The Return of The Thing

Just when we thought we were safe. It's BAAAaaaaack!

Remember this?
  
It's the misguided wedding-gift-from-hell that has been lobbed back and forth between my son's house and ours since May. We thought we'd seen the last of it, as it hadn't surfaced since July.

We were wrong. So very wrong.

About halfway through Christmas Eve dinner, we suddenly heard carols emanating from the basement rec room: "What the hell is that?" says I. "Hmm. You better go check," says my smirking elder son.

The whole family trooped downstairs and were met by a blaze of lights and blaring music. The Son had set up The Thing on the pool table, complete with an attached a speaker on a timer.

Impressive. Very impressive. And the game has a scoreboard now, with points for Holiday Spirit, Special Effects, and Sneakiness. Behold a perfect 10.

So how am I going to top this??

Merry, Merry Christmas

There's nothing fancy on our Christmas mantle, but it warms my heart just the same.

My mother in law made the pine cone wreath. One of my kids made the wooden star for me. My husband and his father made the candle holders. I remember the pleasure and pride and eagerness in their faces when I lifted their gifts in my hands and proclaimed them beautiful.

I gathered the rest of the pine cones from trees around our property on the first wintry day of the year, the first where my own breath followed me in a mist, and the sky was  impossibly blue, and I was so  glad to be alive.

The cast iron dogs came from my grandmother's house. I remember lying in front of her fireplace on cold winter days and playing with them, and they always remind me of her. (I think Gran would be baffled and amused to see how many of her cast-off and commonplace things have pride of place in my home.)

For me, Christmas isn't about gifts. Christmas is about the gift of memories. Memories of loved ones and of times gone by. Memories of our own childhoods and those of our own children. Memories of Santa and candlelight services, and cookies. And it's about making new memories that may, if we are lucky, live in our children's hearts when they, too, are old.

I wish you all a very Merry Christmas. And I wish you beautiful memories to keep you warm.

Nature Notes: A Gift of Fog

Late November. Dawn fog draws a veil of mystery over the world, revealing the ghosts of trees and drenching a captive milkweed in diamonds.




* If you're following the bucket-list project of hand-feeding wild birds - It's working!  
Today: SUCCESS!



Click here to visit Michelle's site, Rambling Woods, and see more Nature Notes

Bucket List Report: Success!

It happened! A chickadee accepted seeds from my hand today! Twice!

I just wrote in the previous post that I was temporarily postponing this project due to illness. However, I could see from the window that so many birds were visiting today that the morning seed ration was nearly gone already.

I went out to refill the feeder and thought, What the hey. I'll give it one quick go. And that was all it took.

I rested my arm outstretched on the rail under the feeder, as usual, with sunflower seeds and shelled peanuts in my palm. Within seconds, I had visitors. Both nuthatches and chickadees landed on the rail and began hopping toward me from both directions. At first, they darted to the feeder and sped away.

Unable to move a muscle, and keeping my eyes nearly closed, I heard and felt the experience more than seeing it. "Chick-a-deee-deee-deee!" sounded practically in my ear, and the flutter of wings overhead. Furtive hopping on the deck rail ... aaaand ... the quick tickle of a seed being seized from my hand! And again, only a minute later.

This may not have helped my asthma much, but it did wonders for my spirit. Things can only get better from here.

Bucket List Project #1: Progress Reports

Success!

It happened! A chickadee accepted seeds from my hand today! Twice!

I just wrote in the previous post that I was temporarily postponing this project due to illness. However, I could see from the window that so many birds were visiting today that the morning seed ration was nearly gone already.

I went out to refill the feeder and thought, What the hey. I'll give it one quick go. And that was all it took.

I rested my arm outstretched on the rail under the feeder, as usual, with sunflower seeds and shelled peanuts in my palm. Within seconds, I had visitors. Both nuthatches and chickadees landed on the rail and began hopping toward me from both directions. At first, they darted to the feeder and sped away.

