May 3, 2015 It's Too Hot Out There..........

It's a hot one out there today, relatively.  We have had a couple of days that hit 60-65 degrees.  However, it was 72 degrees, here in the valley, early on today.  It is just after 4:30 now and still 75.  Wow!  It's also windy so out there hiking around, one gets dry in a hurry today.  I am not complaining.......at least not yet.  Maybe things will start to green up around here.  I took this shot of the flowering willows yesterday.  I was surprised to see that still going on.  Pretty!

It's been a busy week.  I have made a lot of tracks.  Nice weather will do that!  Whether out hunting for sheds, of which I found one, or hiking with friends......it's been a fine week to do that sort of thing before the bugs come out......which we all know will happen this month.  This one was taken on Wednesday.  My sister-in-law and I decided to hike our dogs here, for a change of pace.  Then, on Thursday, our ladies' hiking group got together and hiked a number of rivers and checked the waterfalls.  That was a very enjoyable day also.  Nice scenery and good company always works!

This river was one I had never been to before.  This hole in the rock was rather interesting.  I have never seen anything quite like it.  I'm sure it probably started out as a kettle.....as there is one near it.  However, since there is a bottom to this rock, which is above the water.......I guess it wore through.  I thought this was one of my more interesting finds of the day.  One of the other rivers was really interesting also.  It had such a different rock makeup and structure than the others on the shore.  I will be going back there some time in the near future.

This one was taken on today's expedition.  The dogs had to cool off!  They were too warm, just like me.  We got down to the shore and the temperatures ranged from 49 to 53 degrees!  Quite a change from up here.  I expected it, luckily, and brought a jacket.  I hadn't expected it to be that drastic tho.  Anyway, we spent a while down there and quite enjoyed ourselves. 
I guess we will wait and see what the week brings!  Maybe........just maybe, it will be time to start working on gardening and vegetable beds so they are ready when the ground warms up. 
Have a good week!

April 26, 2015 Spring's a Tease..........as usual........

This, is a "leucistic" junco.  This means the bird has no pigment in its feathers.  An albino, has no pigment.  It has been hanging around for just over a week now.  There is a normal colored junco behind it.  Once, a number of years ago, I had a cowbird hanging around that had the same issue.  It is always interesting to see one of those variations in our wildlife.
It has been one of those teasers lately.  For a few days, we had sunshine and warm......65 degrees.  Wow, that was nice.  Then, this last week we dropped right back into getting some snow with lows as cool as 16 degrees and barely making 40 degrees during the day.  I guess we should not be surprised.  Usually, our Springs do tease a lot.  Except.......some years, like last year......Spring didn't want to come at all.

Anyway......we are having enough nice weather to bring all the little varmints, like the chipmunks, out to scrounge what it available.  Then, the other night......one of the big ones......a bear, showed up on the deck to remove a suet from its feeder and take down the big metal hanger that was attached to a deck railing.  I had been taking in all the other feeders because of the raccoon(s)......so, no damage there.  But, I hadn't seen any sign of the bears out and about yet so I hadn't started hauling the suet in at night yet.  Well.......there isn't a suet left to haul in now.  At least it didn't destroy my suet feeder for the "long tailed" woodpecker type birds.  That is a nice feeder.  Over the years, a lot of feeders have bit the dust because of bears.  Keeps the bird feeder people in business.......I guess.

We also had enough rain to bring the creeks and rivers up.  I had fun doing some sort of abstract styles of photography with the running water.  I feel a need to get something a little different once in a while. 

Here is another, sort of unusual view of a lot of current running in a river.  Our photo group had as a subject this week....."Abstract water".......so, I was trying my best.  I did enter this vertical shot.  I also had another rather interesting shot I took of water and sun shining in a shallow creek and it looked like liquid gold.  I really liked that one. 
Speaking of photos.......I try to get out regularly and find something.  Since I don't use  Photoshop or Lightroom, my photos may not always be as "pretty" as some of the very serious pros out there.  However, I still find some pleasure in keeping them real.  Nature is quite beautiful all on its own without using the programs to pretty them up to the point of being totally unrealistic at all.  I   admit, there are times I wouldn't mind learning how to use lightroom.  Sometimes, you are at an item of interest and the light just isn't right and you just can't pull it off......been there, done that.  With one of them......you could save the day...........if you know how.   Maybe someday!  Never say never, I guess.

