My "Friends"...?

 In all the time I've worked in the Marsh over the years, I've only found one "nest" of garter snakes.  No big deal, I knew where they were & avoided them.   Nika, if she finds one, will play with it, tossing it into the air etc., until it's dead...  Then have the Best doggy fun rolling on it!  Yuck!  

Today, after all the rain we received last week, (3" most places) the marsh is a true marsh & I was glad I'd gotten it mowed down.

I was making my way across the flats when - thank heaven - movement caught my eye!

Black Racer?

I did NOT know they could climb until I read the article in the link above...  That will give me pause!  He could move very fast & was at least 3ft. long!  He continued on his way & I continued on mine, much more carefully!

My other "friend" is a bit - just a bit - more benige...  Though I recently saw a short video of what a snapping turtle did to a dog that was a bit too inquisitive!  The poor dog took the brunt of it!

Mr. Snapping Turtle~

I also didn't realize that Snapping Turtles can stay submurged!  The only times I've watched him, his head was placed so he had air.  The mud on his shell must act as insulation against the heat of the sun.  I did leave him an egg the other day.  When I checked the next morning, it had been moved, but not taken.  Today, it was gone!

Marsh, looking SE.  creek to the far left~

I planted a new Hydrangea to replace the one that died off this winter.  It's the new a new to me variety & I hope it thrives.

Twist & Shout~

This one has an interesting name & I loved the purple/pink color.  I still have mulch to buy, but I got it in the ground just before the rains.

Now that I'm cooled down, back I go to try to finish up my mowing & weed whacking!  I do hope I dont' find anymore friends of a repetilian nature today!

Big Red towed to Dallas Kenworth~

Butch is flying home tonight!  I will be oh so happy to see him, even he is coming in at midnight!  We'll have a busy few days - his return is a story in itself!  He'll soon be on the road again, returning to Seagonville, TX for a final cruize hopefully in Big Red, before leaving him in Joplin.  At least when Red broke down, it was near help, even if the help received at the Dallas Kenworth Dealer - resulted in yet another breakdown!  Crazy!  A story for another day!

Full on Lush!

 It was a warm day, but a beautiful one!  Hardly any wind & not too humid - surprising with all the moisture we've received.  Thursday afternoon, my friend Laura had invited me over to dig more Hosta's from her backyard.  I'd brought home three tubs full & you still couldn't tell I'd taken any.  Once home, I spent the afternoon getting them planted. 

The Walnuts are leaving out!

It had been a somewhat difficult week & by today, I was ready to get Smokey out for a ride.  I spoke to Mari Jo before leaving, but she had customers, so I hit the trail.  Looking at the creeks I crossed, it was obvious we'd had rain!  They were full of both water & silt.

Beaver dam hardly holding back the flow~

This time of year, I just ride along emersed in the greens...  Green & the blue of the sky, the predominant colors of Iowa from spring through summer.

Smokey by the Imogene 14-mile sign~

I reached the little Depot in Malvern.  A volunteer was weed spraying along the side of the building where the first picnic table is, so I went around back.  I'd just sat down & gotten out my water when she appeared around the corner.  Not wanting to inhale those fumes, I returned to the trail & decided to stop at the park.

Our new break spot~

Even with a few people pulling in to camp for the weekend, on the far side of the pond, it was nice & quiet.  The picnic tables are under cover & shady.  I think this will be our new rest spot with such a nice view.  

On the way back north~

I always enjoy the concrete mile north of Malvern.  It's so quiet after the sound of the limestone.  The Cardinal's were joined by the Oriole's today - both brilliant colors very flashy against the intense greens.  I think they wait until the last minute - before making their dash across in front of me!  :-)

Almost back to Silver City~

The last couple miles are on a slight uphill grade & always seem like the longest.  One of these days, if we get another cooler one, I'll tackle the Minneola to Silver City section.  Up what I think of as a decent hill.  Mary Jo, powers along, hardly noticing, but she's ridden a bike as long as I'd ridden horses :-)

When I entered the shop for my usual bottle of ice cold water, Mari Jo mentioned getting ready to send out a search party!  :-) I'd been on the phone with both Butch & Roxi which took longer than usual. Keeping truckers in-line keeps me busy!  :-)  I'm hopeful now, Butch will be coming home for a short break soon!

Sunday at the Lake~

 I wouldn't be able to ride tomorrow - scheduled to be our last day before upcoming rain!  Today was sunny & mid-60's, but with wind.  I decided to visit Lake Manawa & ride the hard surface trail.

On my way west~

You can tell from the tall grass there was a good wind blowing.  Enough to keep me working & a few gusts that blew Smokey sideways.  I stopped when I reached the turn into the park to take off my jacket & turned off the Garmin to get it through my sleeve.

Old campground to the left, new & used camper sales on the right.

It wasn't until I reached the entrance to the old campground I realized that I hadn't turned the Garmin back on!  I'd failed to record the two-miles to reach this spot.  But, it's not like I don't know this route well enough to edit my final mileage.

North end of the lake, looking south~

This view won't last, once the development starts here, at least not for me.  

Blooming Locust trees~

The Locust are a bane to most homeowners...  We have one in the Marsh & I'm constantly pulling the non-stop shoots these trees send up.  More than once I've considered cutting it down, but I love shape as they mature.  Butch & I have called the ones we see from the back deck, the "African trees".  For some reason they remind us both of trees shown growing on the African savana's.  The blooms are huge & really beautiful.

