Sunday, October 27, 2013

26 Oct., 2013 -- Night bloom

I brought this gangly plant in after a summer in semi-shade, after threatening it with extinction for not blooming in two years. So what do you think... it produced two buds. They start out as little tiny branches, then spend two weeks developing. Today, they started bulging, and after dark, suddenly they pop open and fill the air with such sweet scent! Wish they would last more than one night.



Wednesday, October 16, 2013

2013 Oct. 16 -- Anniversary Fonda & Randy a day late

Oct. 15., and I missed it. Happy Anniversary, kids.
And I will get back to posting again soon!
Yes, I have been taking photos. Whaddyathink...

Thursday, September 12, 2013

12 Sept., 2013 -- Grack and Grubs, our 0440 canoe flag

Grack and Grubs
It's way inside this family's story. This will be the banner on our canoe, boat 0440, in the MO River race on Saturday.
Racetothedome.org, and on Facebook. Twitter too, I suppose, although I can't make sense of most of it. I don't know if raceowl.com will be following it. Probably not, it's ONLY 26.6 miles to Jeff City.

Haven't figured out how to fix it to the canoe yet.
Oh, fearless leader, Grack of Grack and Grubs. How can you lead from the back of the boat...?

Monday, September 9, 2013

7 Sept., 2013 -- Corn Maze

Now, if you think that's a weird corn maze, it's because it's a maze. No hints, no cheating. That's Duncan Smith's corn maze north of Mtn. Grove, and I'm not going to give it away! If you get lost in it, I might give you a hint. I'm not even sure Duncan wanted me to take a picture of it so he could find his way home; he might still be out there!

Monday, August 12, 2013

12 Aug., 2013 -- Flying things

Have been chasing about 3 dozen geese off the runway. Maybe it's too wet for them out there in the grass. It has dumped about 18 inches since Aug. 3, that's about a third of our yearly quota.

All together now, come on... up... up... UP... somebody's out of step...

Do these feathers make my hiney look fat?


Friday, August 9, 2013

26 July, 2013 -- They made it!

Grant and Roger, The Lost Buoys came paddling in under the I70 bridge in St. Charles. They finished 115th out of 180 who finished overall (274 starters), and 26th of 41 finishers in the Men's Tandem (66 starters). Pretty good for a couple of old coots on their first Missouri River 340 mile canoe race.
Coming in under the I70 Bridge at St. Charles, north of St. Louis, after 76 hrs. and 3 minutes on the MO River.


The look in Grant's eyes... FINISH LINE!

Sea legs. 76 hours and 3 minutes.

Grant and Roger, The Lost Buoys. 26th in Men's Tandem out of 41 finishers, 115th of 180 finishers overall.

Thursday, July 25, 2013

25 July, 2013 -- The Lost Buoys

Roger and Grant started out on July 23, 2013 on the Missouri River 340 mile race from Kaw Point in Kansas City to St. Charles in St. Louis, two guys in a canoe. They will finish the race tomorrow, mid-day.

It's a grueling test of will power and stamina, to finish in the 88 hours allowed. The Missouri Conservationist Magazine July edition features a story of last year's race. At Raceowl.com, their progress is posted. They are in the Men's Tandem category, boat 0440. The Lost Buoys.

Day two 24 July, just after passing by the Columbia checkpoint.
Day 3, at Jeff City checkpoint, on way to Hermann. Credit Monica for pics.
This was race morning, 23 July, credit the Kansas City Star.

Wednesday, June 5, 2013

June 5, 2013 -- Out of range - not

June 18. Oops... not a prairie falcon, but the American Kestrel, commonly known as the sparrow hawk, ranging everywhere. Now that I have it on my radar, I see them everywhere. The babies have flown the coop now. Comical, I watched one try to fly to the high power line, didn't make it all the way and tried to grab on to the wooden pole. Failing to hang on to that, it did a 180 and tried for a nearby garage rooftop. Failing to reach that, it bounced off the garage wall and drifted into the grass below, unharmed.

June 5. Prairie Falcon, as near as I can identify, nested in the rafters of our big garage. Yesterday, either the baby fell out because of crowding, or it was just time to fly. However, the baby wouldn't fly away, just ran around on the carport. It wasn't around today, and two are still in the cave. Normal range is mid-Texas and on west.


Friday, May 3, 2013

2013 May 3 -- And we thought it was spring...

Yesterday, 80 degrees. Tonight, 35 degrees and snow.
I know, I know, Iowa has some, Jeff City has some, we have some.
Only Ozarkers know how much is "some".

Holly at right has been blooming, very sweet scent, attracting all the buzzing critters.
The other bushes are trumpet vines that I just trimmed back. They will feed the hummingbirds
this summer. Rather late in the spring season for snow!