The Week in Review

Saturday 12/23/17

Took a drive into Ada for groceries with a drive down the back roads on the way home. I saw 3 hawks in different areas, but only one felt like posing.

Red-tailed Hawk

I stopped to take a picture of another hawk, but he flew. I looked on the other side of the road and saw these cows staring back. I think they were wondering if I might be a new food lady.

Sunday 12/24/17

We spent a quiet Christmas Eve at home. This is the first time I haven't had my daughter and family home for the holiday. I missed them. The sunset was beautiful, though. This is the view from my kitchen window. I did get to talk to my son and grandson from TN, which was really nice.

Monday 12/25/17 

We spent Christmas Day at the EE Ranch. The lady of the house came down with the flu while visiting her daughter for the holidays, so she wasn't home. I volunteered to cook Christmas dinner. 

On the way we saw this cow wandering along the side of the road. Yes, she was on the wrong side of the fence. Obviously looking for the greener on the other side she had heard about.

Santa met us at the door.

After dinner, we watched a movie.

Good food, good friends and a warm fire. Life is good.

Tuesday 12/26/17

Drove into Ada. It was laundry day. I thought I would hate going to the laundromat, but I'm getting used to it. This one has an attendant. She keeps the place clean and tidy. Plus, there are TVs with music videos. Country music, of course. Nice! 

Wednesday 12/27/17

I started a quilt last month. All the pieces are cut and ready to sew. I'm not a talented quilter, so always choose the easy patterns. I'm making a 4-patch. I finally got my sewing machine out to start putting the quilt top together. As I worked on my quilt, I noticed this Meadowlark in the grass. Of course I stopped to take a picture or two through the window. 

Thursday 12/28/17

DC took me out for breakfast in Ada. Although I looked for my lost glove before, we drove back down the same road one more time. DC even got out of the truck and walked down the side of the road. Still no luck. When we got home, I decided to tidy the truck. When I took out the rug we keep to protect the console from Gus's claws guess what I found. That's right, my glove! Glad to have both gloves accounted for since the weather was about to turn really cold.

Friday 12/29/17

It is the week for finding things. One of our friend's calves decided to take a walk to find her family. Well, she has been discovered on a neighbor's ranch. Ms. 38 almost made it back to her mama, but stopped to make new cow friends about half way there. 

This is a closer pic of 38. 

DC and RE loaded the young lady up and took her back home where she has a newly enforced fence to keep her from wandering away again.

Linking to Saturday Critters

Wild Turkey Day

The past few days have been excellent for turkey sightings. I saw these on my way into Ada over the weekend. I stopped in the middle of the road and hopped out of the truck before they noticed me. (evening light)

It didn't take long for them to discover they were being watched. After about 4 shots, they disappeared into the trees. 

I saw the turkeys below yesterday when I drove the same road looking for one of my gloves I seemed to have lost. I thought I dropped it on the road when I hopped out of the truck with my camera. (morning light)

Sadly, no gloves were found.

However, once I got home I decided to search the truck once more. I moved the rug from the console, used to keep Gus from digging his claws into the upholstery, and viola! there it was. Just in time for this very cold weather!

Hope you are staying warm. Happy Wednesday and best wishes for a wonderful New Year!

Linking to Wild Bird Wednesday

It's Tuesday

I hope everyone had an awesome Christmas and have sufficiently recovered from the festivities. I think I might avoid food for at least a week!

Below is an old abandoned loading chute. It almost looks black and white, but I did shoot it in color.

A little farther down the road is this collapsed building. I'm not sure whether it was a house or a barn. Anyone interested in a fixer upper?

And with all the cold weather we are having, this stack of firewood is indeed a treasure for those with a fireplace or wood burning stove.

Linking to Tuesday Treasures

Merry Christmas

The Week in Review

Saturday 12/16/17

Beautiful sunrise. 

Dust from a truck travelling south. We sure could use some rain.

Sunday 12/17/17

We woke up to fog. This is the view from my kitchen window while making coffee.

When I went back for a second cup, to my surprise, this was the view from my kitchen window. I asked DC if he knew we were going to have cattle grazing around us, but he hadn't heard anything. 

Unsure whether or not these cows were escapees or supposed to be here, I sent a text to our landlord. She said the cows were trespassing and they were on their way. 

Seems there was a gate open between this property and the property to the west (where they were not supposed to be either). They asked us to watch and if they went back through the gate to close it. 

Soon they wandered through the gate and DC went to close the gate. Gate successfully closed.

