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!

Lakeside!

Lobby
Staircase

Our Room

Arrived in Lakeside about noon on Thursday. Time for the Midwest Birding Symposium 2011 at last! This time we are staying at the Hotel Lakeside, built in 1873. It was very windy and the lake was choppy and rough, but the boat cruise went on this evening.

On the way here we stopped at East Harbor State Park, and saw two unfamiliar gulls. Looked them up- greater black-backed gull and Bonapartes gull-two new birds for us!

Vacation

Wednesday evening we stayed in Port Clinton, Ohio. This is the view from our motel windows.

Started off Tuesday to drive to Shipshewana, IN; but the car broke down on the way about 30 miles west of South Bend. So we spent the afternoon in a repair shop there. It was a nice one though, with a waiting room and a beautiful ladies room! Made it to Shipshewana that evening, found our hotel, ate supper and slept. Wed. morning we went shopping - I got to go to Lolly's quilt shop (woo hoo!) We had a nice lunch, then on to Port Clinton. Took the Jet Express to Put-In-Bay - saw a bald eagle flying low right over us just as we were pulling out of the harbor; also cormorants, gulls of course and a bird I couldn't identify- it put me in mind of a pelican- will check the guide to see if I can figure it out. Had a good supper and walked around Put-In Bay. It was raining a little as we got off the boat back in Port Clinton. It was very windy during the night, but the clouds were breaking up and the moon was still out in morning.

Chrissy

Chrissy is on the left on top.

We went to a scrimmage game at Millikin to see her cheering for the first time.

Empty Nest

I hadn't seen or heard the parents this morning, so I went out to look in the nest and the babies have fledged! I had hoped to see them learning to fly, but they must have taken right off while I wasn't there to see. No evidence of foul play; the nest is intact and empty. It's pretty quiet in the yard now.

Babies

The eggs have hatched. As I was sewing, I watched the adults going to the nest with bugs in their beaks. When I went out and peeked into the nest I saw little baby birds.

Expecting

Four eggs are in the nest.

Carolina Wren Nest

The other day as I was at my sewing machine, a Carolina wren pair were singing loudly right outside the window. I watched as they built this nest in a hanging flower basket. Today, I went out to check the nest because it had been so quiet, and was surprised when the female flew out.

I quickly took photos and went back inside. A few minutes later she returned.
It will be fun watching this new family.

As you can see the deer (or rabbits or both) are munching on my hosta, leaving bare stems sticking up. In the past I've put netting over my plants but birds get caught in it, so that was nixed. We have some repellant spray but apparently that wears off too soon. Next I plan to try fishing line and soap.

Birthday Girls

Jenny and Chrissy's birthday was on Sunday, I took them to lunch on Thursday. Chrissy had big news - she made the cheerleading team at Millikin U. for next year! Looks like I will be going to some sporting events.
We've had some beautiful weather, in between the rain. Cooler, and the cicadas seems to a little quieter. Lovely evenings with the full moon this week.