Daily Archives: September 30, 2018

Sep302018

Pining Away

Technically I can claim I am sticking with a theme of light to close out this month’s posts.  The last post was about a structure made for light, this post is about a bird taken with too much light.  It’s a stretch, but the best I can come up with knowing that I am officially 68 minutes from blowing a blogging streak I’ve been committed to hitting for a long long long long time.  That is why I am spending time working on this rather than trying to figure out a way to make up for not being prepared for my wife’s birthday which is in …wait for it … now 65 minutes from now.  With all the sleepless nights focused on the trail, traveling to races and trying my best to get our new well up and running, I have not had time to address her special day.  I even missed our dating anniversary this year and I never forget that.  To my credit, I did manage to arrange to get a combined birthday cake for Ron and Linda at our party without either of them knowing.  That make a +1 for Ron and Linda on the year calendar – tonight’s featured subject is another +1 on my birding check list.

Pine Warbler shot in Texas December 2016

Hit the jump to find out what bird this is and see another equally bad shot.

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Sep302018

Light Thy Way

After 8 hours of non-stop work, I can officially say the haunted trail is officially tore down!  It is going to be a few more days before all the batteries are removed and the decorations get stored away until next year.  The primary reason for the delay is everything has to dry out thanks to a heavy rain that started just as the party was breaking up.  We headed down for the official lighting of the flaming pumpkin and it started to sprinkle.  The tree canopy shielded the trail from the light rain, but by the time we made it back to the house it was a full on downpour for most of the remaining night.  By the way,  it isn’t a Midwest Halloween until a carved pumpkin full of Kerosene is sending 4 foot flames out the top!  Seems like a fitting time to feature another form of bright light.

Lighthouse at ?? Minnesota shot in July 2017

I am guessing one of my followers already recognized this particular lighthouse.  For those of you not familiar with it, this is the Split Rock Lighthouse.  We discovered it on our Waterfall hunting vacation along the coast of Minnesota back in July 2017.  Ironically, if I recall correctly, it was raining a lot that week as well.  Seems to be a lot of water related events seeing as we just drilled a new well a few weeks ago.  Anyway, my wife is the big waterfall photographer and planned our trip up the coast in an attempt to get some in the tin to add to her portfolio.  Think I mentioned this before, but she is a big photographer as well.  While I focus on feathers and fur, she prefers landscapes and dog agility/portraits. Every once in a while she will encroach into my domain (pretty sure she does it just to bug me).  Two can play that game hehehe.

LL

Hit the jump to read a bit more about our lighthouse adventure.

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Sep302018

Something Fury Comes This Way

That loud collective sigh of relieve you just heard was a result of finally getting through all the hard work that goes into putting on our annual Halloween party.  Probably logged less than 8 hours of sleep during the last three days.  Thanks for both my brothers and numerous friends from work .. .and of course Linda, we managed to get it all pulled together in the nick of time.  Once again, I broke my promise to Linda and failed to get everything set up on the haunted trail before guests started arriving.  Luckily everyone chipped in to finish getting all the batteries loaded and a few tweaks to the linkages on some of this year’s new creations.  Everything went well until the last guests departed and then the skies let loose with a steady shower for the rest of the night.  Will take some time getting everything dried out and stored away for next year.  With the party worry over, I can focus on the next crisis…

Squirrels in Kentucky April 2015

pissed off squirrels!!  No, just kidding, Squirrels are too cute to be pissed off.  Honestly, have you ever seen an angry Squirrel?  Every time I see them they are busy chasing each other around the backyard or wandering around digging holes in random spots trying to remember where they left their prize nut.  My pressing crisis is the fact it is the end of the month (Ron’s birthday as a matter of fact) and I’m short on my personal blogging quota.  That is why I’m at the keyboard at the moment and not dreaming about sugarplum fairies or next year’s Halloween props.

Squirrels at Starved Rock May 2015

As a change of pace, thought it would be fun to feature something with fur instead of feathers. These first shot comes to you courtesy of a birding trip to Kentucky back in April 2015. Unfortunately, I am not up on all my Squirrel species. Thanks to growing up in the Heart of Illinois, I spent much of my years up until college thinking there was just one type of Squirrel. That would be the Eastern Grey Squirrel.  When I started branching out into the world, I noticed there are actually more than one species, yet all cute as can be.  The shot above came from Starved Rock and based on my untrained eye, looks to be the same Eastern Gray variety.

Hit he jump to see a couple more varieties captured on our birding escapades.

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