or at least half closed.

She wore us out just watching, doing it over and over.

She even changed outfits for us.
Needless to say we had a ball....I cannot even think of all the cute stuff she has done recently....will try to sit down and write about that another time.
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I made up my mind what computer to get last Friday...I checked to see if it was available in Terre Haute. It was. I did not want to run get it before we left to go see Lorelei....I knew I would want to fool with it too much. So, we went over there and had a nice visit. We came home late Sunday afternoon....just came straight home instead of going to Best Buy....it is on the south end of Terre Haute and we just did not feel like going that far.

That evening I was glancing at the computer one last time....knowing we had to go to the south end of Terre Haute the next day and I would just pick it up then....I had not bothered to buy it on line...thinking I would get there and look around a bit...see it in person before I bought it. Well, I just happened to check availability...guess what? Right--it was no longer in the store here....but it was available in Indy where we had just been.

So, I got busy and ordered it...it said it would be here by the 29th and I was thinking well, shoot....but then I remembered the desktop. I thought they had give me a date out way ahead like that and that it came sooner. Sure enough, this one came Tuesday I think it was. I have transferred most of my stuff...still have the music to go but sort of dread that part...not sure why.

I had trouble getting Netflix to work, but finally got it operating. Then last night I started to blog, and of course had trouble using IE, but installed Firefox and all is well with it. I should have just installed it to begin with I guess.
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We had almost 60º weather yesterday, but cold again today with a chance of snow flurries. Have heard howling winds this morn...I think it is only about the second time I have heard them this winter. So very strange. I don't think I have ever seen a winter this warm...will have to try to look into that.

Anyway, going to slowly try to get back to blogging...Lo and her mommy are coming this weekend if Lorelei is well enough. She started running a fever again a couple nights ago...and went to the doctor but he could not see anything wrong. Just figured it was a virus...but to bring her back if she don't get rid of it in two or three days.

What a week....

I am still in the process of looking at computers....I am driving myself and everyone else crazy. I will think I have found the one, only to have something go wrong with it. One only had two USB ports...I think it is the only one I have seen with just two USB ports. Another did not even have one 3.0 usb port. Always some little something that is not quite what I want.

Then last night I really found what I thought was THE ONE...tried to order it and it was no go. It said it was available for shipment to home, but did not give me an option to check that. So, I got up and called this morn since they were closed last night...well, the girl said one store is supposed to have 4 of them. I called and that store and the girl there finally pulled it up and said they are supposed to have two. But she did not go and physcially look...so who knows.

If Roger feels up to it, we may run by there tomorrow--it is in Indianapolis. If they actually have one I may have found the one...but I don't want to get the one that the store has used as its display model. If it is not there, there is one in Terre Haute that is very similar to it....

Until then, I am not doing much blogging...my mind is frazzled. I have looked and looked and looked some more...don't think I am going to relax until I get this done.

Stumbled on this...

I was looking for another song, and came across this one...never heard of the guy. But that is not saying much...I just never listen to the radio any more...anyway, thought I would post it here....maybe someone else will like it. Also, have you heard of him--Vince Dixon before?


I really like it...but he reminds me of someone else. Just can't say who.
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I am have been thinking about home a lot and thinking about our girls...I always wonder what memories they carry with them about home. One thing for sure, both of them are so much better with kids than I was at their age. I suppose I enjoy Lorelei so much because I am feel like I am more at ease...in fact I was more at ease with Sarah than I was her sister. By then I learned not to stress about every little thing...I might not make the most perfect decision, but for sure wasn't going to be doing anything that would harm them.

Small kids have always gravitated to my girls. They have always loved both of them...in different ways. I am not sure how to say this...they gravitated to my younger because she was more a kid, and I think they gravitated to my older daughter because they felt secure with her. When she was in college, she worked at a mini-mart every night...there was a couple that had a young girl...I think between two and three. If they stopped by to run in and get something, she had to go in and see my daughter...and my daughter had to hold her and talk to her. The only way just one of the parents could come in was to hurry in and tell my daughter to stay out of her view. And you might think this was some of my daughter's childhood friends but it wasn't. It was just someone that came in and out there.

