California Newt Up Close

Cascade Creature, originally uploaded by ParsecTraveller.

This little guy was basking in the sun next to a wonderful mossy waterfall in Las Trampas. Newts are so cool, and seeing them move about means that spring can't be far away...

Homecoming

.. is the Year of Homecoming for Scots from all over the world. In my own home village tonight will see young and old, natives and exiles enjoying traditional entertainment and delicacies in the community hall. Wish I was there.
* 'weel kent' = well known. Stovies are a traditional, rib-sticking dish which provides fuel on which to dance the night away.

Two for One or in this case it's One for Two

On a recent trip to take the twins to see their great-grandparents, I traveled with my daughter up to Tennessee. We stopped for lunch, but the place only had one high chair. Not to worry. We put both of the itty bitties into the available chair, and they had a grand time swapping french fries. Aren't they the cutest things since...well, ever?

Crex Meadows Wildlife Area

After our bike ride on the Cannon Valley Trail earlier this week, we headed to Crex Meadows WildlifeArea in Grantsburg, Wisconsin.In thefirst two photos shown here Jessica is looking for Sandhill Cranes in the fog during the first light of the day. We could hearalot of cranesin the distance but couldn't see them at first because the fog was so thick.



Eventuallly the fog started to clear enough that we were able to start seeing some of the cranes.


Loved this view through the fog of a group of cranes standing on a mud flat.


For about 10 minutes the clouds and fog cleared enough that a bit of sunlight came through and gave us some really cool light. Once the sky cleared a little, the cranes started to take flight.




Sandhill Cranes in the early morning light, diffused by thick fog.


There were several thousand cranes at the refuge, this view along Main Dike Road was where we saw most of them.


These three cranes were walking with purpose across this flowage.


Cranes in flight... love the subtle yet beautiful variation in color on their wings!


We enjoyed a breakfast snack at the "Rest Area" along North Refuge Road. The rest area was surrounded by beautiful oak trees, and looked out over a vast field which included a pond complete with a beaver lodge along the edge of the pond. Every now and then a few cranes would call as they flew overhead. It was a little slice of heaven for us :-)

Wish for a Walk

The soldier in the photo is my dad, still recuperating from the malaria he contracted in the South Pacific during World War II. A few months after he was sent back to the US, my Mom took the train from Chicago to Virginia for their wartime wedding, along with two of her sisters and my dad's baby sister - that's one of my aunts on the left.
November 11th was a good day to remember my father, because he was a veteran, and to remember my aunt, because November 11th was her birthday – the day was known as “Peace Day” back in the twenties when she was born. I talked to my mom earlier today and she thinks that the flowers in my aunt’s hand were Sweetpeas.
If my dad were alive and here at my house, and if my aunt were alive and came for a visit, we'd all be taking a garden walk together, because they were gardeners, too. I can’t take them on a November tour, but I can take you.
The leaves of the hardy white Hibiscus moscheutos ‘Blue River II’ are one of the few things in the garden that have changed to a yellow autumn color. The Salvia elegans/ Pineapple sage is at its reddest, and the Salvia guaranitica is at its bluest at this time of year.
If Blogger would be ever work right, there'd be a photo of Mexican Marigold/Tagetes lucida right here. Mexican Marigold doesn’t bloom until late fall, and the Rosemary is also blooming right now. Mexican mint marigold leaves can be used to give a tarragon flavor in cooking, helpful in Central Texas where tarragon is almost impossible to grow. Whether I cook with them or not, the color is just right for November.
The Snail Vine/Phaseolous caracalla has been a solid performer since spring.

It's been covered in flowers during summer, and is still making buds and blooms today, but in all those months, I’ve never seen a seed pod. This vine has completely engulfed the obelisk, needing frequent clipping – it's been two weeks since the last clean-up, and the vine is sending long tendrils in every direction, reaching out all over the bed, trying to strangle the Duranta erecta/Skyflower.
The rampant nature of the snail vine makes me think I’d rather put something else on the obelisk next spring. The vegetation is very densely packed, forming into a huge blob toward the top that casts too much shade on the other plants, as if it's trying to shade out whatever it hasn’t been able to choke to death. Snail vine is not supposed to be hardy, so I probably won’t have to evict it, just let winter edit this part of the garden. Perhaps I'll let the Moon Vine grow on this obelisk next year, so the flowers can rise higher that the fence, and will have four sides on which to flaunt those fragrant white flowers, instead of the flat, 6-foot fence.

There are signs of autumn here, but they’re quite different from the gold and red leaves of the North.
I know it’s fall when my Camellia japonica ‘Pius IX’ starts swelling round buds all over the branches.

There’s a Sasanqua camellia in the garden, too, but it didn’t like the weather last summer and is sulking this fall, without a single bud. The japonica has had full years and sparse years, but ever since I bought it in the autumn of .., each winter there have been flowers.

The other signal that autumn has arrived is a tree in bud, and I so wish my dad and aunt could have seen this one.
It’s the lovely Loquat tree, [Eriobotrya japonica] stretching out long panicles of flower buds, which will open in a few weeks, sending their fragrance all over the garden.

My Favorite Soldier

I couldn't let Veterans Day go by without mentioning my favorite soldier, my oldest son Garrett. He's now serving in Iraq and will be there until sometime next fall. Here are some photos I took of him in various disguises and as he was getting ready to leave home for the last time before being deployed.
He's such a goofball. When he walks into a room it lights up. We all miss him so much and pray constantly for his safety. We love you Garrett!

This and That

For those of you that are looking for my race photos, your wait is over. Last night I got them posted on the NaugaBike web site. Here's the link to the Maskenthine Race.
Sunday, it was trail day at Tranquility Park. Some 17 or so THOR members turned out. Order of the day was erosion control. In addition, the new trail markers were installed.
Thanks to everyone helped put. Great to see you up and about, Doug.
Monday I got my first true dirt ride. Rode the green & blues at Lake Manawa. Sure was great to be back playing in the woods! By the time I finished my loop, I was really feeling good. Everything seemed to click again.
I came across one dead fall in Woodchopper. Also, one spot in Woodchopper had some brush hanging over the trail - cleared that. Another THOR member says there's another one over the trail. Later today I will be calling our TrailLeader. Make sure he knows about the problem and discuss plans for the Lake Manawa Clean-up Day.
Wednesday, would have liked to ride in the dirt, but the trails looked just to soft from the rain Tuesday. I headed out from Xtreme Wheels, over to Manawa, checkedout the singletrack, then rode around the lake. Turned out to be a pretty good ride. My log topped over 400 miles for the year so far.

Spend some time reviewing specs on trail bikes. I had been planning to buy a full suspension 69er. But, I am not sure Trek has the bike dialed in quite right. And it does not yet have the EVO and ABP. That leaves me the Fuel EX. Several times (couple models of) I have ridden the Fuel EX7. It is a sweet ride. Would like to ride it now with the new EVO and ABP refinements. I could also ride (check out) the specialized Stumpjumper. That was a good ride last year at Black Hills FTF. Lastly, I could just tide my Trek 4300 for another year (but what is the fun in that).