Happy 3rd Anniversary Big Boy

 3 years ago today he decided he wanted to come inside and stay.  He is a sweet boy, very onery but loves his big sister Groucho so much.  He is very vocal and so much energy.  I am glad he chose me to take care of him and love him.

Postcards From D27 and D36

 

Thanks for writing, D27 and D36! D27 has moved back into her favorite wintering spot just south of the hatchery, dashing our hopes for a nest in the Spillville area this year. If you visit the cluster map and drill way, way in, you'll be able to see just how much time she's spent in this area in spring, winter, and fall.

D36 has headed a little further south since his last eagle airmail. He's currently spending time on the Iowa River in the Meskwaki Nation Settlement near Tama, Iowa. I'm sure he has plenty of company since the Nation has preserved a lot of land within their borders and it looks like excellent eagle habitat: plenty of low bottomland and a beautiful high upland with cliffs and steep slopes for thermal soaring and night time sheltering.

When can we expect D27 and D36 to head north, and will D27 head north? Our eagles have typically widened their wanderings in March as the weather warms, ice melts, and migratory adult eagles head north for the breeding season. But last year, D36 and D27 didn't really head north until July, and neither one stayed north very long. That wasn't surprising in the case of D27, since older eagles don't tend to wander as much even when they aren't nesting. We were a little surprised by one-year-old D36 and are very curious to see what he does this year.

Thanks for phoning home, eagles. Stay safe and don't forget to write!

Scrappy Has a Home

 I kept thinking Scrappy needed a home of some sort where no one would bother her.  I got the bright idea of making her one, I was going to make everything from scrap but I found this box at Hobby Lobby along with the fireplace. I found the word Create, bench, and book cases at Joan's.  The rest I used stuff I found at work to make her little place.  This was 2 weeks worth of my brain being on fire and then being fried.  She has a siamese cat that needs a name.  She has a TV (there is a website that has all kinds of doll house furniture you can make).  These pictures aren't the best but it was so bright I could not get good ones, but you get the idea of what her house looks like.  I do have the sofa cushion and pillow done, will get pics next week along with her St Pat's day outfit.

February she was cupid complete with arrow and bow.

And what girl does not need to go all out for Mardi Gras.

If Roses Grow in Heaven

 

Happy Birthday Dad

 My dad would have been 98 today, does not seem that he should have been that old.  I went to the dentist today and he would have gone with me.  I took pineapple upside down cookies in his honor.  He loves pineapple upside cake and they used to give him a cookie and coffee while he waited for me.  So it seemed fitting.  I know grandma is busy frying chicken and making him a cake and all but one half brother is there so what a feast and celebration it will be.  Happy Birthday Dad, love and miss you lots. 

Loopy Ewe

 Can you hear the tears this evening.  Loopy Ewe just sent out an email they are retiring and closing up shop.  No more virtual Camp Loopy in the summer, I got a Bachelors and Master from special projects, so much fun doing a lot of the special things they offered.  I had not heard much from them lately and wondered what was up.  Well now we know.  

This yarn store has a YUGE following, I can only imagine the customer base they have.  They used to be in STL and then moved to Colorado Springs, they were always on my bucket list so guess I can cross that one off.

Thanks for all the years of fun I had and teaching myself new things so I could play along with the various projects you offered for all of us.  I wish you well and hope your retirement lets you rest and work on your bucket list.

https://blog.theloopyewe.com/https://blog.theloopyewe.com

Postcards from D27 and D36

 

Where are 27 and D36? D27 sent us a postcard from Spillville, IA and D36 checked in from the Cedar River near Waterloo! We asked Brett about their travel patterns - if you check out D27's map especially, you'll see that she's been pretty sedentary since arriving in the Spillville area on January 9. She hasn't traveled farther than 2.2 miles and most of her flights have been considerably shorter than that.

