Robins, Baby Robins and an Oriole

Our new house is pretty close to a tree outside and it doesnt touch but almost luckily the tree is really old so I doubt will get much bigger.  But in this tree a Robin made a nest, nothing new.  But from the first bedroom we can look right into the nest its pretty cool. Took her a long time to make the nest it seemed but maybe just cause I was waiting on her.  Then on May 23 she was sitting on eggs, finally.

And we waited and waited and finally on June 8th we noticed babies.  They must never get full they just made noise all the time and would fall asleep with mouths open and wake up and chirp more.  Sure are ugly little things good thing it doesn't take long to grow feathers

And by June 17th they were on the ground.  Not flying very good, I probly coulda picked them up but I didn't of course I know how wild animals are.

Kinda fun to see them around now copying their mothers eating worms, flying into windows whatever.  I read the bird book today and it said they can see the ground move where the worms are, kinda creepy but they sure like it here the last little while we been getting lots of rain so the worms are close to the surface.

And I saw a orange bird flying through he didn't stop much but finally found him hidden in the leaves, who knew orange could camo so well in green?  This is when I really like my zoom lens got couple good pics of him.  Never seen a Baltimore Oriole here before, wouldn't have even known that is what is was if Neil's friend hadn't said he saw a bunch at his place.

I don't even really like birds but I can see these from inside my air conditioning when its hot and humid out.  Missed getting pics of the hawk at the end of the driveway this year, only one and hes almost ready to leave the nest.

Stinky!

I headed off to a branding with Dee last Monday and all the sudden I get a text from Neil.  Haha he just saw a visitor drinking out of the puddle in our yard.  He said he woulda shot it but Ziggy was on his way over there so he called the cat and the skunk ran away.  I don't think the he woulda hurt the cat but I wasn't there to coach so now we have to flush him out gently and get rid of him.  I thought I spelled a skunk a couple times but was pretty faint thought it was my imagination since that's the first one we have had here since I been here in 12 years.

Testing

The day after I got my new lens I also notice the Saskatoon bushes were flowering so I thought I would go to the creek and have a look and see how many there are.  I took Bob and my camera and off we went.  Shoulda brought a water too it was hot but I sure liked it when I got back.  As soon as I got close to the hill I could see all the white flowers.  Sure enough lots of them.

(so many in this coulee, my favorite picking area)

(and here looking towards the neighbors, lots as well)

(this hill of trees looks white from blooms)

(even single sticks had blooms on them, 

I think we are gonna have a lot this year)

Then I got looking at some of our crossings, since Neil likes to drive bob around he wants crossing that work good for the side by side, me I prefer crossings my horse can cross, not always the same, he likes big rocks and I like smaller more gravelly.  We got quite a few crossings, I didn't get them all but all in this winter field.

(This used to be a really nice crossing 

and then the beavers built a dam

 now its way to deep to even try to cross, probly 5 feet or so)

(This ones OK, just south of the water for the winter)

(and this one to, looks muddy but its not and super shallow)

(this is OK, not for Bob so it stays nice for horses :) )

(this one has a big hole in it, we are getting it fixed this summer)

(and another with a hole, we collect rocks and put them in there)

(this one is kinda soft, not my favorite one but short so not bad)

(and this ones dry with a million big rocks, I hate it)

And then I finally come across some wildlife, a hawk of some sort, and some deer, thought I would see a lot more but I think Bob is too loud they hear him from far away.

(his head looks bent in half, 

he knows I'm there just not sure if I'm a threat yet)

And after I came back up to the top got a view of the creek looking down south and then back North to the pump house where we water in the winter, regular and totally zoomed in, works good :)  Shoulda brought the regular lens could see not zoomed at all.

(far away view, 55 zoom)

(closer view, 250 zoom)

(and the creek its so windy (not like wind but like curvey))

Then I saw a bunch of wildflowers, sure are pretty when it blooms out here.  Also had something purple on the other side of the creek but no pics today.

(cactus)

(closer cactus)

(dead Canada Thistle)

(buffalo beans)

Alll in all a good trip, I like going down there, I've ridden down there lots, that's always where the company wants to go so we do but not when taking zoom pics, need a pretty still horse for that.