I will leave you with a shot of Betsy, by a reflecting pool, on the shore of Lake Superior......I took on  Friday.  She is growing to be quite a model dog and pretty well behaved.  Anyway, both of my dogs like being the "star."  Toby actually gets pretty jealous if he isn't getting in all the shots.  So, I better not leave him out........

And.......here's Toby.  Both of the shots with the dogs in, at these various reflecting pools, were so much better than without them.  They were pretty.......but, just missing something. 
Have a fine week........all!

April 16, 2015 Rights, Privilege, or Hypocrisy........

Here's a shot of one of my favorite crooked trees on the shore of Lake Superior.  I have tried and tried to take a really nice photo of this tree for a long time.  It is just in a hard spot to get good light and a good angle both at the same time to show it off.  I think this works. 
However, I have had other things on my mind for a while......especially since the new ruling in Indiana.  I am having a hard time to know how to write it and not make everyone mad.  But, on the other hand, I think there are some subjects here that need to be discussed with open minds.
If you hadn't figured it out......it has to do with the gay/lesbian issue.  I know a good many of them and would call many friend besides ~ both men and women.  I understand a lot of the issues.  I'm sure I probably don't understand a good many either.......but, short of having a serious sit down with some of them and calmly discussing some of the issues.......well, they may never get resolved.  Judging by some of the letters to the editor I have been seeing in papers lately, I am not the only one bothered by some of the issues either.

One of the issues that bothers me the most since gays have been given the privilege of getting married.......is, now that they can.......a few seem to think they can make everyone accept it as ok.  Well, not everyone does think it is ok and some are never going to agree on that one.  I fully understand a committed couple wanting "rights" in as far as owning things together, death benefits, visitation rights at hospitals when one is ill.......I could go on ~ but, I think you get the idea.  A good many people, and I would include myself here......grew up thinking that being gay isn't something to be proud of and church told you it was wrong.  Well, some people who have been brought up this way are never going to accept that marriage is anything but between a man and a woman because of this.  This isn't just a  United States thing!  You don't just take a lifetime of how you have been brought up and say "OH, it's ok now" because a judge said so.
Another part of this issue is, a good many people have learned to accept the gays living together as couples and are ok to let that be.  It's their life in their home and leave it alone.  They would even go as far as saying they could have a civil ceremony that gives them the rights to all the benefits of married couples, legally.  However, they still aren't ready to agree to gay marriage.
Ok, so my point here is.........now that they can get married.........everyone is supposed to accept that.    Ok.  But, while accepting that they now have this right......does that give them the right to go to a caterer, or a flower shop owner......or whatever........and want their service and if they refuse......to sue them right out of business?  Do you really think this is right?  It goes back to "rights" of people.  If you honestly think it is ok for the gays to do this to an individual because they won't bake them a "gay" wedding cake or whatever........well, this is out and out hypocrisy.  You can not make others accept you by bullying them into it.  It will not happen.  In the mean time, you are taking away someone's livelihood simply because they wouldn't serve you.  That should be their right.  If you want rights, don't take away other people's rights.  By doing that, you are doing nothing but making people who opposed the gay marriage thing in the first place more antagonistic.  Is that what we really want?  I don't think so.  Isn't it time to live and let live and be fair to all people about their rights?  There are other people out there to make that flower arrangement, bake that cake, cater that party, or take those photos.  Personally, I wouldn't want someone doing it for me...........that didn't really want to..........just so you can prove your point.
So, people, let's quit the hypocrisy.  We all deserve to be loved and respected.  So, no matter who you are and what the issue......let's try treating others as you wish to be treated. 

April 3, 2015 Some April's Fools going on..........

April greetings!  I took this yesterday when I was out and about with the dogs.  It was a pretty sky day and the weather was teasing us with promises of Spring.  It got to 55 degrees in my neck of the woods.  It was 50 degrees at noon when I was on the shore.  But.......tis the season, isn't it!  One day, it's a pretty sunny day with promises of real Spring.  Then, it's snowing an inch or three!  We have had a couple of snow days this week and Sunday was the first with 3" of the white stuff.  Then a day or two later we had over an inch again and the whole yard was white.  I was actually driving on snow packed roads again, up here.  The highway was wet and bare when I got down there. 

