Seven and Eight

I've never done an Enneagram, but it looks like I've finally hit the year that fits how mine would probably turn out. Sevens and Eights are highly self-assertive, independent, and strong willed. Both types also resist being controlled or limited by authorities. Ha!

The day began by enjoying the soft air coming in through the open deck door, now that I have the screen fixed. The turkeys were gobbbling!

And a number of other birds were calling too. I got the Merlin app to work and it said Field Sparrow, Catbird, Cowbird, and... Brown Thrasher! I haven't seen one yet this year, but I almost always have them around the house. Here is a picture of one from 2010.

I will get to do fun things another day, but I didn't work too hard today. One order of items came for Confidence Camp, so I checked those items in and started the next order.

I worked on some of the never-ending projects, and did some more prep for Confidence Camp. Both the custom patches and bandanas are now ordered. Maybe I'll show you another day.

I'm glad I showed you the white grape hyacinths because something ate them last night :/ But here is the rock garden on my birthday which looks about the same as last year. But that's fine. There are several more things starting to bloom.

I fixed the fence on the front garden yesterday. Guess I should have gotten the rock garden done too! Here is the front garden looking so much cleaner than any of the recent springs. Here is the west end.

Then I sort of goofed off. It wasn't a personal requirement for me to watch this movie before Confidence Camp. I sure hope no one will be faced with this kind of decision, but I watched "127 Hours," about the young man who got his arm caught under a rock in a slot canyon and finally cut it off to save his life. Recommended if you want some heavy drama, but it's pretty realistic. I also own the book, but haven't talked myself into reading it yet. Somehow the movie seemed less gruesome. Won't know if that's valid until I do read the book.

It rained on and off. The world is fresh and green. Thanks to so many for all the birthday wishes on Facebook. Here I go into the next year...

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Sterling Marsh Shenanigans

This morning, I went out to Sterling Marsh on the North Country Trail. The marsh is up to some serious trickery! There is no water in it at all. That mud strip you can see is usually open water, and often, the water comes to the edge of the snow in this picture! Not that I get there EVERY fall, but I think I've only seen it dry one other time.

They have had a little more snow than at my house, covering the boardwalks. The oak leaves made a lovely mosaic.

Was I there just to take a hike? No. The NCTA is capitalizing on my recent hike of the whole trail to hopefully boost year-end giving. So I was there with Paul Kogelschatz, the Fund Raising Coordinator, to shoot some video.

They have also asked me to do a Zoom meeting on Nov 28, Giving Tuesday. Stay tuned for how to get in on that chat time if you are interested.

The rest of the shenanigans were provided by a flock of turkeys who couldn't decide whether to cross the road.

Actually, they had decided to cross the road, but couldn't decide which side they wanted to be on. Result- the were crossing and re-crossing the road both when I went to Sterling Marsh, and when I came home. But no turkeys were harmed in the snapping of these pictures.

I took myself out to lunch at the Cardinal Restaurant in Custer. It looks like that's a business that might survive at that location. I'm glad. The tiny towns need all the help they can get. The next one east, Walhalla, has a huge new building. I'm not sure what that is going to be, but it has tall garage doors, so perhaps some kind of service place. It will join the Post Office, a Dollar General, a bar, and a shed sales place as the town's businesses. OK, I guess there's a plumber there too.

I edited in the afternoon.

North Country Trail, Jenks Rd to Sterling Marsh and back, 3 miles

See Living the Dream

Crash

 
After a really productive morning (I finished chapter 16 of North Country Quest), I could not make myself do anything all afternoon, so I guess it evens out. Spring continues to cheer me, although I guess we are returning to gray tomorrow. The forsythia is blooming and the sky was mostly blue. Can't beat that!



Clothes on the line. One of my favorite things, as you know.



And a big tom in my backyard with a harem of three. He spread his tail, but I could not get to the camera in time to catch it.



Tomorrow, I can't goof off. I have to get all these presentation projects finished up in the next couple of days. Hopefully, tonight I will sleep well, which did not happen last night and led to the crash today.

