Thru the Trees

Golden

Thanksgiving Survivors

Bald Eagle 2

Bald Eagles are migrating thru, and just a hop, skip, and a jump from my house! I've been lucky enough to see them several days in a row. Always a treat to see these magnificent raptors.

Juvenile Eagles

Black Friday

No shopping for me.... I slept in, and now I am going to go hike around Hitchcock Nature Center. It's cloudy, but the weather is warm and it will feel good after stuffing ourselves yesterday!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Being a vegetarian around Thanksgiving is not hard at all. In fact, I get to load up on all the side dishes and I don't get sleepy from the turkey. My favorite of all is the deviled eggs, specifically Melissa's secret recipe. They are like crack cocaine and I could ingest the whole bunch! Today I will be celebrating with friends and family and furkids! I have much to be thankful for..... especially those darn deviled eggs!

The Fab 4

Here's the pack, taking a break from a nice, long hike!

Catch Me If You Can

Treo and Tazer love chasing each other when we go for hikes. They each take turns being the "chaser" and the "chased". Their favorite part is running like psychos in the tall prairie grass and bouncing all over the place.

Teamwork

This past weekend there was a junior handler running her 3 legged Jack Russel. They were a fun team to watch and they did awesome! That little dog was quite fast despite missing a leg, and he even beat some of the other dog's times! This team does not let anything hold them back!

Another Red-Tailed Hawk

These guys are out in full force right now. The leaves are gone, and it makes prey much easier to track down. I see and hear them every day.

One of These Things....

....is not like the other!

A Boy and his Stick

The Hiker

Asha loves going for hikes. It's always a little adventure for her.

Thorns 2

On the Trail

This awesome fall weather is making for some awesome (and strangely warm!) hikes with the dogs. I an actually looking forward to some cooler temps and a little snow on the ground to make our hikes a little more romp-worthy!

Off The Beaten Path

This past weekend I decided to go off the beaten path hiking. I was trying to follow a Kingfisher, but he escaped me. So, I decided to hike into some dense pines and see if I could find anything photo-worthy. There, staring right back at me, was a handsome Barred Owl. He let me get within 10 feet of him, and he did not seemed worried about me at all. I am very glad I chose the path less-traveled, it was very rewarding!

Fountain

My Bike

If you see a TREK bike laying in the weeds or the grass..... please don't steal it. It's probably mine, and I've gotten distracted by something and I've decided to take a hike.

11-11-11

Honor the warrior. Thank a Veteran.

The American flags at the ConAgra Foods World Headquarters. They all used to be flags of the world, but after Sept 11, they were all changed to American flags.

Lights

Bill and John

Just got back from the Elliott Masie Learning Conference where I was able to hear not only President Bill Clinton speak, but also John Lithgow. It was an amazing time, and I attended many seminars that filled my brain. The president's speech was awesome, and John Lithgow did his one man show entitled "Stories by Heart", which was such a treat. I brought my small camera along, and I was able to get a few great shots. When I have time I'll de-noise these and clean them up a bit.

Red Bellied!

I was SUPER excited to see this male Red Bellied Woodpecker visit my tree one evening. He was loud and sassy. He would steal his almond, squawk a few times, and then fly to the neighbor's tree to eat. And then he'd do it again and again..... he returns every evening for dinner, and I always enjoy seeing him.

We've Still Got Color!

First week in November and we are still having gorgeous weather and lovely fall colors. Sure, we had a day of snow.... but it is totally worth the awesome weather we've been having. The leaves haven't been blasted from the trees and things are still pretty lush. I'm still biking and now that we've "fallen back"... more early morning light to bike!

Happy Birthday Tazer!

My big black dog turns 4 today! I could never ask for anything more - he's my biking buddy, my hiking buddy, keeps me warm at night (did I mention dead weight?) and he's a great agility partner. We are learning and growing together, and here's to many, many more years of dorky fun!

Fever

This is Fever...the other puppy mill dog we are fostering. She has come a LONG way! She has totally come out of her shell and she is one sassy Momma! She goes up and down stairs like a champ. She is learning to walk on a leash. She will make someone a wonderful companion.

A Moment of Joy

We are currently fostering 2 puppy mill Australian Shepherds. They lived their entire lives in cages, having babies, no human interaction, and no grass under their feet. They are learning the simple things: how to walk on a leash, how to maneuver stairs, how to walk through doorways, how to be groomed....  they are skittish and uncertain, but they are really starting to come out of their shells. I caught this moment of Savvy just ripping around the yard and being silly. She never had this chance before, and now she has a whole new world opening for her! They will be adopted out through  Midwest Dog Rescue. Won't you take the time to foster a homeless dog this holiday season? It's the best gift you can give, and all you have to give is shelter, food, and love. How hard is that?

Rainy Day Birdbath

Chickadee

I love Chickadees. They always seem angry since they are always making irritated little noises. They are fast and jumpy and don't pose for photos very long.

Looking for Breakfast