In extremely cold weather, eagles will hold tight to an area if they have a good nighttime roost and protected daytime perches. Spillville sits in a shallow river valley which becomes much steeper just south and east of town: a perfect place to roost out of the wind, with plenty of places to find food! We're really curious about D27's activities this spring. She turns five years old on April 1. Will she decide to settle down and raise a family, or wander around for a few more years? We'll find out soon!

D36 is sticking close to the Cedar River south of Waterloo, Iowa - about 61 miles south of his natal nest. This is the second year in a row he visited this stretch of the Cedar. We'll see if he wanders even further south, like he did last year! Followers told me this is a great place to see eagles, which means that D36 has plenty of company!

Thanks for the postcards, eagles! Stay safe and don't forget to write! If you'd like to explore the travels of any of the eagles we've tracked, visit our interactive maps at https://www.raptorresource.org/learning-tools/eagle-map/. A thousand thanks to Brett Mandernack and the staff of Eagle Valley for sharing their maps, knowledge, and expertise!

Meat Loaf

 Not the kind you eat but the man with the most beautiful voice.  He passed this week at 74.  I grew up with his music and this show off his voice.  RIP

https://www.themix.net/2018/12/meat-loaf-showed-the-world-how-the-national-anthem-should-be-sung/?fbclid=IwAR0XuV14TvKzkzHEFgHz8301F2N6PhgI9qDjPCT-7odDgqDZbu31C8knPFs

Scrappy

 We have a mascot at work, she is a light bulb made out of felt. Her name is Scrappy.  She is named after the business ScrapsKC and the lightbulb is for the ideas you get while wandering through the store. We take in used textiles, crafts, school and office supplies and other oddities people donate.  Last September we acquired a mascot.  A couple days before Halloween my boss asked me if I could dress her for halloween.  As you can see she is very hard to dress as she is all head and hardly any body.  So I made her a princess, fairy, bride, whatever you want her to be.  So now each month she gets a different costume.  She has become quite popular and is now on tiktok.  

The girls at work decided she needed her own runway so I present the different faces of Scrappy so far.  Stay tuned for her monthly costumes and antics. I think she needs her own FB page.

Drinking Coffee

 

 

My grandmother always drank her coffee like this! I thought it was because it was too hot.

Do you remember older generations drinking from their saucer? Then today I came across this poem that made me feel there was symbolism to the coffee ritual. 

 

Drinking from My Saucer

by John Paul Moore

I’ve never made a fortune and it’s probably too late now.

But I don’t worry about that much, I’m happy anyhow.

And as I go along life’s way, I’m reaping better than I sowed.

I’m drinking from my saucer, ‘Cause my cup has overflowed.

I don’t have a lot of riches, and sometimes the going’s tough.

But I’ve got loved ones around me, and that makes me rich enough.

I thank God for his blessings, and the mercies He’s bestowed.

I’m drinking from my saucer, ’Cause my cup has overflowed.

I remember times when things went wrong, my faith wore somewhat thin.

But all at once the dark clouds broke, and the sun peeped through again.

So God, help me not to gripe about the tough rows that I’ve hoed.

I’m drinking from my saucer, ‘Cause my cup has overflowed.

If God gives me strength and courage, when the way grows steep and rough.

I’ll not ask for other blessings, I’m already blessed enough.

And may I never be too busy, to help others bear their loads.

Then I’ll keep drinking from my saucer, ‘Cause my cup has overflowed.

D27 and D36 Send Postcards to RRP

 

 

Thanks for the postcards, D36 and D27! The last time we posted, the two eaglets were crossing paths on the Turkey River near Clermont, Iowa. D27 came back to the Decorah area in late November and has been looping around it ever since! She flew west to farm country, turned south to Spillville, cut back through Calmar, checked out a favorite river valley just south of the hatchery, and flew back to the Ten-Mile Creek area, where she remains as of this post.

Almost ready to nest?

