June 21m 2024

Well, i have fallen down again niot keeping my postings up to date so here a few things that have transpired in the last month or two.

the garden burst with cokor as last years foxgloves camr into flower. 

Time Lapse- Return to blogging

 I have been away for quite a long period of time. Nothing serious kept me from adding to this blog post just was lackadaisical about posting but lost in other projects. 

Traveling to GB and Wales, keeping up the gardens, drawing, reading, baking and knitting seemed to take precedence for the past year.

So now I am going to return to blogging. Don't expect to much as I am easily distracted with other opportunities in my life. So I will start with some random recaps of the last year or so.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Early May 2023 and the Turkeys were out in full display. It is always a real treat to watch the fellows strut their stuff as the ladies are just content to ignore and eat the bird seed left under the feeder.

 

 

A trip to Bryson City  and enjoyment of trails, waterfalls, and ta scenic train ride was our spring getaway.

 

Our garden was quite nice in June. I have been planting Foxglove whenever I can to spread through our shaded gardens and woods. The deer are not fond of them due to their fuzzy leaves. This allows us to actually see the flowers and enjoy the color/

 

 

My goldfish and pond are a favorite plade to relax drink  coffee and just be surrounded by peace.

 

July took us to Grange-Over-Sands to spend a lovely vacation with people we love.

 

Our plane to Manchester

Portmadog Wales

Black Rocks Beach on the Irish Sea,Wales

Our morning view in Portmadog Wales

Festiniog Railway Welsh Highland Railway a wonderful experience through the welsh highlands.

These sheep were an entertaining addition to our train ride.

Well I'm Back

 I would like to say I have been too busy to blog. This is not true nor is it false. I have been busy but simply have forgotten to blog. With the Christmas holiday I got wrapped up in the decorating and the card printing process and fell out of the blogging habit. 

As I have found for myself that once I break a habit it is really hard for me to return to it. I have generally replaced it with a new activity. This seems to be the case for me and blogging.

We had decided that for Christmas 2022 we would put up our Balsam Hill tree. Making it an easier tree to decorate and less time consuming. 

Then we went to the Muskegon Farmer's Market and saw this beauty. We both decided we needed to get this lovely tree. A reasonable price made it even more tempting to change our plans. 

The young men selling the tree thought it was 10 footer but when we got inside the house it was easily a 12-13 foot tree. Thankfully the neighbor, who was heading to Florida for the winter, lent me his 12 foot ladder. As I placed the ladder next to the tree to begin decorating I realized it was a 14 foot tree. 

It took us a week to get it decorated completely. It was lovely and we enjoyed it until January 6, 2023.

Here is a video of the decorated tree up close and personal. Please note that Santa is up above watching.

 

 

 

Here is a photo of this past year's (2022) Christmas card., This should get us through December of 2022.

                                Thank you I will updating with the 2023 new year soon.

                                    I hope to be blogging the winter months next time.

What I've been up to since the last time

 Well I have been working on many different projects since my last blog post. Thought I would share some of the projects that have consumed my time and energy.

Between the yard work, baking our bread, and just general life chores I have been working on a new series of drawings. These are drawing my creatvity from local species which I have a definite connection. 

The first is completed. The Red Shouldered Hawk that made our woods a hunting territory. It did result in a few less of our feeder birds. The poor mourning dove just don't move fast enough. In researching the hawk I found some interesting facts. Their eyesight is so acute that can discern the urine tracks of critters from extreme heights.

Red-shouldered hawk (Buteo lineatus)

Red-shouldered Hawks are medium-sized slender buteos, larger than Broad-wings but smaller than Red-tails. They have body lengths of 18 to 24 inches and wingspans of 3 1/2 to 4 feet. Their backs are brown, flecked with white, and their shoulders are rufous. Immature birds have brown teardrop-shaped streaks on their white breasts; adults have pale robin-red underparts.

Red-shouldered Hawks inhabit low, wet, open woodlands usually near a river, stream or swamp. We have an open area near us and within a a half mile of our home is the Muskegon Lake Snug Harbor area. They prey upon the wide variety of animal life found there: small mammals, frogs, snakes, lizards, insects and birds. Hawks have excellent eyesight. They can see up to 8 times more clearly than the sharpest human eye. Eyesight is primarily used for hunting. Hawks can see colors, like most humans can, as well as those in the ultraviolet range. This means that the hawks can perceive colors that humans cannot see.

Some Red-shoulders remain resident in Michigan year round, but most migrate southward as winter approaches. They were once common here, but loss of their preferred habitat and other factors not yet clearly identified have reduced their numbers. At present they are considered endangered in the state.

The work measures 14w x 16h inches and is completed in Prismacolor inks of various pen sizes. The next drawing is the Pileated Woodpecker a current work in progress. It has been placed on hold as I work on this Christmas card. 

 

 

 

 

The Christmas card has the pencil work completed and the inking will soon begin. Here is just a small peak at a portion of the card.

 

This is a very small portion of the card in rough pencil.

 

Time Passes and We Often Forget

 When we first moved to the Muskegon area we were enticed by all of the natural beauty and wonderful places to walk. We checked out the The Muskegon Lake Nature Preserve. We loved walking the trails through the marsh bogs and enjoyed the bird life there. Then as we became more accustomed to walking the Muskegon State Park Trails and the Channel Walk we simply forgot about the Preserve. Over the past few years a lot of work was being done there and so we just didn't go back.