Camera Lens

So I was heading to Drumheller to do the MS Walk on the first and sometimes before I go I like to look and see whats on the buy and sell for that town cause I'm going and can pick it up easier than trying to make plans to get something when I wasn't going anyways.  Actually worked well that day cause it was the first of the month so the groceries were 15% off at my grocery store as well.
Anyway the walk was pretty successful, they raised 22,000.  I guess its down from previous years but the economy is too so not surprising.  Wasn't a real well organized walk, you could do 1,4, or 6K but no one kept track or even made sure you did walk.  They sorta had the paths marked but not very well, no one knew where the different lengths started and we knew the path so we were lucky it worked out well.  But they had lunch donated afterwards and it was really nice day so am glad I got to go with friends and walk.  We did the 6k, I probly coulda done more but that was a good walk and I had a blister from my new shoes rubbing where my sock fell down.

(here's the crew of us, and the picture taker I dunno why hes not in the photo)

Anyways I saw a lady advertising a camera like mine with regular lens and a zoom lens, and on the off chance I just asked if she would split them and just sell the zoom.  Took her forever to get back to me but she said she would.  Yay!  Way cheaper than new price so I was super excited!

I hooked it on my camera and needed to try it out right away, not much was around to take pics of but got a few when I got home fixing the fence so the horses could have a bit of grass.

(Bull laying down outside fence)

(wishing I would let him in)

(Closeup of the eye)

(Couple geese I think nesting in bull pasture)

(the one didn't even get up, no nest that I could find)

(our calf that was starving, hes felling fuller now)

(the cow, her bag was really chapped and dry much better now)

(Trio)

(Dee)

(mmm grass)

Turned out the horses hoping to get some fun pics but they couldn't lift up there heads.

Spring Storm

Part of the deal when I took Easy home was that I was gonna ride him every day.  Well almost he gets one day off a week, maybe 2 after a show.  Not all hard rides but he needs to be kept in shape.  Well since he came home and he was a bit of a nutcase I left him to settle in.  Then I rode him a few times and I will be honest I was a bit worried about riding him here but as soon as I sat my butt in the saddle he was like OK I know how to do this and just was like normal, whew!  Then I got busy and then it snowed and so I haven't rode him a whole lot.  I really got to get back to it.  Arena is way too wet to ride in now, hoping tomorrow or Friday I can work it and then ride.  I guess that's the downfall of dirt, if it was sand I could work it and ride anyways even if it was wet.  I really would like to show on the 8th and the 14th, will depend on if the barn is going to them shows cause I'm not confident enough to go on my own.  If I had been riding him more I probly could go ride out but not sure he's ready (or me) to walk on the soggy wet uneven ground.

(Sunday)

(Sunday)

(Monday, the poplar that looks like a weeping willow)

(Monday, looks way better)

Oh snow, we really needed moisture but if you know me I don't like snow, so was super happy when I got up on Sunday and there was no snow on the ground thought that was the worst of it, then headed up to the Mane Event with a neighbor and it was quite nice up there and come home and its white all over here :(  But while I was up there I went to see Brigitte Meyer of Vitality Equine and won a hat and a gift certificate!  Yay.  Will definitely have to use that, someday I think Easy would like that (maybe)  And visited with Louisa there as well, that was fun to have someone to talk to that understands this cutting thing and as well just getting into it.

So yesterday it was fairly nice out and I was bored cause too soggy to do much and so figured Id got for a walk (road is good) and get some pics of the ponies in the snow.  Well saw gooses and the ponies had no snow it had already melted!

(silly gooses in the snow)

(Razz, Jess, George)

(I love our 2 mile long driveway :) )

(An antelope track, never saw him though expect its bent horn)

(Razz watchin and Jess can't stop eating)

(the geese were back as I got home)

(hard to see but they are flying over the fence)

(the arena is pretty wet yet)

(lawn looking good, even see some new dandelions in there)

(A bit of water in the perennial bed, 

guess I won't have to water your rose for a few days Shirley)

(and melting out behind the house, new lake)

(and the bottom of our stairs needs to be landscaped 

feels like we are gonna get sucked in one day)

So toady will do another walk and maybe can work the garden tomorrow.