And another time, a couple was in there with one even younger, and she had to go to my daughter, and the parents just kept saying she don't do this, she don't make friends like this...and when they left, she had to kiss my daughter good-bye...again totally surprising her parents.

And with Sarah, all the little kids in the neighborhood always wanted to come and see her, and her sister too.... And kids love her now...and I tell you I have learned more about being a mom from watching her and even watching her sister with Lo than anyone else, except maybe one of my sisters.

Then I tell myself, maybe I have not been too bad to have the girls as we have...
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Today I have been on the go the most of the day. I had to go to Walmart, to Terre Haute, to the post office, back home...then to the bank and to pay a bill for someone else.

The reason I had to go to the bank was I counted my change...I was wondering how much I had....and though I did not count all the pennies, we all know that it takes a whole bunch of those to add up. I took $11 worth of pennies alone and left more than that here. Altogether I had $321 in change. And that is not as much as I have taken in at other times...at one time I took over $700! Another time I cannot remember but I know it was in the hundreds...I really don't want to let it add up like that again...it is so heavy to take in.

Then tonight the internet was flickering off and on till I couldn't do anything...so am late getting this ready to post...

A hard scrabble....

Everything about this picture says it is a hard scrabble life for anyone wanting to farm this property. I was going to post it over on my Time Stand Still blog, but decided to use it here. It is a picture I took in Tennessee....it is not uncommon to see land with the rocks exposed in the area I am from. If I run across land like this up here, it takes me back to so many places I have known...to what seems like another world, another time.

I first thought this was some kind of outbuilding, but then I seen the curtain at the window and I wondered had it been someone's house many years ago...and that thought was followed by the remembrance of plastic curtains. Does anyone else remember them? I don't know if we had any, but I know some neighbors did.

Can you imagine trying to grow anything here...down home, at least in two areas that I was very familiar with...cattle ran the fields. And I could always count on finding the prickly pear cactus growing there. And some of the best wild blackberries grew in those fields...and one of them had some big flat rocks that had ruts wore in them and mom always said they were from wagon wheels of early settlers/pioneers....

Our school yard had some of these same old limestone rocks...not quite as many as above but they were there. Out behind the school, which was the play ground for the first and second grades, I remember there was this one huge limestone rock, or it seemed huge to me then...I think the one I am referring to was almost flush with the ground. At one end of it it had, it had I don't know what you would call them. Almost as if someone had spun two tires side by side there until it wore it down. Only it was completely natural. I know we played and played on that rock, and I think we pretended that was where our babies slept...what I don't recall is if one of us pretended to be the baby or what. I do not remember having dolls there.

Then to the one end, where the rest of the grades could play at some time or other, was more rocks, one of these was not huge by any means, the part that was above ground was maybe 4 or 5 foot long.... most of it was probably under the ground so really no telling how big it actually was. It was flush with the ground on one side and then stuck out of the ground at least a foot or so on the other edge.

Well, I think from 3rd or 4th grade on, we would take our jump rope to that rock. Two of us would get in front of the side of that ledge of rock and hold the ends of the jump rope. All the other kids, including the boys, would get in line back from the side of that rock that was flush with the ground. The two holding the rope would hold the rope up and everyone would run and jump from the ledge over the rope....and as everyone had a turn, the rope would be raised higher. I think some of us would eventually be jumping it when it was higher than our waist....we would get back and run as hard as we could and just leap as high as we could from that rock to try to go up and over.

And I think sometimes we would use an old dry stick weed....just anything to have fun. We didn't have supervision at recess...when we got mad about something we argued a little and got over it and went on with what we were doing. I don't remember there ever being anyone that thought about a lawsuit over someone getting hurt...and don't remember anyone being seriously hurt.

I do remember one time, one of the boys in the class ahead of us had a red hot jawbreaker and got choked on it....this was before I ever remember hearing of the Heimlich maneuver. The teacher tried turning him upside down and shaking him, I think....and I don't know what all and nothing helped. One of them stuck him in their car and headed out I assume to the doctor's office because it was closer than the hospital.

