Ash Tree Attractants

The dead Ash tree by the river continues to be a favorite perch for raptors.  There are two immature Bald Eagles who use it to rest and preen.  

Earlier in the week one used it for a breakfast table.  

The fish was at least two feet long.

You'll have to take my word for it until I get my big SLR camera fixed - or replaced!

Campbell Prairie

Yesterday we monitored at Campbell Prairie.  It is an area that is off limits during the Karner Blue butterfly season.  This is the first place they were re-introduced several years ago, but the population is not considered established well enough to allow any more disturbance than is necessary.

It was a foggy morning.  

The normally invisible spider webs were outlined in dew.

There are three subpopulations of Soapwort Gentian there.  Two were doing very well.  We'll have to keep an eye on the third.

The flowers stay tightly closed and the bees have to force their way inside to collect the nectar.  There are few other flowers available at this time of year, though - a good motivation for them to work hard.  Winter is approaching all too quickly.

Moving Mom

My sister and I have been sorting through things at my Mom's apartment in preparation for her move to assisted living.  It seems a much more pleasant task when we work together.

Today we found several boxes that must have come from her Mother's house.  Many photographs I had never seen before.

Here she is on her third birthday.

She doesn't look much older here.  Her parents had a cottage on Nettle Lake. Perhaps this photograph was taken there.

Her cousins, Bill and Vernon Fauble are standing behind her.  

Her older sister, and only sibling Betty is to her left.

Their father, Bill Keyes was a farmer most of his life. 

When Grandpa wasn't farming, they lived in Swanton.  He was employed at the hardware store and would also do carpentry work.

These girls were in her class when they lived in Ai (pronounced A, I).

Mom was in the band at Swanton High School.

My older sister Deb played the same trumpet, all the way through college.