Skywatch Friday

Overcast, but not from a cloudy day. It's smoke from the wildfires in Canada.

Linking to Skywatch 

Thankful Thursday - Sunflowers

 I love sunflowers. I once planted them all along one side of the garden shed where we used to live. They brought lots of nature to the backyard, especially goldfinches and hummingbirds. 

Someone planted an entire field of them down by the river access. This isn't them. I took this pic at Sam Parr State Park. 

This is them. When we left for vacation, they were tall, I only saw one or two in bloom.

Then we went to Tennessee and Minnesota and by the time we came back, this is what we found. 

Next summer ...

Linking to Thankful Thursday

Fences

This horse followed Hubby as he walked along the fence, and I'm pretty sure he wondered if there might be a carrot in his future. :)

The grass is always greener on the other side of the fence.

It's Thursday. Have a great day!

Wednesday Hodgepodge

 1. What's worth standing in line for? Not a fan of standing in line for anything, but I will at the DMV to renew my driver's license. Not by choice, but because I must. :)  I suppose I would stand in line at the airport to board a plane or enter a concert venue to see someone like Paul McCartney. 

2. Tell us about a favorite food related memory. It isn't my favorite, but it is a food memory. My dad required us to clean our plates at every meal. One day, when I felt so full I couldn't face eating another bite, my dad gave me the 'think about those starving children in other countries' lecture. Not sure what I was thinking, but I replied, "What do you want me to do? Mail it to them?" I don't remember much after that. :)

3. What are some things you find particularly peaceful or calming? Cottonwood tree leaves rustling in the wind, birds singing their morning songs, and the feel of a soft breeze on my face.

4. Is there something you do now that gets you just as excited as it did when you were a child? Walking inside a movie theater, greeted by the smell of freshly popped popcorn, and lots of candy to choose from.

5. To what degree are you in touch with friends from grade school? high school? college if you attended college? I am still great friends with two of them, one from first grade and another from third grade. I keep in touch with several others through social media, particularly Facebook and that's the only reason I'm still on there. We are below, A, me, and C.

6. Insert your own random thought here. We moved back to Illinois from Oklahoma last October. I miss the horses and cattle in ranch country. I'm not a fan of Illinois, but family and nearby doctors are the draw. I moved away from Illinois in 1973, back in 2005 for twelve years, and back again in 2024. In between I lived in Tennessee twice, North Carolina once, Texas twice, and Oklahoma once. My favorite state you ask. I love Texas, but we lived in Dallas and the traffic has become too much, so guess I would choose Oklahoma. Too bad we are getting old and it was nearly a two hour ride to the doctor. Otherwise, we might still be living there. Nah, I'd miss my family. Plus, it's only a fifteen minute drive to the farthest doc now.

Linking to Wednesday Hodgepodge

Wild Bird Wednesday - Dickcissel

 Dickcissel 

Linking to Wild Bird Wednesday

Wordless Wednesday - Bull

 Bull and Snow on the Mountain wildflowers

Linking to Wordless Wednesday

Tuesday Treasures - Squirrels

 From his perch on his favorite limb, Mr. Squirrel eyed a shiny new feeder brimming with seeds. He knew it was one of those newfangled "squirrel-proof" models. I bet I can break into that flimsy thing, he thought. He scampered down the tree and stood on his hind legs below the bright red feeder, assessing the situation. He circled, schemed, and when he had a plan in place, stretched tall, grabbed hold of the metal, and shinnied up the pole. He stopped to peek in the window, and his mouth watered in anticipation. He tugged at the tiny ports, but they snapped shut under his weight. Undeterred, he checked the roof, but when that didn't work, he looked down. It was then he discovered if he clung to the side of the feeder, he could lean down and eat his fill. The squirrel dined until his belly felt full, then called out to his brothers and sisters to come enjoy the feast. 

The feeder lady watched from her seat on the deck. She shook her head, chuckled, and threw up her hands in defeat. "Well, Mr. Squirrel, you've won this round.

  

  

Linking to Tuesday Treasures

Nature Notes - Finches

 Goldfinch and Housefinch

Have a wonderful Monday!

Linking to Nature Notes

My Day - Monday

 I saw this on another blog and thought I would try it on Mondays for the week ahead.

Outside my window ... A squirrel, eyes darting back and forth searching for danger while filling his cheeks with corn from the ears I put by the trunk of their tree, as if stealing instead of accepting a gift.