A few days ago we wandered back into the Preserve. What we found was a treasure right on our doorstep. The trails have been tidied up to make walking easier, picnic tables and benches have been scattered throughout. These resting spots have beautiful vistas to Muskegon Lake and the Muskegon River.

 

We took a leisurely walk through the preserve starting at it's entrance in North Muskegon. Our first stop was a wonderful view of Muskegon Lake and the condos in North Muskegon with their boat docks. Sailboats and pleasure craft created a quiet marine vista. In the middle of this picture was  a crane. Wading and fishing in the shallows near our bench. From here we also saw a rather large bird of prey. We were unable to identify it but we have seen eagles and hawks as we traveled the causeway.

Crane wading and fishing.

View of the Marsh - blurred bird of prey on right.

The side of the trail was bejeweled with late summer wildflowers,. Red, yellow, blue violet colors seemed to create a Van Gogh like palette of wild flowers. As we walked we could hear the sounds of ducks as they flew over and landed in the shallows of the lake edge.

A field of Black Eyed Susan

Wild Skullcap

Wild Cardinal Flower

    

On the trail we arrived at the wooden walkway along the river channel as it enters into the lake, Here there is a large three level observation lookout. This allows you to see out into the lake and across the river. Flocks of swans and seagulls were enjoyable to see and hear.

A group of Cardinal flowers with observation lookout in the left corner.

We took the trail then through the marsh that borders the causeway and came upon a Swan just relaxing in the cattails. We also saw again a plant we had noticed earlier in the week on Lost Lake trek. Being always curious to unknown plants I had looked it up to discover a Button Bush. Though the berries and plant is poisonous it is most intriguing in it's appearance. We had no intentions of dining on it so no problem, just interest!

Button Bush seed pods.

 

We also discovered an abundance of Poke Weed a reminder of "Polk Salad Annie, gators got your granny"

Poke weed going to seed.

 

                                       Tony Joe White  -  Polk Salad Annie

Hope you enjoy the photos below. By the way no gators in the Muskegon River and swamp lands, Just fish, birds, frogs, turtles, and kayakers.

Not an alligator - just turtles on a log - not celery and raisins either.

Get out there and enjoy where you are. You'll be surprised by the wonders you will find!

July 9, 2022 - Fireworks

Once there was a time when I was excited about the Fourth of July. A time when I was proud of celebrating a nation's birth and tenets. Though the nation has always been imperfect we seemed to have constantly worked at creating a better one with each passing generation. We watched as we changed our extension of freedom and voting rights. We saw history correct, in the interest of the nation, the societal ills of economic greed, and the inequality of it's citizens.

With the passing of time we seemed to have been improving in the expansion of the ideals for which our nation stands. 

However, beginning in 2016 we saw our nation becoming more of an oligarchical government. Those of extreme wealth and privilege used our nation as their private domain. Denying the basic tenets of our Constitution for their own advancement. Seeking power for the few instead of the power of the people. Falsely questioning the rule of law. Shaking the tradition of passing the torch of freedom. Encouraging sedition for personal gain.

I avoided all displays of superficial patriotism this year, no parades, no flag waving, no fireworks. In it's place I celebrated the joy of nature. Taking pride in my little peace of wooded freedom. Enjoying family and sharing with them conversation and nourishment.  Watching children play, I dreamed again of the America I hope they have the opportunity to grow up in. One where we value each other. Where we follow the rule of law for every citizen, Where we allow persons to make their own decisions in determining what is their best interest. A nation that realizes that separation of church and state is basic principle that should never be thrown away. Understanding the value of nation should belong to all not just a few.

The power of the people's vote is how we determine the power of government and it's leaders.

To celebrate this time I am including a few flower fireworks. Flower Power.

I have added a song by Janis Ian for the hope I have of our nation's future.

And that is the end of this old Hippy's Rant. (for today)

 

 

A little song from Janis Ian to keep us moving forward.

Better times will come - Janis Ian

JUne 22, 2022 More Great Weather

We have been experiencing some really great weather. It is warm but the breezes have been pleasant and kept the insects at bay. Watching the birds as they bath in the waterfall or bird spa is a great activity. They seem to be addicted to the water, splashing, leaving and return to splash some more.

We haven't seen Mr. P our neighborhood Pileated Woodpecker for a few days. We always get concerned by his absence btu know that when it heats up he usually returns deeper into the woods. We will keep our eyes open and our ears as well. His loud thumping as he builds a nesting hole or looks for bugs often reassures us of his well being.

He will be the next drawing in my large birds series, 

As promised here is the completed drawing for the Red Shouldered Hawk.

Red Shouldered Hawk

I am also posting a short video of deer as they meander through the back of our wooded plot. 

These deer like to travel through the area on a regular basis. As a result of their habitual visits I have learned which plants to leave growing. The first year here I trimmed all the Sassafras trees which only open our gardens up as a salad bar for the deer. I now plant many shade and deer friendly plants. This cuts down on their nibbling. However, when they are hungry they will eat anything. I have started to use Plant Skyd on plants that bloom and those that seem to be very tasty to the deer. This seems to be working well. Since ther is no hunting allowed t=in the state park behind us they do not sscare easily and often I feel they come to watch the people.