Spring Evening

Tonight was such a pretty evening here! Not especially warm, but I really do love the unpredictable spring weather sometimes. Well, I guess it depends on my mood, actually. Sometimes I get really irritated when the weather won't make up its mind. Today, though, I decided to just go with it. I had some outside chores that needed to be accomplished so I put on my ear warmer headband and windbreaker and headed out. First up was a walk with the crazies. By the time we got back to the house, my lungs were full of fresh air and I was all geared up to spend the evening outside. Sure, I got a little bit drizzled on, but it didn't bother me today.

Some days I have a hard time motivating myself to be outside when it's not perfect weather. This is why having the wacky weimies is perfect for me. Usually, our walk is enough to get me energized and ready to enjoy the evening. No matter what, I'm usually happiest when I can be outdoors.

In between my chores I slacked off a little, cruisin' around and taking pictures. Here are a few of my favorites from the evening. :)

Red Flowering Currant. This grows native around here & it's definitely one of my favorites.

Loved the seed pods on this Maple. Not sure what variety it is.

Flowering Crab Apple. When the fruit develops, Caspian loves them for treats. I personally think they're a little bitter. ;) Supposedly they're good for preserves though.

Speaking of Caspian, just look at this handsome devil!

Here mom, I'll pose for you...

Does this mean you're gonna come over and feed me now? Please?

How can I resist this face? ;)

Where the Wild Things Are

Did you guys ever read the book "Where the Wild Things Are" when you were young? I did, and it was one of my very favorite books growing up.

Sometimes, living out here in the woods, I feel like I could write a "wild things" book of my own. I've seen just about every wild creature imaginable out here, including...deer, elk, porcupine, bobcat, coyote, and black bear. All of which have either been on our property or in very close proximity. And I know that plenty of these guys are lurking in our forest, just behind the tree line, probably watching me, knowing that I can't see them. ;)

I even had a dream about this one time. I dreamt that I woke up one night and looked out our back window to find all sorts of animal shenanigans going on in our backyard. Like an animal block party.

For the most part, I'm comfortable co-existing (hopefully peacefully) with the creatures that I've listed here. My only exception to this feeling of ease would be related to one animal that I don't have listed here. And I'm not even gonna write its name, 'cause I don't want to put it out there in the universe. I've come to terms with the fact that they're around, but I'd much rather pretend to be ignorant. ;)

As comfortable as I am, I still try to keep a guard up, just in case. And it's always a little startling to walk out the front door in the morning and be greeted by seven pairs of eyeballs staring at me.

Thankfully, these seven sets of eyeballs belong to our resident elk herd! These gals are always welcome! They usually start showing up around September and generally come by to visit about once a month until right around the end of April. Usually, when they visit, they stay for about a week. It's getting to where I can tell when they're about to show up. Mostly, because my dogs can smell them a mile away. But sometimes, I just get to thinking, "Hmmm, I haven't seen those gals for awhile". And then bam! There they are, grazin' away.

Caspian loves when they visit. Even if I can't see them on dark mornings I know where they are in the field, 'cause Caspian will be on the other end of the pasture (next to wherever they are) instead of in his usual spot where he waits for his breakfast.

My neighbor told me he saw Caspian escorting them down the fence line one morning a couple of months ago. The elk were walking single file and Caspian was matching them step for step, nose in the air. Goofy Arab. ;) He probably thinks they're just silly lookin' horses. And they probably think, "what a weird colored elk!"

Anyway, as "wild" as it is around here, I always do love it when these girls stop by to visit. I don't even mind this next guy.

Just as long as his cousin Vinny stays far away. And that's all I'm gonna say about that.

It's not easy being green...or is it?

I love, love, love frogs. I love how they sound, I love how they hop, and I love their plump little frog legs.

A few weeks ago, to my sheer delight, I discovered that a little froggie had taken up residence in my backyard pond. There he was, night after night, just a croakin' away, that sweet frog lullaby. I tried and tried to track this little bugger down to get some pictures, but my efforts were met with solid resistance. As soon as I would get in close enough proximity to try to get a good peek, he would stop ribbiting.

Cabela tried to help me out...she started pointing him (someone needs to inform her that she's a bird dog). Even with her assistance, though, this little guy was safely hidden behind one of the many rocks. I built the pond with lots of hiding spots for froggies and fishies, so I guess I can't blame him for utilizing 'em. Smart frog. Darn it.


Recently, I realized that it had probably been about a week since I'd heard my little friend. What?! Surely he couldn't have moved on so soon! Was there something wrong with my pond? Was he already looking for greener pastures (or clearer waters in his case)? I just had to get to the bottom of this. I started doing some online research and came across this page which had a whole wealth of information about the Pacific Chorus Frog...aka Pacific Treefrog...aka Pseudacris Regilla. Turns out, this guy was only hanging out in my pond long enough to attract a "lady friend". Well, looks like he did his job 'cause he's now left the building and these little guys are ALL OVER my rocks!

Yep, you guessed it! Little tadpoles! I think I counted at least 20-25ish.