	See Springy
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Wildlife of the Day

 
Some nice wildlife encounters today, although the best one is also the saddest. We were helping to clean out the Shagway barn to get ready for the season, and we came across this Little Brown Bat. They really aren't scary, and they are fascinating.



I'm very sad to tell you that his right wing was badly broken (I don't know if we injured him before we knew he was there. I hope not, but it's possible, although the injury didn't look brand new). But before you say goodbye, look at those adorable little feet. I HATE to have to do stuff like this, but there was no way he was going to survive. I dispatched him as quickly as possible.



The turkey vultures were having a feast. Apparently the dead whatever was at its most delectable stage of decomp.



You can really see their naked heads.



Immediately after that, I saw the turkey. In fact, this is the best picture I've gotten to date of a wild turkey with its tail spread. I could wish there was not a telephone pole in the background, but that's where he was...



Also interesting was the way in which he hustled across the road.



The weather didn't cooperate. It rained until mid-afternoon, so the day wasn't the marathon of accomplishment I was hoping for. I wrote in the morning, then worked at Shagway, did a couple of errands and then read until bell practice.

	See Are You Dead Yet?
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Under the Knife

 
Don't be confused at the fact that half this post is serious and half is kinda funny. It's just that there was an odd connection between the events at the two ends of the day.

For starters, Joshua had cataract surgery this morning. This was not a typical cataract, but was associated with the traumatic cataracts he's had since his childhood in VietNam (probably a shrapnel injury). We hope it will improve his vision, but it's not an absolute certainty.



Everything went fine, and I took him home about five minutes after this picture was taken. I suspect he wanted to go there, rather than here, because he has more channels on his TV.

I think we've finally kicked into Christmas gear... more on the festive parts another day. But you may remember Galluzilla...no? Sure you do, it just didn't have a name the first time around. (Gallu- comes from gallus, the Latin word for the common barnyard fowl; zilla- do I really need to explain?) This is the 30-pound plucked fowl that I, unfortunately, threw in the freezer whole.

Don't worry though. It spent two days under water in the (scrubbed) laundry tub. Next task... dismemberment.



Do you think there's enough for all of us?

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Birds on a December Day

Did assignments all day long, worked all evening on the reporting. Tomorrow will be ditto, and I just got 11 more cases that are due by the 29th. Let's see... I can go out tomorrow (already in the plan). Then Loretta comes tomorrow night. I can go out Wednesday (don't want to right after she comes, but you'll see why it may be the best plan). Can't on Thursday- Josh has cataract surgery. Can't on Friday. Josh has followup. Theoretically could on Saturday, but the day before C-mas... I'd rather not. Saturday night we go to GR to pick up Steve. Sunday- C-mas. Steve can stay till the o-dark-thirty on the 28th. So I don't want to go out on the 26th or 27th since we haven't seen him for two years. I guess I could go out on the 28th, but there's no wiggle room there for errors. Yikes!

Let's talk about more fun things than schedules. How about birds of the day?

First we have an ordinary crow, but I caught it flying.



Next we have some wild turkeys. I missed the chance to bring you a really funny video. One turkey, near the back of the pack, kept sticking its head straight up and then taking a jump... a straight up popcorn jump! I finally figured out it was pulling autumn olive berries off a bush, but when I turned the video camera on, of course he wouldn't do it again.



Here's a little tufted titmouse at someone's bird feeder. I wish it would have stood in silhouette to show the crest, but instead you get a front view... makes him look like he has a Mohawk!



Those are all pretty typical, gray, December pictures. How about something brighter and funnier? Not wild birds, but these made me laugh. The ducks were quacking, the hens cackling, and the rooster even crowed for me!



I actually have something really nifty to show you, but I have to locate some pics from earlier in the year to go with the ones I took today. That will be a good thing to save for a "slow news day!"

I'll be out taking more pictures of houses, and hunting for surprises for you tomorrow.

	See Backyard Birds
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