Poe and the Squirrel

I have a new possum on the deck, she is black and white and isn't she cute?  My niece named her Poe.  My gray feral cat kept checking her out but not getting too close as she spent about 3 hours "hiding" from everyone. She had a nap here and finally left.  This little squirrel came up on the deck and was like Whoa what is that as he looked at me and then her.  Looks like he is losing the end of his winter tail, he might want to keep that as it is to get cold again and possible snow this weekend.

Feeling DIscombobulated

It has been one of those years. My niece had her tonsils removed and part of her uvula in March for which I was there.  Shortly after her husband moved in with me because he got a job here.  May we went out for her graduation and moved them here, they lived in my basement for 6 months.  Now I am slowly putting my house back together.  If that isn't enough to discombobulate one, the real reason has to be that I have NOT knitted one pair or socks this year.  That is so unlike me.  SO since we celebrated Christmas yesterday because they are working lots of hours tomorrow I shall spend the day in quiet solitude making a pair of socks.

Christmas Cactus

My pink girl is going nuts with the blooms this year.  The other one my mom almost killed.  2 summers ago when I brought it home it had a couple of leaves and that was it. So i babied it and it now has 2 blooms. I think it was a red one.

First Snow

I am never ready for the first snow because I just don't like winter.  Technically it is not Winter yet, but you know what I mean.  I prefer Spring and Summer where the weather is nice and no snow, ice, sunless days on end and bitter cold temps.

We are to get around an inch but still it is snow and with the temps dropping the roads may get icy in the morning. I dont have to go anywhere but my niece has to go go work and get off in the morning. I will worry about her.

I went out and fed my ferals with extra kibbles for the night and took some pics.

VOTE

Today is another election day.  I enjoy the electricity around going to the polls, filling out my forms, talking to a stranger in line about mindless things and then coming to see if I voted the way the majority did and walking out with my I Voted sticker.  I don't want to vote early because today is kind of like Christmas, there is the excitement of the day. 

Voting is still a privilege in this country and if you are a citizen you should care and vote.  I care more that you vote than how you vote.  And if you don't vote shut up cos you don't have a right to complain.  Also when the returns come in you can have a couple days to complain but not 2 years, grow up already, everyone can't win all the time. 

I am hoping we keep the whole Congress tonight and the governors as well.  So get out there and vote, take a snack cos the lines are long, do your research and vote how you believe and feel not how some movie star or media person tells you how to. What do YOU want the country to look like and vote that way. 

I Am An American

Before The Wind

Sunday is to be a windy day which the weather people say will take the leaves down,so they suggest today and tomorrow we get pics of the gorgeous colors this year. I have 3 of these red/gold leaved trees which are just brilliant in color this Fall. I also have some of these purple red trees which are very toned down compared to the others.  My one tree by the garage is usually bright red but not quite there yet, hopefully it will turn before the leaves fall.

There is a New Man in Mom's Life

This morning on the Decorah nest there is a new male with mom bringing in sticks working on the nest for February when eggs are laid.  This is not the same one that showed up after Dad left.  I still believe the one after Dad disappeared was Bob Anderson in eagle form protecting the nest and babies for Dad.  He left when he knew the eaglets were gone and Mom was gonna be ok.  This new male is so handsome. I hope mom chose wisely as she will never find someone like Dad but... we can only hope this one comes close.  Stay tuned to see how it all unravels.

D27 Came Home for a Visit

Raptor Resource Project

21 mins ·

It looks like D27 visited our banding station on Thursday! We got a call from station master Dave Kester about an eagle that nearly came into one of our nets. While it avoided capture, Sophia noticed it had a backpack and band! We determined it was a second year eagle based on plumage, since a third-year eagle would have had more salt and pepper (dark and pale feathers), and a first year eagle (assuming it was from some other study) would have been darker. At about the same time, Brett let us know that D27 had arrived back in Decorah! We weren't able to track her directly to the station, since her transmitter was in off-cycle when we saw her. But the coordinates we do have put her right in the area. Way to go, D27!

Thanks to Sophia Landis for the photo. She digiscoped it through one of the windows of the banding blind - not an easy feat! We hope to see D27 again.

Tajiri is NOT Moving

From Animal Adventure Park:  Tajiri was to move soon but looks like he will be staying put and getting a wife soon.

In the interest of maintaining honesty, integrity and transparency, Animal Adventure Park must announce that it has unexpectedly cancelled the transfer of Tajiri the Giraffe. Requirements and deadlines were not satisfied in the given time frame to make the scheduled transfer by the end of this month possible.
As we've long stated, it is not ideal for Tajiri to remain in the same proximity as his parents, which has prompted the park's owner and contractors to work and plan quickly. Construction will begin Monday to erect the appropriate building to house Tajiri and a possible second giraffe or companion animal, for the colder months, and exhibition in the future. This exhibit will absorb a large portion of the anticipated Wilds of Asia expansion slated for a 2019 opening, likely now delayed. The park anticipates this project will take three to four weeks to reach completion. This will allow a timely transfer to the new space, prior to extreme cold weather, and give April the Giraffe ample time to prepare for her expected calf in 2019.

This decision was made late Thursday after thorough consideration and consultation with park ownership, park veterinarian, and park regulatory agencies, who all unanimously agree that this is the proper course of action. The safety, security and welfare of our animals remains priority number one, and we feel it is best at this time, to keep Tajiri in place, at home, at Animal Adventure Park.

An Afternoon in the Stacks

An Afternoon in the stacks
by Mary Oliver

Closing the book, I find I have left my head
inside. It is dark in here, but the chapters open
their beautiful spaces and give a rustling sound,
words adjusting themselves to their meaning.
Long passages open at successive pages. An echo,
continuous from the title onward, hums
behind me. From in here, the world looms,
a jungle redeemed by these linked sentences
carved out when an author traveled and a reader
kept the way open. When this book ends
I will pull it inside-out like a sock
and throw it back in the library. But the rumor
of it will haunt all that follows in my life.
A candleflame in Tibet leans when I move.

It's That Time of Year

As Summer and Fall duke it out we are having a lot of wind and wet sloppy rain today.  Later in the evening we may some of that white stuff for the first time this season.  The trees are beginning to turn.  My favorites the color is so vibrant.  I have 2 of these in my yard.

There is a sub-adult on the Y branch at N1 at Decorah this afternoon enjoying the snow.

Ed Sheeran

Ed Sheeran is in town tonight and since I cant go to the concert I am just gonna enjoy his voice on YouTube tonight.  Listen with me.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iKzRIweSBLA&list=PLaq655wqcKDnUvTOizhqwNCiiF_grL1vh&index=1