A Blessing of Bats

At UUWC Retreat this weekend. A lovely evening on Friday, a group of us went outside onto the deck to drum. Judging from my experience at home lately I expected to be driven back inside after a short time by mosquitos. There were mosquitos around, but in short order there appeared a group of several bats swooping over and around us. We drummed and talked into the night without being eaten alive. Thank you bats. I am imagining the bats being grateful to us for being the bait for their dinner!

After the Storm

We walked to the pond this morning and saw that a large tree was blown over into the pond during the wind storm last weekend. A red eared slider turtle was sunning itself on a branch of the tree just above the water.

The tree with the "Scream" on it's trunk was broken off.

The wild iris are blooming at the edge of the water.

The cottonwood fluff is flying and caught on the dead leaves of this sapling, looking like giant cotton bolls.

Irises in May

Wow, my iris have bloomed in all their glory this year!

Garden at beginning of June 2013

I made a "mini" vegetable garden in my front flower bed - it's the only place on the property with full sun. Planted Sun Gold tomatoes, Sweet 100 cherry tomatoes, and red, green and yellow bell peppers; and some Orange Talisan marigolds.

The pinks are blooming.

 

 

A curry plant, geraniums and rosemary on the front stoop.

 

My fairy garden with coral bells.

Graduations

 

Alyssa graduated from Argenta-Oreana High School.

 Alyssa with her Mom and Dad (my Jason).

Nick graduated from Argenta-Oreana Junior High School, with his Dad.

 

So hard to believe my grandkids are growing up so fast!

Happy May Day

 One of my tulips, the first year they haven't been eaten by deer.

 The pond is full of water this spring, it has been completely dry for at least a year. We saw a red headed woodpecker this morning! There used to be quite a few down by the river in years past, but for the past couple of years we haven't seen any. Probably displaced by the &*#+ starlings.

 A box turtle on the path, she hid into her shell when we got close.

A bouquet for May Day/Beltane on the deck. I put out the hummingbird feeders awaiting the first arrivals. The weather today was perfect -  80 degrees and sun - a great beginning for the "lusty" month of May.

Finished Quilts So Far in 2013

"Mother's Gift" (won 1st place in Lap Quilt category at Decatur QuiltFest)

"Big Bang" (won 3rd place in wall quilt category at Decatur QuiltFest)

"Petals" (guild's paint chip challenge)

    

For more information about my quilts see my quilting journal blog Quilts Eventually.

Beautiful Fall (a post from October 2011)

Oh how I love October. Warm sunny days, trees getting color, and cool nights. The moon is waxing, heading for full next week. We have paid our dues for this during the horrendously hot miserable summer. We've had some rain in the past couple of weeks.

I've read The Big Year, and looking forward to the movie that will be here at the Avon Theater next Friday. Although, I understand the movie is a lot different than the book. We heard Greg Miller speak at MBS and he indicated as much. Looks fun though.

Picked up our last CSA share for the season this afternoon. Will miss those fresh vegetables. We got some big green tomatoes for (what else?) fried green tomatoes.

September 26 was the last day that I saw a hummingbird at our feeder - they say to leave the feeder up through October, in case there are migrants coming through.

Autumn is here - Hooray (from Sept. 2011)

Had an awesome birthday. T and I saw a hawk migration while walking by the prairie, and they were flying right over our house. They were broad-winged hawks, three kettles - there must have been 2 0r 3 hundred. Wow!, what a wonderful birthday gift.

New Yard Bird (a day in April 2012)

(Another unpublished post - this one from April of 2012. Guess I was waiting for the photo Terry got, if I find it I will add it.)

And it's a good one. Pileated Woodpecker!!!!! Saw it yesterday big as life on a hickory tree in the backyard.

A beautiful couple of days, saw a snake sunning on a rock in the creek.

Finished "The Hunger Games" and started Carole King's memoirs.

Worked in backyard, T helped set up the hammock, the bird bath and the wren house. Weeded yesterday, lots of that darn Japanese honeysuckle. Got some poison ivy too, but I showered with p.ivy soap as soon as I came in house after throwing clothes in the washer. So far, so good.

Visited Dad on Sunday, he's doing so much better than last week.

MBS Day 2 from 2011

Terry petting Chet Baker (Julie Zickefoose's Boston Terrier, who now has his own Facebook page).

Me and T outside Hoover Auditorium

T with his just purchased spotting scope

Birding with Al Batt, David Bird, etc. Saw lots of warblers that morning.

Found some unpublished posts from when I took a "leave of absence" from this blog. These photos were taken at Midwest Birding Symposium at Lakeside, Ohio in September of 2011. Terry and I are registering for the 2013 symposium today!

Spring Snow Surprise 2013

THIRTEEN INCHES OF SNOW on March 24, 2013! Thankfully it came the day after quilt show! There was a class for members on Sunday - I had signed up for it and didn't want to miss it, but wow it was a trip getting downtown and back!