They had to cross a railroad on the way--as they crossed over it the rough ride either made the jawbreaker come out or pass on down. I don't remember which it did...gives a whole new meaning to the phrase 'how to save a life.'

Our wild and crazy visitor....

Someone had a birthday party last weekend, but since I was sick, we did not get to go. So this weekend her and her mommy came down to see us...

I have play dough for her, and on the way or else before they left, she asked her mom if I still had the play dough....and believe it or not, she had not been here two minutes till she asked about it.

Well, Sarah got a late start because of reasons beyond her control....so it was dark when they came. On the way, Lorelei ask her if we would still be up...Sarah told her yes. Then she asked if we would be in our pajamas. Don't you like how their mind works?

I cannot think which day/evening it was, but Sarah told her to come on...she was taking her to the potty or to change clothes...something. Lorelei was sitting in the floor playing with something and was just ignoring her. So, Sarah, and me too, for that matter--we count to three and if she doesn't do what we ask, we swat her bottom.

So, Sarah started to count, 'One.' and Lorelei promptly says, ' Two.............three.' By then Sarah is leaving the room expecting her to follow, and she says, "lorelei, do you want me to spank your bottom?' Lorelei, being Lorelei, turns and looks at her and says, 'NO, Not yet,' but she did get up and go with her mom.

She is such a mischievous child...I have several puzzles that she works when she is here...she can work them just fine, but every now and then she will get a piece and try to put it in the wrong place, or should I say pretend to try to put it in the wrong place...she will hold it there and look at me and say 'Here????' I know she is wanting an excited reaction from me.....

On the way to Walmart

Since my girls are coming today, we had to make a little fun to Walmart for a few things...well, we would have needed to go whether they were coming or not. I asked the Roger if he minded running through the strip pits on the way...even though it was snowing I was really hoping to see an eagle but no such luck. Not even a hawk was out today.

However, the the one pond we always stop at, I saw these swans. From a distance back I thought whoopee! Whooping Cranes...I mean I could tell they were standing and not sitting in the water. I just did not realize how shallow it was there...when we got close I could plainly see it was swans. Still a joy to see....
Then at the HUGE strip it, we have been seeing the above pair of water birds but they always take flight before I have a chance to snap a photo...however today I did get this one and one other fired off before they were out of the picture. I think it is a Goldeneye, but not sure...there are two types of those so whoever wants...chime in and tell me which one, or if it is something totally different because I just am not familiar with them.
This was taken after I left the strip pit area, I think it is the white fronted geese. They were flying around there...and if you enlarge it you will see that one is white....is it a snow goose? I have not had time to look any of these up on the web, and the girls will be here shortly so don't really have time now. Everyone be sure to check the comments because someone will probably identify these and I may not get a chance to edit this tonight...

It is snowing as I speak, but still not supposed to get any amount. Still it was pretty before darkness fell.

No sewing for me today....did manage to visit a few blogs. Part of the time now pictures don't want to load on this computer. I have been trying to narrow down my choice for a new laptop...and having a hard time in the matter. There is one I really want, but would have to wait for it to be on sale...plus it is not Energy Star rated so now I am not even sure I want it.

I have been using my little netbook just to browse with, but all my photos are on this one. So, I use it to blog with and a little bit of other stuff just when I want to pop on and check email. But for evenings sitting watching TV, I use the other.

Revisiting sunnier days....

I have been sitting looking back through my photos for something to post. I have not been on a good photo shoot in so long I wouldn't know how to act if I got to go. That being said, I came across this one below, and I have posted it before. Do you see anything funny about it?
Look at the bird in the middle on the little limb to the left....it looks as if its head is on backwards. I had not noticed that till tonight. It made me laugh out loud to see it. Okay...that had not been what I was looking for...though I didn't know just what I was looking for. I think maybe I was looking for memories.
Then I came across this...you can tell it is hot, but doesn't the tree just invite you to sit under it for a while. It would make such a wonderful tree to have for kids to climb on. If kids climb trees these days. I was still climbing trees in college, but I cannot say when I have seen a kid climb a tree. We always wanted to get up high till we could see farther.