Then, since it has decided to maybe be winter again......a bunch of the deer came back.  That even includes some of the big bucks, yesterday.  I thought they were gone til next winter as they had been gone over a week.  Some of the deer had been gone over two weeks. A big doe and her soon to be 2 year old daughters were back this morning too.  They had been gone about 10 days.  So, the dispersed deer herd is mostly back.......with a few new ones.  This deer above, Miz Spectacles, saw me walking around the yard and had to see what I was up to.  You see parts of her two girl fawns here too.  She stays around all year.....for several now.  She lives across the road but she comes to visit quite frequently.  I love those big eye rings she has.  She is a very striking deer.  Now, this morning.....there are deer laying around the perimeter of the yard all over......because they can.  There is some bare grass and a bit of sun........so, life is good.

And then.......it is the season for the cluster flies to come out.  I vacuum and vacuum and there are still more of these darned pesky things in the windows or on the floor.  Sheesh......those things drive me stinkin' nuts!  Honestly.  They are so annoying.  Not to mention when one falls out of the air into one's coffee cup!  When we were first moving in to our home, it was a bad year.  I had EcoLab come and spray for the darned things.  I didn't appreciate not being able to see out of my windows for two weeks........but, I liked the no flies part.  Now, the past few summers, we have been sanding and refinishing the outside of the house so haven't been able to do that.  I have a hunch I am going to be calling them this year when the time comes they do that.  Plus, new puppy.....Betsy, thinks they are so interesting.  She gets up on the couch and tries to catch them in the window.  So, not only flies and fly spots but puppy noses all over the window!  Oh well........there could be worse things, I guess.

Speaking of puppy.......Betsy.......here she is, earlier this week.  She is getting that posing stuff down pretty good these days.  She is such a cheerful, happy dog.  Everything is fun!   So, you see, there is an upside to everything.  That is also a good thing because that is an extra set of puppy feet to carry in a lot of mud these days.  But, mud season too, will pass!

Here is Toby, out and about with me this week too.  He is getting old enough that now, anytime I stop to take photos, he stops and lays down to rest.  He doesn't want to miss any adventures.  But, he doesn't have the stamina anymore either.  He will be 12 years old in just over a month.  So, I am thankful for each day he's healthy and getting around. 
Some days........we just have to stop and count our blessings.  When we think about the good stuff.......the minor annoyances in life seem insignificant.

March 26 2015 Walking Through Life

I started with this photo, which is where I walked with my two dogs on Tuesday.  On Facebook, this came out so dark.  It is a bit dark here too.......but, this panoramic view looking down this shoreline was so pretty with the nice reflections this particular day, I had to do it.  You just never quite know how it will show up on various sites when you post, which is frustrating.

This is how it looked when I hit the shore on this particular day.  It had been showing off and on signs of clearing off.......but, just couldn't seem to quite manage.  But, the dogs and I needed our adventure for the day, so off we went.  We have had three pretty cold days in a row again, 0 degrees and two mornings of 8 degrees, in a row.  So, ice has been forming on Lake Superior once more.  There was just enough gusty east wind to break it up on this morning and blow it in to shore and pile it up.

We headed off the beach to a little trail out to the point.  I had just started down the trail when two eagles started chirping up in the tall spruces here.  The trail is very narrow, not much more than a game trail these days.  So, a clear shot of them in the trees was pretty much not going to happen.........and didn't.  I saw them both fly and never saw them again.  This was one of the surprises, under the spruce and balsam trees, on the way out there.  It is always fun to see things start to appear out of the snow in the spring.  One never knows what one might discover on any given day........while walking along a trail or beach.  I found something else along the top of the beach.......that had to make one wonder what was going on!  Especially.......given the fact that I periodically go to this area and had not previously seen it there.   But......I will just have to wonder about that one, I guess.  It might not even be interesting......if one knew the "whole" story.   But.....I don't.  Have I got you wondering yet.....what I discovered!?

Back to the shoreline and some sunshine......trying so hard to get out from under those clouds!  It is starting to look like a beautiful day is going to happen.  But, you know.......I have walked a lot.......all my life.  I have thrown in some biking and skiing and snowshoeing.......well, you get the idea.......too!  But, any time of the year, and any place.......one can walk.  It is so healthy and good for you.  Plus, the dogs have always needed to have something to do too.  Walking the same old, same old.......every day, day in and day out, can get old.  But, that works too!  As for the dogs.......they enjoy seeing/smelling what happened since yesterday.  But, they also can get bored with doing the exact same thing.  So, this is a good thing for both of us to keep us inspired and healthy.  It is also rather interesting to see what a different day and weather can do for a photo. 