Later we rode over to BE and CE's house to see their new calves. On the way I saw a Blue Heron standing hip deep in a pond we were passing. I screamed for DC to stop and I hopped out with my trusty camera to sneak back. Sadly, he flew. As I was looking for another photo op at the pond, I saw DC motioning me to come and pointing toward the south side of the road. I sneaked back and saw this armadillo. Now they are normally dead on the road, but I have seen 2 live ones running across the road in front of me. However, they ran into the tall grass before I could snap a pic to prove they were alive. So I did not let this opportunity pass. I snapped several headless pics and then started calling out, whistling, and DC even honked the truck horn. Still that silly animal kept rooting. It was as if he couldn't hear us. Finally we gave up. But at least I had proof there are actually living creatures.

When we arrived, I found Little Bob inspecting the newly installed cattle feeder. 

And then I saw the new calves. Nice looking critters! Their names were still 37 and 38. The E grand kids will eventually name them. 

This is 38 enjoying the hay. Sadly, she disappeared sometime in the night. Now only 37 is left. Hopefully, 38 will turn up in the neighboring pasture. As of today, she is still missing.

Monday 12/18/17

We drove into town for breakfast and saw Scout guarding the perimeter at the EE ranch.

Tuesday 12/19/17

Laundry day. Since we are living in our RV for the winter, I'm remembering what it's like to do dishes without a dishwasher and do laundry at the laundromat. I drive 16 miles to a pretty nice laundromat, as laundromats go. I like to go early before the rush. It was another foggy morning with some rain.

Wednesday 12/20/17

It was overcast, but in the mid 60s, so decided to take Gus for a walk down to the back pond. He liked running and stopping to sniff all the strange smells and then running again. Being a city dog, he isn't used to the freedom. Gus is loving it here.

Thursday 12/21/17

Absolutely gorgeous day. Mid 70s. Had errands to run in town. On the way back I stopped by the Double E. They were hauling hay. 

Friday 12/22/17

Poured down rain all day. Braved the weather to go grocery shopping. Must have food for our Christmas meal. We will have a guest. In the evening, we were invited to a Christmas meal with friends. Fun time.

Merry Christmas!

Linking to Saturday Critters

Meadowlarks

Meadowlarks are plentiful around here. I only saw them on occasion in Illinois, but here in Oklahoma they are all around us. I first spotted these two on the wire behind out house.

This one was in a tree beside the road.

This guy was standing on a weed in the pasture beside our driveway. He posed quite a while before flying away.

Linking to Wild Bird Wednesday

Tuesday Treasures

Television was limited in my dad's house. We were never allowed to watch shows like Bewitched or I Dream of Jeannie. Witches and Genie's were considered the work of the devil. But robbing banks and shooting people seemed to be okay. Every Saturday night, we would load up the car and drive to my aunt and uncle's house to watch Gunsmoke and Have Gun Will Travel. I'm not complaining. I enjoyed them almost as much as my dad. It just seemed odd that comedy was out and killing was in. But then like most men, he loved westerns. 

Last April, DC took me to the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum in Oklahoma City. It was an awesome experience. Below are a few examples of the western treasures inside. My header photo is from the museum.

Matt Dillon

Festus

After Gunsmoke was over we watched Have Gun Will Travel. These are Paladin's guns.

On Saturday mornings, we watched The Roy Rogers Show. 

And who could forget all those John Wayne westerns. 

Linking to Tuesday Treasures

Birds and Barns

I put up bird feeders last Thursday. Since my feeders in Illinois are usually emptied in little more than a day, I was surprised to find the feeders here in Oklahoma still full this morning. 

 This mockingbird stopped for a brief visit and then flew away.

And this Savannah sparrow spent some time right behind the feeders. He flew away, as well. Hopefully, they noticed the food and will inform their friends.

On my way into Ada this morning, I saw this white-crowned sparrow on a gate. 

This guy was on at the other end of the same gate. This shot was taken through a dusty windshield, so it isn't very clear. I'm not sure what kind he is, but believe him to be a Harris's Sparrow. Anyone know if this is correct?

I'm fairly proud of this Red-tailed hawk shot. I chase them all the time, but rarely get a good pic. 

Linking to The Bird D-Pot 

Below is a barn full of hay.

 Linking to The Barn Collective

Horse Critters

Sleepy found a particularly tasty spot of grass in the far corner of the pasture. As he was chewing a strange sound reached his ears. His head shot up. "Bo, did you hear something?" Bo continued grazing. "I think it was that new food fella calling us up to the round pen." All chewing stopped so he could hear more clearly. "Yes! That's him. Come on! I bet he wants to give us a treat."

Sleepy took off, barely missing Bo as he charged past.

Bo, Dylan, and Little Bill were not far behind.

Sure enough, the new food man was passing out treats.



Life is good.

Linking to Saturday Critters