Unable to move a muscle, and keeping my eyes nearly closed, I heard and felt the experience more than seeing it. "Chick-a-deee-deee-deee!" sounded practically in my ear, and the flutter of wings overhead. Furtive hopping on the deck rail ... aaaand ... the quick tickle of a seed being seized from my hand! And again, only a minute later.

This may not have helped my asthma much, but it did wonders for my spirit. Things can only get better from here.


 Day Whatever. I've Lost Track.  

This project is on temporary hold while I recover from a bad cold that started the day after Thanksgiving and has since turned into an ongoing, major asthma episode.

I have been hanging around the feeder for a minute or two after filling it in the mornings, just to keep the critters used to seeing me. But now is not the time to be standing out in the freezing air.

I'm not giving up; in fact I am hopeful that once snow covers up all the other food sources my chances will improve.

I'll keep ya posted as things progress, OK? But daily ... not so much.


Day Six: Happy Thanksgiving!

I don't know why I didn't think of this before: Since the chickadees don't have a problem with going to the feeder with my face practically in the thing, why not try just holding the feeder? 

I don't think there's going to be time to try it today, but first thing tomorrow I'm on it.

My new daughter in law is doing Thanksgiving at their house today - a first! I'm bringing pie and snacks, and that's it. It feels weird, not doing it all myself, but what a relief.

Hope you all have a fabulous meal and a day filled with laughter!






Day Five: Wednesday, November 21

It was seriously foggy this morning, and again there were few birds. I kept an eye on the feeder while making pie crust for tomorrow's big do. When a couple of chickadees showed up, I went out and assumed my post beside the feeder, arm outstretched on the railing, palm filled with seeds and nuts.

Strange as it may sound, I am beginning to enjoy the discipline of standing perfectly still, waiting for whatever nature will bring. It is like a meditation of sorts, an end in itself.

My reward was a chickadee nearly landing on my head! I actually felt the brush of its wingtip on my cheek. It perched on the rail, about ten inches from my face, and looked into my eyes before hopping onto the feeder and choosing a seed.

The little birds continued to come and go as I set up my camera to photograph this milkweed seed, caught in the remains of a hanging basket and bejeweled with dew. It's progress, don't you think?


Day Four: Tuesday, November 20

No birds are visiting the feeder this morning. And it's raining. I could go stand out there as an exercise in optimism, I suppose, but I'm just not that dedicated.  I did leave a seed pile on the spot where my hand would be, hoping they'll become accustomed to looking there.

This is not going nearly as well as I expected. Have any of you tamed wild birds? Any tips or tricks?


Day Three: Monday, November 19

Epic fail. Without the bait pile of seed on the railing, the chickadees landed on the far end of the rail and on the feeder right next to my head, but nowhere near my hand. Surprisingly, a nuthatch seemed very interested in me, though. Maybe I'll have better luck with those.

It's a work day, so my time was limited for standing perfectly still with a fist full of birdseed. Tomorrow: Maybe if I put my hand out the other way, near the feeder?





 Day Two: Sunday, November 18 
 
Yesterday I started working on a modest, but long-postponed goal: Taming wild chickadees. Specifically, to train them to eat from my hand. They were so fearless and friendly yesterday when I put up the feeder that I figured I had this one in the bag.

I was so eager to try it this morning that I got up at dawn. I donned my winter coat, filled the feeder, and took up my chilly post right next to it. (They had ignored me there yesterday.) I put a little pile of seeds on the deck rail about three feet away from me. (They came to one placed there yesterday.) Then I filled my palm with choice morsels and laid my arm on the rail, my hand about six inches from the pile, and waited. And waited. And waited. No birds. NO birds at all.

Arm fell asleep. Went back inside for coffee. Came back out and tried again when birds began to show up. Succeeded in scaring away all but the chickadees, which made a few exploratory circles around my head and left. 

Went back inside for breakfast with the hubby and discovered he had set up a camera on a tripod at the kitchen window, just in case. I'm never happy about having my picture taken. But my annoyance was short lived, as he had also made bacon. It's hard to stay peeved with someone who is giving you bacon.

