9 May, 2008 Robins again

Still growing. There's not much room in that nest, so I wonder how
long it will be before they fly. I took the first pictures on May 1
when they were only a few days old, so their flying lessons are near.

Jared gave up. Too boring, computers and scanners and supper dishes
and tv and chit-chat and no games to play.
"Wanna play with the cars and airplanes in the kiddie toy bin?"
"Nope."
"Too old for that now?"
"Uh huh."

Fonda's here from Iowa, LAD will be here tomorrow from Arkansas, the guys will be departing for central MO to help spray fungicide on the wheat crop. Fonda introduced me to new software for this blogging thing, so the results might be strange. Didn't work when I tried to add a photo. She'll be hearing about this tomorrow. G'nite.

8 May, 2008 Redneck Robins & Rednecks

Redneck robins... see the duct tape at the bottom of the nest? The babies are still growing, and look! Brown feathers! They really are robins.

Jerry and Len and a friend tooled in from Gainesville on their bikes
to visit Lloyd.

And the sunset... I was experimenting with the digital zoom on the
Canon SD600. I tried the flash, too, but it didn't carry far enough
to lighten the branches.

Look! Sunset on a stick! Burnt marshmallow! Smores! Choc... Choc... where's the choc...

7 May, 2008 Birds & Ants & Aunts

Robins are growing, crowding the nest, and have brand new feathers.
Rained all day today, but they appear dry and snug. Parents still
squawking at me, and today, they swooped down lower as if to attack!

And the ants are back, with a vengeance. Either it's a new hatching,
or else today's heavy rain has driven them up out of the ground.
These pictures are stills from the mini-dv movie camera. One heroic
critter found a broccoli bud and tried to drag it home. He struggled
with it all over the counter top, even carried it up and down the
side of the peanut can! I think he lost the bud in the sink and got
washed away later. Can you imagine the reception he would have gotten
from his relatives in the nest awaiting a meal... ptoo phthoo
pthoo... broccoli?? you brought us BROCCOLI??? Hey, Bro, I could be
baby bird food right now!

LAD, asleep in the car seat, got handed off to Aunt Suzie and Pattie,
for a few days in Atkins, Arkansas with Oma. "Grandma" Jan gave him
up to Grandpa Allen and Grandma Jean on Tuesday for an overnighter in
Douglas County. Momma is due back from Raleigh this weekend. Will LAD
remember who she is? (Probably).

6 May, 2008 Granny Jan's day

LAD builds an airplane!

Granny Jan had custody of the boy, took lots of pictures. And oh, boy, what fun!
"Are you ready to go, Grandma?"

Cinco de Mayo slipped by without an entry to the weblog.
There were pictures, for sure. We'll get to that later.

Zoe laid claim to my computer chair, so I had to sit on the folding stool.
Love you all,
Ma

4 May, 2008 Finally a calm day

Finally, a calm day, and Lloyd put out several loads of fertilizer
with the Pawnee.
Smudge and Briggs kept me company. Curiosity ....
I worked on my little video monitor, and it worked! Then it quit
working. Haven't figured out why. Curiosity...

The robin babies are awake now, and mom & pop kept scolding me for
snooping in the nest.

A real airplane and a real imitation airplane made landings this
afternoon, enjoying the mild spring day.

Then Randy and LAD arrived from Iowa, just in time to watch Grandpa
Airplane take off on another fertilizer run.
They sat on the old tractor while I gathered the cats for the night.
LAD decided that "It doesn't work!".

3 May, 2008 Hacking a video monitor

Boring story today... hacking up a video monitor for the airplane.
Ever wonder what's inside that pretty dvd monitor?
After identifying and removing the audio connections which I don't
need, removing four screws, the little monitor screen lifts right out.
All I need for the airplane is the video screen and its circuit board
to attach to the instrument panel.
The mounting plate is kinda heavy, so I removed some extraneous
material with a Dremel tool, and drilled holes for new connections to
the airplane.
Amazing, those tiny contacts on that connector strip! That was
tricky, getting that little thing back in its slot.
What? One screw left over? Not really, as that's one of the mounting
bolts. Velcro will attach the whole thing to the instrument panel.
That's tomorrow's project. Isn't this exciting???
What's it for, you ask? Connect to the Nikon D2x, and the photo will
transfer to the monitor up at eye level, instead of being on the back
of the camera down on the floor, so I can tell if I've got the right
shot of the corn field, or coal mine, or city building.

Lloyd made one flight this evening, after today's wind finally died
down. Tomorrow the wind is predicted to be light, so Lloyd will get
to spread more fertilizer in the morning.