Monday, May 14, 2007

Lovin' IT !

How do you do?!? Sure enjoying this weather we have been getting lately, at least I have. The wind is shaking things up today and sounds like maybe tomorrow as well. Let me list all the nature that has made it's appearance in the last 4 weeks. Migratory birds - Turkey Vultures, Ruby-Throated Hummingbirds, Orioles,Wood Ducks , Killdeer, Mourning Dove, Red-Headed Woodpecker, Northern Flicker, Eastern Kingbird, Eastern Bluebird, Wood Thrush and more. The timber has come to life again the trees are filling out with the leaf covering of the season. Last Wednesday,May 9th, I saw my first Monarch Butterfly of the year. All these things confirm Spring has sprung here. Some other events we have had are the awakening of the mosquito population, spiders, rabbits are busy chewing off my tender plants that haven't found a place in the ground yet. The plants were placed inside my fenced garden; still not a deterrent to those lithe little creatures. My 1996, Belarus model 572 tractor has been keeping busy moving some logs, dirt and rocks. So much more to do but with the price of diesel currently it might be awhile before anything else will be attempted. The DR Brushmower that has been apart of our family since the latter 1990's, almost ten years if memory serves me correctly, has been getting a workout after it's refreshing oil change. The pasture calls...actually mowing off the rosebrush before the summer baling season about the middle of June is what needs to be accomplished. Then down at my husband's grass airplane runway so we can keep it under control... Clouds are coming in from the developing severe thunderstorms due later tonight. The cold front is going to bring us some cooler temperatures for a few days; more conducive to being outside for longer intervals. Going to stop here. Wishin' you some good weather fishing , picnicing and enjoying life.

Monday, April 16, 2007

Can I say "Is it Spring yet?"

Are you still recovering from the latest round of winter\spring weather? Monday evening, April 9th, I had a group of the local deer population visit my backyard while some of the local neighbor ladies were here for a visit. They marveled at how close they, the deer, had come to the house. Things I take for granted. All the deer, young and old, need a good dose of the fresh spring green grasses that will boost their nitrogen. The winter has put a strain on food sources; weight loss is evident. Wednesday, April 11th, Iowa was among several states getting another covering of snow. Maybe not the higher amounts seen in Minnesota eastward; still enough to cover the ground with several inches in the central section to 5" and above up at our northern border. Before going to bed Wednesday night, we checked out the shadows lurking outside our sliding glass doors, several deer were scratching away the snow in my flowerbed. The daffodils are missing top foliage which had been damaged by lower than normal temperatures. Glad somebody was able to enjoy them -- one way or another ; ) Thursday, April 12th, snapped a picture of our melting snow with animal tracks before they disappeared with rising temperatures. The sun came out from behind the clouds... The sun promises to warm up this little section of Iowa today. I know it will work on doing the same for you. Later!