Chicago Spring Fling

If your area is like mine, or worse even, all snow covered and you are sitting there waiting for more snow, six inchs they say for us tonight, well, you can have much more fun planning your trip to Chicago this spring. The Spring Fling will be May 29-31. You can go to the Chicago Gardeners Blog and get all the wonderful details. I hope to be there to meet all the garden bloggers that can make it.

Chicago, like Austin where they had the first Spring Fling, has wonderful garden centers, nurseries, Mortens Arboretum and private gardens of our dear blogging friends. Yes, there will some great places to see and experience. I hope to see you there.

Stranded on a Desert Island

Shirl over at Shirl's Garden Watch has asked us to choose three plants that you would take to a desert island if you were so lucky as to have to go there and post about them today.

This became a difficult task for me. I don't think I would want to leave any plant behind. I wrestled with the thought and have decided that the first plant I would take would be the Butterfly Bush. If I were on a desert island I would like to watch and study the butterflies that were on that island and this plant is a sure magnet for butterflies. The second plant would be the hibiscus. Not only are they colorful but they attract hummingbirds and many islands have beautiful hummingbirds and I wouldn't want to miss any of them.

My third plant would be the peony. Not only does it smell marvelous but it reminds me of home, relatives that are near and dear to me and no matter where I go I would like a memento of home.

I can't wait to see what all everyone posts for their garden island adventure.

Out of the Garden

This week we have had about all the weather you could have during winter. It was so cold earlier that there were icebergs floating down the Wabash River. I have lived here for 15 years and this is the first time I have seen this phenom.

This morning we got a good dusting of snow. I couldn't wait to get out in it for our daily walk. Of course our little polar bear couldn't wait to get out either. My DB took a picture of Luna and I as we traipsed through the area called Coopers Woods. We were looking for winter wren but we didn't find one. You know you have been cooped up too long when you start making foot prints in the snow to entertain yourself. The snow didn't last since it got so warm. You know we have had a cold winter when freezing is considered warm.

While we were out this weekend we did find some more interesting things to look at. Such as this huge gathering of Canada Geese loafing on the frozen lake nearby. Mixed in with the Canadas were Greater White-fronted Geese and various ducks.
On the gravel pit at the edge of town we found two Tundra Swans. They are the big white birds in the fuzzy photo below. They were pretty far out from the bank hence the fuzzy photo.

Near another area where we birded this weekend we came upon this sight. One of those small donkeys that people are keeping as pets around here. It, this big brown cow and a smaller black cow had obviously escaped from their pasture.
The big brown cow must have been the leader of this herd because when we drove up closer to get better photos it took off for the main pasture and the other two followed. I have seen several of these beautiful donkies around the area. I think they have such a sweet face.

I hope you all had a fun, relaxing weekend.

Skywatch Friday

For the first time in many days we have beautiful sunlit skies. Just a few white whispy clouds. It looks wonderful to me. The sunshine makes those -2 to 16F temps more bearable.

Happy Sky Watch Friday to you all. For more skies to watch go here.

Garden Bloggers Bloom Day - January 2009

What with us in the deep freeze with single digit temps here at mid day I can only say I don't have any blooms. I was inspired by a quote in the notebook that I am using right now. This quote is by Henry Ward Beecher. He inspired me to go into the way back files and dig out some photos of blooms that I could use to illustrate this enchanting quote.



"What a pity flowers can utter no sound!

A singing rose,

a whispering violet,

a murmuring honeysuckle-oh, what a rare and exquisite miracle would these be!"

And isn't it funny that after you find one quote you like by an author you see several more not long after. I hope you read inspiring quotes during these freezing days while you have visions of singing, whispering, murmuring blooms in your head if not in your garden.

For more blooms go to Carol's May Dreams Garden.

Out of the Garden 1-11-09

This morning as we were heading toward our birding destination I could tell that we were going to have a good day of birding because as you can see there was a break in the clouds and the sun was shining. The Sun was playing peek a boo through the clouds all day.My Dearly Beloved took all of the following photos. I want to thank him for sharing these with us.

Driving through Saunders Woods on our way to the power plant area we were delighted to see a Barred Owl sitting not too far off the road. He gave us the evil eye before he took off for a quiet place to rest for the day.
Standing sentinel as we entered the power plant area was a dapper Great Blue Heron. He is beginning to sport his breeding plummage as you can see the feathers out the back of his head and the feathers on his chest blowing in the wind that kept it cold today despite the sun.

We came upon this American Kesteral with his breakfast. He must have been hungry to allow us to get close enough to take his picture. Normally they fly when you get very close at all.He went on with his meal as we didn't want to disturb him.

Another great look was give to us by a male Common Goldeneye. They are such beautiful ducks. We usually don't get this close to them either. He was another hungy soul. Now you see him... bloop, now you don't. They are diving ducks and he went under all the way. DB caught him mid dive. Toward the end of our birding day we drove by the Bald Eagles nest. We knew there was something there because another car was stopped in the road near by. Sure enough there was a pair of adult Bald Eagles sitting side by side near the nest. This is a sight you usually only see during mating season. They pair up and remodel the nest together while bonding.

This was such a great way to end the day, the weekend. I hope you all had a great weekend and are well rested.

Skywatch Friday

I am beginning to think our skies are permanently gray. It is interesting to go out and see skeins of geese passing over our house on their way from the lake not far from us to the out lying fields. I like to look through them to see if I can spot something different flying along with them. Like a Cackling or White-fronted, Snow or even Ross's Goose would be nice.

Nope nobody different here.

If you would like to see more sky pictures you can go here for Skywatch Friday participants.