Can't believe it

I can't believe Merle Haggard passed away today...actually, it was yesterday.  It is past midnight as I type this.  I just have to put a few of my favorite songs from his early years here.



I'm A Lonesome Fugitive was the first song of his that I loved.  I was around 10 or 11....at the time.  I liked the regular 'rock' or pop songs then, but I LOVED Merle's songs.



There was Pride in What I Am...also on that album was also one of my very favorites of his:



I don't think it was ever a hit, but I still love it as much today as I did back then.

Just a couple more....




I have to include Pancho and Lefty....Merle and Willie.  I have never been a great fan of Willie but I do love this one! 



   

Digging through the archives...

The other day when we went to Rockville, I had Roger take the back roads in hopes that these guys would be down by the road...

I could not even say for sure if they were there or not.  But they are friendlies...this was taken in April of 2011 and we were by a couple or three days later, and they were up close to the fence.  And were glad for a pet.

I would have loved for Lorelei to get to pet these soft noses.  If I remember correctly, they were interested in companionship and a nice rub, rather than wanting a treat.  Though if I went back and knew for sure I was heading that way, I would love to have a snack of some kind to take.

From the Heron Viewing Station

This pair of geese were the first to greet us at the Heron County Park...north of Danville, Illinois.

Next we spotted this pair.  They were quite a distance away.

The photos are a bit bleary.

We had to use the binoculars and spotting scope to identify them.   I took these with my little Canon SX700 HS at full zoom.  Before I could put it away and get my other camera situated, they took off, and one came right over us and tried to nab something from the water  maybe a hundred yards from us.  I couldn't believe it, couldn't react quick enough to get a picture.  There were ducks and geese there, but I somehow felt it was after fish.  And Lorelei got to see it all.

All the time we were seeing a heron or two fly in or leave, plus other waterbirds in the distance.

Finally, a heron close enough to get a half decent shot.

And Lorelei found this goose fascinating...I had to show her daddy a pic of it when he came to get her....