Or I was always climbing a tree to see how many eggs were in a bird nest...and I had been told if I breathed on the eggs that the mom would not come back to them, so I always got up there and held my breath while I looked.

And there were these young trees we used to climb to the top and get them to swaying till they would bend over low enough for us to drop from...not birches. They were in the the cedar thicket so I think it might have been young spindly cedar trees or something that would grow with them...and not much grows with them.
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Did not do any sewing today thought I did trim my blocks till they were square. Just the tiniest bit was all it took. Lorelei and her mommy are coming tomorrow evening, and spending the weekend with us if all goes well. So going to wait till next week to start the final stage getting the blocks sewn together. It will be at least an afternoon of sewing if not more, providing I don't make any major mistakes.

A little bit of wildlife....

I ran through the strip pits again last night...I saw only a couple pheasants....above is a picture of one of them.
And I know this is dark, but it is a hawk. I saw I don't know how many hawks...and I don't know why butt they all seem dark. Even the most of the Northern Harriers...and there is no mistaking the way they fly or their white rump patch. But I have seen the fellow above fairly often and he is always on the dark side.
I only saw these two deer out there....I don't know what scared them, but I had seen them start their run from a ways off. I thought they would run a few feet and stop, but eventually here they came through the weeds and crossed in front of me. They went on to the top of the hill, and looked back from the direction they came...so I wondered would coyotes gang up on them? I definitely got the feeling something was after them....
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I finally finished my quilt blocks last night, but have yet to bring them up to arrange their layout. For some reason I dread doing that. Seems like even when I do it, once I get them sewn together, I always see two that should be separated. Oh, well, the top at least is one step closer to being done.

It is another dark and dreary day, and a little bit cooler than it was, though it is still not bad for February.

Is spring on the way.......

I am slowing getting back to normal, I told Roger today I felt like myself for the first time in what feels like ages. Every evening, I have been watching the sunset and thinking how wonderful it would be to drive through the strip pits so tonight I was able to act upon the thought. The first thing I noticed was that the red-winged blackbirds were back...not in great number but several here and there.

My first photo opportunity was this short-eared owl....I spied him on the ground first. Normally the first thing I do when I turn into the strip pits is to get my camera out and set to take pictures. Tonight I was just so glad to be out that I didn't even think about it. So, by the time I got it out and the iso set to 1600, and got out of the vehicle...I only snapped one on the ground plus a few of him in the air....this very first one being the best.

Then on down at the main pond we see stuff at, I saw these three sandhill cranes...at least I am pretty sure that is what they were. They down close to the far end, and it being late, I did not get a great shot....but when I enlarge the original shots, I am pretty sure that is what they are.

Other than the red-wings, the single owl, the sandhill cranes, and a few waterbirds, I saw at least 18 deer. All too far away for a decent shot with it getting as late as it was.

You see, I had been sewing and lost track of time. So I got out there later than I had meant to. but it feels so wonderful to be feeling better....and to just be able to sleep. And every time I am sick, I cannot help but think about people that have major illnesses to contend with every day of their life and here I whine about losing a few nights sleep, and and feel bad for a few days.

From my yard--today...

This was taken this evening...in my front yard!!! Can you believe that--on the 1st of February? I knew it had been warm, and that the days are getting longer, and we have had sunshine for a couple days in a row...but I was still surprised to see this. It was the only one of its kind that I saw, and I did look for more. I did see an iris bud...but it is real close to the house. I hope no more pop up.
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The kids came down and spent Friday night, then Saturday after they went home I started feeling like I was getting sick...and did. Sore throat, stuffy nose, all those lovely symptoms. Sunday was the only day where I didn't know if I was going to live or not...haha....you know how you feel that first day? Not really that bad, but still not fun.

Each day since, I get up feeling kind bad, but feel pretty good by evening. I actually got dressed and was out and about a little bit today. And even came home and sewed. The first time I have touched my machine in almost a week.

Anyway, that is why I haven't been blogging...still weary and starting 'the cough' now. Everyone we talk to has either had it or knows someone that has had it, so I know I am not the only one.

Not sure when I will be back to blogging regularly, but hopefully soon.