Of all the times I have been here......I think this is the first time I ever got any reflection in the water of this little point with its single tree.  That poor little tree takes quite a beating each year.

Now, the sun is out and it is really turning into a pretty day.  Just in time too.......as I came to the point with one of my favorite views of that little island.  Plus, the beautiful lichens are melting out of the snow now.  I was quite surprised to see a little arched ice bridge still  in place between the island and the cliffs here.  It was quite pretty but.........pretty much in the shade. 

Since I haven't shown him for a while, here's my inspiration each day.....Toby.  He is such a wonderful dog and has walked so many miles with me and the camera over the years.  He will be 12 years old in May.  He really loves all his adventures through life.  It is nice to enjoy simple pleasures.

And..........here's puppy!  Betsy is learning all about the walks and adventures and is thoroughly enjoying life these days.  She is learning all about putting on the clothes and grabbing the camera and off we go too.  This was her first time out on this cliff......so, she's enjoying exploring.  She will be one year old the end of May.  I suspect we are going to walk a good many miles together also.  There is just so much to see as we walk through life.  We have to make the most of it.  :)

Here we are........back to where we started.  Sometimes, it isn't only "what a difference a day can make!"

March 20, 2015 Spring!?

This is pretty recent.  But, that is all gone now.  When this particular spot first piled up, I thought we would have it until June.  But, wind and waves can make short work of the biggest ice piles if the wind direction is right.  We didn't have the interesting ice of last winter............but, then that isn't all bad.  Maybe winter won't last until June this year either!

Here is a shot from that same period of time.  The ice was still on Lake Superior and I always enjoy hiking on the lake ice when it's in!  I also enjoy finding "things" in the ice.  I call this my "ice cobra."  I thought this was very cool coming out of a snow drift.

Here is one more shot from a recent hike on the lake.  I had planned to get this written up when I took them but things kept getting in the way.  It was a gorgeous day, for sure.

Now, here is that same general area yesterday.  The ladies snowshoe/hiking group did this area.  We were minus a few because they were on vacation.  But, we had a wonderful time.  The wind wasn't blowing, for a change.  When Lake Superior is this calm.......without even a ripple, it's a wonderful day.  That doesn't happen very often.  The day was gray and stormy looking tho.  The sun tried its darnedest to come out, but.......never quite made it.  After I had been home an hour or so, it snowed like a sonofagun!

Nothing but peace and contentment, right!  It really was a pretty day to be out......no matter how gray it was.  There is just something about being out hiking on those quiet, peaceful days that makes one feel good.  It seems they are fewer and farther between all the time.  I swear, it really never used to be so darned windy all the time up here.  I guess that makes me enjoy that sort of day all the more.  You notice Betsy there, in the corner of the bay........well, she is starting to think Spring too......and play in the water........and the mud.........  Oh, the things she has to discover this year.  She will be one year old the end of May. 
Then, there are other days........that start out so peaceful..........and then, you get a rude awakening!  This morning was one of those.  It was mostly gray.  No wind.  The dogs and I headed out on a deer trail west of the house heading toward the big hill to the north of us.  The snow is hard these days, in the early morning, so we can walk right on top.  That means easy going for even older, stiff dogs, like Toby.  We had just really gotten going up the old field when the wolves let loose with their howls right on the east side of the house.  I'm not so sure they weren't over on the edge of the clearing there!  Loud!  That was one of those holy #*@% moments......I will tell you right now.  I, as most of you know, have been plenty close to more than enough wolves......too many times to count, with and without dogs.  But, I have never had them that close when they let loose with the howls when I didn't know they were around.  It took about two seconds to decide the dogs were going back to the house as fast as I could get them there.  That was way to many wolves for comfort when I didn't know which way they were going.  I got them back and Toby in.  Then, Betsy and I went back out......on the county road, to continue our walk as she hadn't done her business yet.  I wanted to be able to see what was going on where.  Anyway........Betsy and I continued, uninterrupted, the rest of our morning excursion.  Needless to say, none of our "deer friends" came around for breakfast this morning.  They know when to make themselves scarce. 
I imagine that there will be a few more of those kind of mornings to be had before Spring really arrives in the valley.  Quite a number of the deer have been dispersing lately to parts unknown where they spend most of their year.  I was up the hill a couple of days ago when it was cold enough to walk wherever even later in the day.  When I hit a spot in the full sun, I went to bottom...........but.....I never went more than knee deep.  For mid-March, that isn't bad.  Wolves, like many things......are opportunistic.  Hard snow means easy going and an easier meal.  So, I guess I will be on my guard for the next few weeks. 