Unfortunately, I never was able to get a picture of their pappy. So I was super excited when my father in law (who doesn't quite share my love of the "Pacific Chorus lullaby") gave me this little guy to bring home to my pond! He'd jumped out of the grass when my FIL was mowing. He was promptly placed in a Daisy sour cream container with some grass and holes poked in the lid and sent on a one way trip to my house today.

I was so excited to release him once I got home that I had to document the event. I might be a super dork, but that's okay with me! Seeing him hop around from rock to rock, clinging to each one for a bit before moving onto the next was so cool! It was drizzling when "the release" took place, which made it all the more perfect. The bubbles on the water's surface, raindrops plopping down...it reminded me of being a kid, swimming in the rain with my sister, mom knowing that there was no way we were coming out of the water until it was dusk. And even then, it was reluctant!

I'm fairly certain that I was either a frog or a fish in a past life. Or maybe it's just 'cause I'm a Pisces. Either way, I totally dig the water and I could completely imagine how stoked this little guy was to be soaking up the fresh water into his froggie skin.

Hopefully, this is a boy frog (it must be since I've been calling it a him...right?) If so, he better start ribbiting stat...I need something to fall asleep to at night!

In the meantime, tadpole watch has commenced! Hopefully, I'll get to capture some of the transformations before they jump ship! Fingers crossed!

Sunday Stills: Plants and Flowers

Okay, here I go! This is my first week participating in Sunday Stills. I've been lurking on the website for awhile now, as a few people that I "follow" participate. I've really enjoyed seeing each interpretation of the weekly challenge and I've been very impressed with the posts that I've seen.

Being fairly new to this bloggin' thing, I kinda held off, not knowing if I would be able to meet the weekly challenge. However, on the other hand, I'm always looking for new ideas for approaching photography, as I'm quite the novice! I think this will be a great way for me to branch out with my photography. Having said that, this week's challenge was the perfect subject to get my feet wet. I'm a flower fanatic and am always snapping pics of whatever may be in bloom around here!

I'm gonna start this post with some seed starting pics that I've taken over the course of the last few weeks. This is my first time (sucessfully) starting seeds indoors and I've had a lot of fun with it! I tried it one other time a few years ago, but the growing conditions were not quite right, so that project got scrapped.

This is day one of the project. I used one of those Jiffy Greenhouses and labeled the lid with a grid of what I had planted so that I would remember what was what when it came time to transplant. This was an important step as I had a couple different varieties of tomatoes, peppers, and sweet peas planted and didn't want to get them confused.

Here we are about a week into it...I loved watching these seeds spout to life. This here is a little basil baby.

And here we have little roma tomato babies reaching towards the sunlight.

I took these pics just last week, while transplanting a few of the starts into larger pots. I'm a total packrat and save all of my plastic plant pots, much to Kuntry Boy's chagrin. They sure do come in handy around seed starting time though!

Now, indoor seed starting is great and it certainly helps me scratch my gardening itch while I'm still waiting for Spring to...well...SPRING! But lately, as it's started to warm up and days have started lasting longer, my attention has shifted back outside. I'm absoutely loving the way my yard is beginning to come to life. Let me show you...

Here, my tulips are just begging to be cut and brought indoors to adorn my bookcase. Oh, yeah, and my garden fencing is just begging to be finished. But that's a whole 'nuther post. Maybe if there's ever a "never ending projects" challenge. ;)

Ah, now that's what I'm talkin' about! The first cut arrangement of the season. Love it!

This is a hanging strawberry plant that my mom got me for Easter...it's starting to produce fruit already! I have to be patient and wait for these babies to ripen, and it's killing me!

The pink jasmine that will climb my garden fence and arbor is beginning to wake up and sweeten the evening air.

And my lavender lilac is just about ready to join in all the fun!

Thanks for stopping by and happy Sunday Stills day!

Skywatch Friday No. 42

We have a family of red-tailed hawks that lives in close proximity and I'm always entranced by their beauty and size whenever they're flying overhead. Just a few nights ago, I was outside doing chores and there were probably five or six cruising around. Of course, I didn't have my camera handy and by the time I came back out with it, they were back in the trees. Darn it! It never fails! I did manage to get this guy, however, a couple of weeks ago. I was amazed to see him perched so gracefully on the very tippy top of this Cedar tree.

Here's a shot zoomed out...he's on top of the Cedar tree on the left.

And another zoomed in shot. I like how you can see the hook of his beak in this silhouette.



Here he is flying off to go play with the rest of his hawk family!

Happy Friday to everyone! :)

Be sure to check out Skywatch Friday for more amazing pics from around the world!

Wacky Weimy Wednesday

UFC FIGHT NIGHT: WEIMARANER STYLE

Just another ordinary night with the Kuntry Kanines....

It all starts out innocently enough...

Just a little playful nipping...

But then the chasing starts...

And the snarling begins...

And the couch jumping takes place...

(note: this is generally vehemently discouraged ;))


And finally...

BODYSLAM!!!

Caleb may be bigger than her, but he knows it's Cabela that rules this roost!