Back outside again. Assumed the position. This time, two chickadees landed on the railing and considered me for a minute or so. I held very still and didn't make eye contact. One then flew to the feeder, about a foot from my head. The other went for the pile of seeds - just six inches from my hand! So close, so close.

Tomorrow - no seed pile. Just seeds in my hand. I'll update this post to let you know how it goes.

Bucket List Project #1: In Progress

Last week I announced here that I am planning to retire. Yesterday, I let my supervisor know. Today I have shifted into "moving on" mode. And I'm already loving it, already starting on that bucket list:

One of the many things I always wanted to get around to was to train wild birds to eat from my hand. Among my favorite memories are those of my bird-loving mother standing in the snow, surrounded by chickadees delicately picking seeds from her outstretched palms.

So today, when I filled the feeder I stayed there, holding very still. And would you believe it was only seconds before the first chickadee appeared? It landed right there on the feeder, only a foot or so away, grabbed a seed, and was gone.

Hardly daring to believe my luck, I placed a little pile of seeds on the deck railing, about three feet away. Sure enough, it was no time at all before another (or the same one?) fluttered in.

Photography time!

As I also mentioned last week, I intend to enjoy my remaining paychecks. I bought myself a fixed 50mm lens,which arrived Thursday and has been attached to my camera ever since. I retrieved it, set the Aperture to f 1.8, focused on the seeds, and waited.

I got off a few shots that turned out, including the one above. I am sooo happy. Already.

But here's the funny thing: I could have tried this any time. I didn't need to save it for Someday. So why did I?

Tomorrow: I'm holding out my hand. Wish me luck.

* To see how this turns out, check out the Progress Report post - updated daily! weekly? *



Click here to visit Michelle's site, Rambling Woods, and see more Nature Notes

Retiring: Standing at the Crossroads

 I am going to retire. Now.

There, I said it. Out loud. In print.

I am outta there, history, gone. So long, sayonara, and buh-bye.

I've never been so elated. I've never been so scared.

So, you may be wondering, What brought this on? After all, it says right up there in the banner that we decided to forego retirement in order to afford this place. (Note to self: I'm gonna need a new banner.)

Three things:
1. I'm almost out of time.
2. I don't want to spend any more of it being miserable.
3. I have so many things I was going to do "someday". Well, screw someday. I'm doing them Now.

No, I'm not dying. Not that I know of, anyway, not any time soon. But I am 61, and I do have health issues with the potential to rain on my parade if I delay it much longer.

I am a customer service call center rep, so I have learned to endure daily stress and abuse from both the overlords and the customers. However, my company recently implemented a popular management system better suited to increasing efficiency in manufacturing than in human interactions. It has exponentially increased the pressure on the staff and utterly demolished morale. This is not where I envisioned myself at this point in my life.

When I was young, I had a list of things I wanted to do. Some dropped of the list as I got older; Being in Times Square for New Years, for example. And marching in Mardi Gras. I can do without those now. And seeing the sunrise from the Great Wall of China probably sounds more romantic than it really would have been. Still, so many possible dreams remain, and I don't want to lose sight of any more of them.

Financially, we're OK. There's always that cold fear of things that could happen to scramble the nest egg. But that is never going to change, is it. Meanwhile, since my kid finishes college in December and the house is paid off, I think I'm entitled to spend my remaining paychecks on whatever the hell I want. I'm making a list.

The plan is to give notice next month - 30 to 90 days is required - and be free by, say mid-March at the latest. Just in time for Spring.

So yeah. I am retiring. Now. Advice, thoughts, tips and comments would be most welcome.

Chicken of the Woods

   

Laetiporus Sulphureus, A.K.A "Chicken of the Woods" 

Mushroom hunters out there are probably smacking their lips at the sight of this gorgeous thing. I spotted it from the driveway on my way to work last week, watching it grow, and I eventually got out there for a closer look.

I didn't know it at the time I took the photo, but it's an edible mushroom, one of the "fearless four" that have no poisonous look-alikes. By all accounts it is tasty when young, fried up with butter and garlic.