Here's one more peaceful shot from earlier this week when I was hiking on another beach with the dogs.  The beach stones sparkling in the water were so pretty on this bright sunny day!  I had to take it. 
Spring is springing.........enjoy!

March 3, 2015 Just when you thought it was safe............

I took this photo, yesterday morning, of my yard critters sharing.  It was such a nice, peaceful scene.....had to do it.  Wouldn't it be nice if everybody could share!  However, I am still always amazed that more of the squirrels don't get stepped on.  With all my watching, I have only seen one squirrel get its tail stepped on by a deer.  Believe me, that squirrel got frantic and it wasn't going anywhere for a few seconds.....until that deer moved.
I do enjoy all my critters .........
However.........last night, 5:30, it was time to start on final prep for our evening meal.  Just before I do that, I go down in the basement and take Toby out that door and around the house we go for a walkabout before supper time so he can do his business.  He likes to sleep in the basement where it is cooler and does it a lot.  It is easier on him, in his older age, to go out the basement and come in on top.  I was just off the northwest corner of the house with him trailing along behind me......on our way to the windbreak on the north side of the house for a loop thru........when I saw a timber wolf by the compost bin!!!  Let me tell you, I and Toby did an about face mighty fast with him wondering what the heck!  I hadn't seen sign of one in almost 2 months up here.  So, to have one standing that close to the house and maybe 20 yards from me was a bit disconcerting.  I had actually just been looking around before I took him out as something had scared the deer and they had run east and south and were standing around the perimeters keeping watch.  But, they hadn't come back into the feeding area.  They had done so about 4:45 too.  But, I just took a quick look around and didn't see anything.  That is the time the bus brings the school kids home and they sometimes do a lot of hooting and yelling when they get home.  Wolf howls out of the kids aren't uncommon.  They're little.  What do they know.  With feeding the deer there too......you would think they might get a clue.
Anyway, the wolf made its way off, probably the same way it came in....probably on my ski trail.  With more snow all the time and the wolves running on the ice........I just hadn't expected to see it there........out of the blue, with no warning.  I don't know why.  Since we had been having this "discussion" with the wolves about what belonged to who and what space belonged to who.....I was kind of thinking it was settled.  They had been staying away.  I guess it shows you should never let your guard down where they are concerned.
Won't happen again.......

Just recently, or snowshoe group got together, as we do once a month, and went snowshoeing.  We had a wonderful day doing that and Betsy got to have some social time with other people.  This was good!  She had as much fun as the rest of us.  Then, off to the store for coffee! ......and more socializing.  :)

Here is a picture of Betsy, yesterday, out enjoying the ice pilings on Lake Superior.  Toby, Betsy and I spent over 2 hours on the shore and ice yesterday.  It was a beautiful day and so was the ice.  The wind was a bit stiff........but, the sun makes all the difference.  We never know how long we have to enjoy that ice.......so, we do so while the going is good.

Here is a shot from a different bay a few days earlier.  You can see Toby and Betsy are having a great time.  For an older dog.....nothing like a bit of hard snow on the ice for good footing and easy traveling.  It's always enjoyable to be out with the dogs.
This day, I had taken photos of the very fresh wolf tracks on the ice when I was out there.  Shortly after I got back and dogs loaded and left........two wolves came by following our trail.  Nice feeling.  I often wonder, for all the wolves I do see, how many I don't!

Since we ended up with dogs as much as wolves, I will end with one of Betsy at sundown.  I am in an icicle cave, looking out.  Toby was laying on the rocks on shore.  It was another one of those beautiful days with a gorgeous ending.
Since I always do things with my faithful companions along......I have to always be vigilant.  The wolves and I have quite this relationship.   Love to look at them......don't mind seeing them......in someplace besides my yard.  I have never done anything to make them feel welcome there as they don't intend to peacefully share anything with anyone else.  So it goes.  Some days are like that!