I am thinking ... I should be editing, but there are chores to finish first.

I am thankful ... summer is still here, but looking forward to September and cooler temperatures.

I am wearing ... my favorite sandals to show off pretty pink nail polish.

I am creating ... a final chapter ending is swirling around inside my head.

I am going ... for a drive with Gus and Hubby later.

I am reading ... Hidden Nature by Nora Roberts

I am hoping ... for one more cup of coffee.

I am learning ... how much I dislike cleaning the shower

I am pondering ... what picture to post for the 'high' prompt for Weekend Roundup's letter H.

Around the house ... the grass is growing and needs attention.

In the kitchen ... nothing yet. No idea what to plan for dinner.

One of my favorite things ... watching rodeo. I stayed up too late last night to see who won the all-around.

A few plans for this week ... mundane housework, a backroad ramble, and maybe find a new restaurant to try for lunch.

A peek into my day ...

Guess I'll play instead of those mundane chores!

Sunday Best - Flowers

Looking over the photos I took last week, I believe this is by far my pick for best shot. A nice combination of old and new.

Linking to Sunday Best

Barns and a Church

This is one of my favorite barn pics and full disclosure, Hubby took it since I drove and it happened to be on his side of the car. 

I once thought these structures were barns, but have since discovered they have corn cribs on both sides and room for equipment storage in the center. So, I think it's okay to refer to them as either.

This church is up on the ridge near Bethpage, TN. In the mid 70s, we lived right around the corner. It looks much better now than it did then. 

Happy Sunday!

Saturday Critters - Black Vulture

While on a backroad ramble, I stopped to take a picture of this corn crib.

After noticing a bird on the top, I zoomed in. Instead of the usual Turkey Vulture spotted in this part of the country, I discovered a Black Vulture. They are protected under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act, which means it's illegal to harm, harass, or kill them without a permit. Ranchers in Oklahoma are not fond of these birds. The vultures often wait until the mama isn't watching and kill calves and foals. 

We are living in the upper central part of Illinois and according to this map we are well north of their range.

Linking to Saturday Critters

Skywatch

With a crunch of gravel beneath tires, I pulled off the dusty road and stood next to the car drinking in the beauty of this fine August day. Above, the sky unfurled in a breathtaking sea of blue, adorned with wispy clouds dancing across the heavens. In contrast a vibrant green cornfield spread out below, its emerald stalks swaying with the rhythm of a gentle summer breeze. The air carried a sweet, earthy scent, and the soft rustle of leaves whispered secrets kept inside. Perhaps children of the corn playing hide-and-seek? I shivered then laughed as I thought of the movie from long ago. 

Standing there, I felt a tug of nostalgia pulling me back to my childhood days when my brother and I sprawled on the soft grass, gazing upward, our imagination searching for pictures in the clouds. I smiled when my eyes found a fluffy bunny chasing a dog scampering across the sky. 

A soft gust of wind brushed through my hair, and I closed my eyes allowing the moment to wrap around me before returning to the car and continuing my quest for the perfect picture.

Linking to Skywatch 

Weekend Roundup - G

 Today's assignment:  Starts with G, Favorite, and Giant.

Starts with G: GOOSE starts with G. This curious Canadian GOOSE waited below the bridge for me to toss a snack, but all he/she got was this picture.

Favorite: This cute little GOAT is one of my favorite critter pics. No matter how much of a fool I made of myself, he refused to look at the camera. :) 

Giant: Like last week, this week's GIANT caused me to use a little brain power. I could post a picture of GIANT creatures such as a GIANT squid, panda, or other fictional GIANTS like Paul Bunyan, King Kong, or Jaws ... if only I had bumped into these creatures with my camera. Who am I kidding? I would have run at high speed in the opposite direction.  The other option seemed to be a huge object such as trees, rocks, or possibly the Great Wall of China. Well, since I'm refusing to fly these days, the latter wasn't an option. So, I remembered Casey, Illinois and their "Big Things in a Small Town" tourist attractions. They have twenty-plus big things, like this GIANT rocking chair. Click the link to learn more about this unique town. 

             

And then I remembered we live in farm country and there are a lot of GIANT GRAIN bins.

Have a wonderful weekend!