However, there are warnings that it causes allergic reactions in some people. Being allergic to just about everything, I decided it wasn't worth the risk.




There are quite a few wild foods on our property, from common ones like black walnuts and wild cherries to the more exotic, like sassafras and nettles. One day I hope to work up the courage to try some of them. So far, bramble berries and morel mushrooms are as wild as we get.

Do you forage for wild foods? Any suggestions?



Click here to visit Michelle's site and see more Nature Notes.

There's a New Owl in Town

We were sitting on the driveway pad yesterday evening after work, settling in for some serious Friday night R&R and supervising a couple of burghers on the grill, when we noticed the silhouette of a very big bird some distance away, improbably perched at the apex of a fully grown spruce tree. 




"What IS that?" Hubby wondered. "A hawk?"

I sprinted into the house for the binoculars and my camera. (Well, when I say "sprint" I'm actually referring to "maximum shuffle". I'm old.) Against all odds, our visitor was still there when I got back and trained my sights on it.

"The head is too wide. I think that's ... an owl! A really, really big owl."

Being about 12 years old at heart, we immediately started stalking it to see how close we could get. Answer: not very close. When we got about halfway there, it regarded us with disdain for a few seconds before gliding away on silent wings.

 It was nearly dark, and I was hand-holding my longer lens set simply for "no flash". So there are no amazing shots. But I was able to severely crop and lighten one frame to get a better look. 




 Unless I am very much mistaken, this is a great horned owl - the first I have ever seen.

And I was thrilled about that until I did a little research. According to allaboutbirds.org, in addition to the expected rabbits and mice they also kill a lot of things I'd rather they didn't, like the barred owls we've enjoyed here for years, ospreys, herons, and geese.

Suddenly, that dark silhouette seems downright sinister.


P.S. while surfing around for owl info, I happened across this remarkable video of a barred owl calling. Just thought I'd share. 

Blogger Is Eating My Posts

Two have disappeared just now, as I tried to add new ones. Please know that I haven't deleted any. I'm so sorry if you've commented on the ones that are now gone.

High Summer and New Fawns

It's so hard to know where to begin when one has been such a sporadic blogger. There's all the guilt for not keeping up, not to mention the indecision about which subject to choose when so many are in the queue and time is so short.  But I figure it's hard to go wrong with baby deer. We have a bunch of them around at the moment, including this set of twins.

So here ya go. All together now: "Awwwwwww!"



And here's Mom. Note, she is sticking out her tongue at me:





It's hard to take yourself too seriously when a friggin' deer is giving you the raspberry.

* Second attempt to publish. Sorry if you're seeing two entries. 

The Gift That Keeps On Giving (repost)

 


This remarkable yard art object was a wedding gift to my son and his new wife. Needless to say, a lot of heart went into it, but ... well. Yeah.

And it's my own fault, I suppose, that I ended up with it. At dinner one night, after an insane moment at Lowes that nearly resulted in buying a solar powered gazing ball, I did say to my family, "There is something about living in the country that makes you want to put crap in your yard." My son found this hysterically funny.

And so it was that this monument to love was abandoned on my front doorstep like a box of stray kittens.

Now, I am an unabashed packrat.  And I do find myself suddenly and inexplicably attracted to the plastic gnome section of the garden center. But even I draw the line somewhere. Specifically, right here.

To make my point, I added a minor touch of my own: Chenille balls, like the kind found on your more amusing sombreros. The wedding reception actually involved sombreros, so it seemed entirely appropriate:





 The hubby, who does love a practical joke, smuggled the new and improved version back into my son's house when they were out of town. The son was amused but undaunted. The evening of Fathers Day, after everyone had left, I heard my husband laughing and calling me to come and enjoy the new view of the potting shed: 





I rather enjoyed that one. The lights were on a timer, so they came on only at night. Very festive. But it's still going back for the Fourth of July:


*Recovered post from July 1, 2012

Is It Summer Already??!

Wow, I missed a whole season. 