If you've been following D27 for a while, you might have noticed that she's putting on fewer miles. While different eagles have different flight patterns, bald eagles in general tend to become more sedentary as they age. D27 will turn five this spring: old enough to attract a mate, establish a territory, and start a family of her own. We don't know whether she'll settle down - not every eagle or falcon starts a family as soon as they reach sexual maturity - but we're crossing our talons that her transmitter will remain active long enough for us to see where she nests.

D36 near Waterloo, Iowa

D36 followed his half-sister north as far as Postville. He stayed in the Postville area for several days before flying south to the Cedar River southeast of Waterloo. While this hasn't been a hugely popular spot with our eagles - D14 and D36 are the only two Decorah eagles we've spotted here - I've been told it is an excellent spot to see eagles. With winter finally here, I'm curious to see whether he remains in the area or takes the Cedar down to the Mississippi River. Followers might remember that he spent some time down near Columbus Junction last winter. This is an excellent location that sometimes seems as much water as earth, especially in the spring. But with Iowa weather forecast to be (relatively) warm in January, D36 might chose to remain where he is or even fly north toward Decorah if larger rivers and creeks stay open.

Flight 2022

Never Too Early to Start For The Next Year

 

'TWAS THE NIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS

'Twas the night before Christmas and all around me

Was unfinished knitting not under the tree.

The stockings weren't hung by the chimney with care

'cause the heels and the toes had not a stitch there.

The children were nestled all snug in their beds

but I had not finished the caps for their heads.

Dad was asleep; he was no help at all,

And the sweater for him was six inches too small.

When out on the lawn there arose such a clatter,

I put down my needles to see what was the matter.

Away to the window, I flew like a flash,

Tripped over my yarn and fell down with a crash.

The tangle of yarn that lay deep as the snow

Reminded me how much I still had to go.

Out on my lawn, I heard such a noise,

I thought it would wake both dad and the boys.

And though I was tired, my brain was a bit thick,

I knew in a moment, it must be Saint Nick.

But what I heard then left me perplexed-ed,

For not a name I heard was what I had expected

"move, Ashford; move, Lopi; move, Addie and Clover

Move, Reynolds; move, Starmore; move, Fraylic--move over"

"Paton, don't circle round; stand in line.

Come now, you sheep wool work just fine!

I know this is hard semi, it's just your first year,

I'd hate to go back to eight tiny reindeer."

I peered over the sill; what I saw was amazing,

Eight woolly sheep on my lawn all a'grazing.

And then, in a twinkle, I heard at the door

Santa's feet coming across the porch floor.

I rose from my knees and got back on my feet,

And as I turned round, Saint Nick, I did meet.

He was dressed all in wool from his head to his toe

And his clothes were handknit from above to below.

A bright Fairisle sweater he wore on his back,

and his toys were all stuffed in an Aran knit sack.

His cap was a wonder of bobbles and lace,

A beautiful frame for his rosy red face.

The scarf round his neck could have stretched for a mile,

And the socks peeking over his boots were Argyle.

The back of his mittens bore an intricate cable,

And suddenly on one I spied a small label.

SC was duplicate stitched on the cuff,

and I asked "Hey Nick, did you knit all this stuff?"

He proudly replied "Ho-ho-ho, yes I did,

I learned how to knit when I was a kid."

He was chubby and plump, a quite well-dressed old man,

And I laughed to myself for I'd thought up a plan,.

I flashed him a grin and jumped up in the air,

And the next thing he knew he was tied to a chair.

He spoke not a word, but looked in his lap

Where I'd laid my needles and yarn for a cap.

He quickly began knitting, first one cap then two;

For the first time I thought I'd really get through.

He put heels on the stockings and toes in some socks

While I sat back drinking Scotch on the rocks!!

So quickly like magic, his needles they flew,

That he was all finished by quarter to two.

He sprang for his sleigh when I let him go free,

And over his shoulder he looked back at me.

And I heard him exclaim as he sailed past the moon

"Next year start your knitting sometime around June.