Linking to The Weekend Roundup 

Yard Art

While driving through a neighborhood in Minneapolis, saw these homes with yard art. Gus wouldn't go outside if he saw those huge antlers!

I like this one. Reminds me of mine when they were young!

Nature Notes - Geese

I'm not finding any unusual birds or critters recently, but there seems to be a plethora of Canadian Geese.

Have a wonderful week!

Linking to Nature Notes

My Sunday Best

I'm joining My Sunday Best today but struggled to choose a photo. Should it be the best picture I took this week, or a favorite despite being average? I went with the latter, as most of my photos are decent but not exceptional.

Initially, I thought this was a barn, but a closer look suggests it's a corn crib or grain storage structure. The vents on the walls give it away. I'm puzzled by the large door—maybe it's for equipment when not storing grain. Its unique design made it my Sunday Best choice.

Happy Sunday!

Linking to Sunday Best

Sunday Barns

I love the shape of older barns which often had gambrel roofs. The design, with its two distinct slopes on each side—steeper at the bottom and flatter at the top—allowed for a larger loft area to store hay or equipment without increasing the building's square feet. This was especially valuable for farmers with limited land or resources. The shape also shed snow and rain effectively, reducing maintenance, and was relatively simple to construct with timber framing, making it cost-effective. 

Modern construction prioritizes cost-effectiveness and speed. Prefabricated metal buildings or pole barns are quicker and cheaper to erect than traditional gambrel-roofed barns, which required skilled carpenters. Simplified designs reduce labor costs and construction time. But they are not as pleasing to the eye.

The area around the barn below seems to be an old tractor graveyard.

I grew up on a farm where the barn had a gambrel roof much like the one below. They remain my favorite.

Happy Sunday!!!

Weekend Roundup - F

This week's assignment: Starts with F, Favorite, and Fantastic.

Starts with F: FARM starts with an F. They are plentiful around here. Lots of corn, soybeans, and tractors. I have seen a couple of hay fields, but not many since this is FARM country, not ranch country.

Favorite: FOXTAIL and FLOWERS

Sunflowers

Queen Anne's Lace

Fantastic: I had trouble deciding what to post for FANTASTIC. So chose this picture from the archives. This is my all time favorite shot of the handsome boy. I think it's FANTASTIC.

Ask me to show you poetry in motion and I will show you a horse ~ Roy English

Linking to The Weekend Roundup  

Wordless Wednesday

 

Linking to Wordless Wednesday

Tuesday Treasures - Trains and Windmills

My very first memory of a train is of racing down a long lane, heart pounding, bare feet kicking up dust, to wave at the conductor of a mighty steam engine as it roared by. When the man saw me, he waved and pulled the lever to allow the whistle's screams to fill the air. As with everything, progress happened. Diesel engines replaced steam, but the trains kept rumbling by throughout my childhood. I still feel excited each time I see a one ... well, unless it's blocking the road and I'm in a hurry. 😀 I found this one along the Illinois River.

Windmills, with their creaking blades, once stood guard across fields, harnessing the wind to pump water for ranches and farms. They are becoming more difficult to find, so when I see one, I find a place to pull off the road and take a pic. 

Happy Tuesday!

Linking to Tuesday Treasures

Sunday Drive

Yesterday, I spent some one-on-one time with my grandson. We went out to lunch, a country drive, and a short walk down a nature trail as an early celebration for his 22nd birthday. 

Monarch Butterflies are known for their orange and black wings and are famous for their long-distance migratory behavior. I didn't realize they moved south for the winter until a fall trip to Florida. I saw hundreds of them along my favorite walking route. They travel approximately 50 to 100 miles each day. Their eggs are laid on milkweed plants and the caterpillars feed only on this plant because it contains toxins that make monarchs unpalatable to predators. 

Horace's Duskywing is a butterfly, not a moth. It belongs to the skipper family. According to wiki, butterflies have clubbed antennae and moths have feathery antennae. I learned something today.

              

We drove to the sunflower field hoping to take pics of their beautiful faces. Too late! They have already bowed their heads. :(

I've seen these beauties all my life but didn't know anything about them. Thanks to my new "Seek" app, I now know they are called Guelder-rose. The berries are edible for birds, but toxic to humans if eaten raw. However, I learned they can be eaten cooked or made into jam. Hmm. Think I'll pass. 

Have a wonderful week!

Linking to Nature Notes