Bowling Season Over

     Our bowling season ended last week.  If you look closely, some of the strike marks are red; we were playing "eight is great".  I couldn't help documenting the score.

Tired Dogs are Good Dogs

Fin recently came to stay with us for a few days.  He's much younger than Hudson and has quite a bit of energy, so I made sure we walked at least 3 miles a day.  The results were worth the effort.

Slowly, but Surely

The Killdeer, Red-winged Blackbirds, and Song Sparrows are back.  The Red-breasted Nuthatches and most of the Juncos have moved on.  The bees are buzzing.  Buds are swelling.  

Ducks in Trees

     Yesterday morning there were 2 pair of wood duck in our dead Ash by the river.  This is as good as my best camera can do with a drab female from such a distance in poor light.  Even so, it captures the double-taking silhouette.

Our Wood Duck box is hanging at the recommended height on that same Ash.  It has been occupied by Fox Squirrels since we put it up.  I'm ever optimistic the intended owners will move in.

Smokey Walk

     Ruta and I took another walk at Oak Openings yesterday.  We were wondering how the Birds foot Violet had over-wintered in Ostrich Barrens, so we headed south on Wilkins Road.  Just before Campbell Prairie, we ran into the land management crew.  They were still working on an area that had been hit by a tornado almost 2 years ago (or has it been almost 3 years?).  There was so much debris, it posed a fire hazard.  Many of the largest trees have been cut down and sold for firewood.  Now they are working on the smaller logs.  Above you can see the wood gathered into piles; below the smoke as seen from Wilkins Road.

     Before settlement, the entire park area was Oak Savannah, consisting of a few trees per acre of tall grass prairie.  Once settlement occurred, natural fires were extinguished, allowing the forest to grow.  The tornado is helping bring back the Oak Savannah.

     We found our Birds foot violet, still dormant, near the dunes.  It will be interesting to see how well it does now that the encroaching forest has been removed.

Family Weekend

It was a wonderful weekend of family.  Except for 2 nephews, all my siblings and their kids (and our grandniece - yikes!) were able to stop by or stay over this weekend.

Katie

Sarah

Lexi

Monroe

Monroe's best friend (my brother Bill)

My brother brought his shadow, Monroe, who made himself at home. 

We topped off the weekend with a delicious dinner at Dan's parent's home yesterday evening.

And today is Dan's birthday.  We are looking forward to dinner with friends.

Happy Birthday, Sweetie!