The year is half over, and it's been a doozie so far. We've had a birth and a death in the family, as well as a hospitalization and a cancer scare (no worries - we're all OK now). There was a bridal shower, a rehearsal dinner, and a wedding to plan, and a badly neglected house to whip into shape before all the relatives arrived. Oh yeah - and mandatory overtime at work. There was a lot to blog about, but somehow I never got to it. 

So here we are. June already. Finally, there is time to look around and catch up.

AND  ::insert drumroll::  It's grilling season! Behold the wonders of rotisseried chicken and sweet corn. The late afternoon sun lit up the steam rolling off it, and I made the whole family stand around and wait while I  took a picture. They were not inclined to wait long, so it kind of is what it is. But still, pretty cool, huh? 

So. What did I miss?

Nature Notes: Spring Comes to the Pond

Spring came early and all of a sudden this year. One day it was cold and silent, and the next it was warm and noisy. Birds are warbling and chirping. The owls and frogs have resumed their nightly serenade, with guest performances from the coyotes.




Green things are sprouting up everywhere; it's time to weed the flower beds already, and to trim back pine trees that are threatening to engulf the driveway.





A pair of Canada geese are considering nesting in the pond this year. There's lots of cover for them back in the buttonwood bushes, which they seem to like. Once in there, they become almost invisible. Can you see the second one in the photo below?



Winter was so mild this year that we can't quite trust that it's over. We keep asking, Was that IT? Is that all there IS? Compared to the endless Arctic event of last year, it's as if winter passed us by. Not that anyone is complaining.

When I get a chance, I'm going back in the woods to see if there are any ramps or morel mushrooms yet. I'll keep ya posted.




Click here to visit Michelle's site and see more Nature Notes.

Nature Notes: Maple Syrup Season

In February, when the nights remain cold and the days are getting longer, tree sap begins to flow. And that means it's time for a visit to the in-laws' sugar shack for the annual ritual of making maple syrup.

Trees are tapped, sap is collected in buckets and ferried to the shack to be drip-fed into the huge, wood-fired pan that will boil off nearly all of the water. The sap travels to three chambers in order within the pan, becoming thicker as it goes.





It takes 40 gallons of sap to make one gallon of syrup. This means a round-the-clock vigil of several days to keep the fire fed, to deliver a steady supply of sap to the tank, to monitor levels in the pan to prevent burning, and to draw off the precious elixir at just the right time.





Family and friends gather at the sugar shack to enjoy these simple gifts of nature: the billowing fragrant steam, wood smoke, and sweet syrup fresh from the pan. It is a time to share food, drink and laughter. It is a time of comfort and joy, for if we are all together we can weather any winter. And if the sap is running, spring cannot be far behind.





* Many thanks to all of you who sent condolences on the loss of my husband's dear father. Your thoughts and comments were were a comfort.

Where Have I Been?

In case anyone's wondering, I haven't gone away for good. It's been a rough few weeks here, health and family-wise, and I just haven't felt up to blogging. In fact, I haven't even taken a photo since Christmas.

And then, on Valentine's Day, my father in law passed away. He was a wonderful man, a dedicated husband, father and friend. He lead a Jimmy Stewart-style "wonderful life" - quietly touching so many. Alzheimer's had nearly stolen him away in the end, making his passing both a sorrow and a blessing. The funeral is this weekend.

I do apologize for not returning visits or participating in memes as I used to do. I'll be back. Until then, I'll try to get around and visit. Hope all is well with you.

Nature Notes: Deja Vu

Taken January 2 2010:



Taken January 2 2012, today:



Well, it's January. Again. And it's snowing. Again. We Hoosiers are pretty philosophical about being cold and wet in January; it's not exactly a big surprise. Doesn't mean we have to like it, though.

This was a year of never-ending Christmas. Christmas gift exchange and rib roast dinner at home with our younger son, Christmas again in Ohio with my husband's family, and yet a third last night with my older son and his fiancee, complete with turkey dinner that I started cooking the minute I got home from Ohio.

AND ... YOU WON'T BELIEVE WHAT I GOT FOR CHRISTMAS - more about that later!


Click here to visit Michelle's site and see more Nature Notes.