Across the lake toward Omaha~

I took the trail to the south side picnic area to take a break, but a wedding party had reserved the area.  What a beautiful place for a wedding!  I stopped far enough away to not intrude.

Trail on the south side~

The trail to the lake is one of the prettiest in the park.  Curving through woods on both sides, you would almost think you were in the country.

The "Heavey Metal" Underpass~

You don't have that feeling on the way back to the Wabash northern trail head!  The photo above is of the underpass under the train tracks.  These trains are ladden with coal, heading for the Mid-American plant nearby.  Built for strength, for sure!

Smokey in the underpass~

It always gives me a strange feeling riding through. Once past, it's just over a mile back to the Explorer.  The ball fields were full of teams playing & surrounding mowed fields were full of cars.  I thought about stopping at Tastee Treat, until I saw the line of people waiting!  

We're all looking forward to the promised rains!  I should have been home mowing the marsh, but couldn't resist one more ride.  Hopefully, I'll have time to get that mowing done tomorrow!

The Canopy is Closing!

 A totally perfect day - at least in my opinion!  Mid-60's & a high overcast, very little wind.  Time to get out on the trail!  This time of year, every ride, I see changes.  In just the past week, the growing corn shoots have turned most of the fields from the brown of bare earth, to the light green of growth!

Corn growing!

Mari Jo told me the Birds & Bee's riders had been through.  Thankfully, ahead of me & already at the park in Malvern.  They will be in the area through Monday, giving Mari Jo a busy weekend. 

On the trail!

Such a pretty sight - looking up & seeing the Walnuts opening their leaves!  Such smart trees, they are the first to lose their leaves in the fall & the last to open them in the spring.  It saves them from a lot of wind damage.  But even then - if one of the thankfully rare Derecho's come through - the trees seem to take the brunt of it.

Since it was a cool day & perfect riding weather, I decided to limit my stops & see just how quickly I could make it to Malvern.  When I combine riding once a week, with the mowing, I'm getting into better shape.

Smokey under the floral arch~

The arch is filling out fast & the Phlox is so showy in the shade! 

Phlox~

I stopped at the Depot to take my break & my timing was perfect!  Donnie called to say the Bronco was repaired!  I had to go see for myself!  He had found that the ignition module had not been replaced.  Just the coil...  I could hardly believe that - when I'd been told the original garage had replaced the module two times?  As Butch reminded me, there's a difference between parts changers & mechanics.  

Since I had the bike with me & the Explorer waiting in Silver City, I'll have a friend run me over  on Monday to pick the Bronco up.  Donnie had taken it out for a couple drives & said it's running just fine!  He has a Ford Truck with the same engine & same year.  Neither of us plan to get rid of either vehicle anytime soon!

The Bronco & Smokey~

I turned back south & realized the wind had come up & was blowing out of the north.  I had a good workout getting back to the Explorer.  I caught up with Mari Jo & drank my usual bottle of cold water before heading home.  

On the bridge, on the way north~

Now, I'll be splitting my time between keeping up with my mowing & riding!  I'm thankful Butch hired the yard mowing done.  The woods, marsh & around the Cabin will be plenty to try to keep up with!  In the winter when I'm cold, I look forward to summer.  Summer when it's cooking hot/humid, I look forward to winter :-)  Now, I look forward to the next time my husband comes home!

May Rain ~

 Today, we enjoyed a really nice rain!  Just enough thunder & lightening to scare Nika.  Today is also her tenth birthday.  Butch called to wish her a happy birthday & she's had special treats all day long...''

8-14-2012 When the ferns are bigger than you are!

It doesn't seem possible ten-years have gone by since we brought her home from Trout Lake, WA as a tiny puppy.  We sat on the porch together & watched the rain.  The smell alone was so wonderful, we stayed until the wind came up out of the north & resulted in a torrential downpour.

Original flower bed~

My timing couldn't have been better!  I'd spent the morning weed whacking along the creek.  After lunch I planted the blue iris starts I'd won at our Garden Club white elephant sale yesterday.  I also planted the last of the hosta's Clara had given me on Saturday.  They had broken off the main plants, so I'd soaked them in a bucket of water to revive them.

The Cabin~

Clara, with her beautiful gardens, has been a godsend to the Home Place woods.  My very first friend in the neighborhood.  Every year she has invited me up, then sent me home with wheelbarrows full of plant starts.  Even though I hadn't caught up with the mowing, she walked the place with me on Sat. & could reconize how those early starts have gained a foothold.  It's great to see them starting to add so much - to what had been a invasive brush covered no-man's land.

I took the video above during the first bout of rain.  The second was even stronger & we're due for more tonight!  

A once barren hillside~

Last season, another friend, Laura had purchased a house in town & offered me all the Hosta's I could dig.  They were in flower beds, so overgrown over the years they were stunted.  I filled every feed tub I had & made several trips.  They looked miserable last year & I could only hope they would survive.  Not only did they survive, but are now thriving!  

Bleeding Hearts~

The bleeding hearts have had a tough go of it.  Most of them came from one huge specimen growing along Clara's driveway.  I saw it this year & you'd never know it had been touched.  Last spring, a late frost had burned them back, no blooms at all.  But this year - they've doubled in size!

Hyacinth & Violets

Our first spring, when Butch & I fought our way around the woods, we found two little spots of Hyacinth's.  This year, for the first time, there was a nice large patch of them to the side of the trail behind the cabin!   Combined with the wild violets, they are the perfect spring ground cover.

Lily of the Valley & ferns~

The photo above is a product of two-years of waiting.  My friend Jean gave me the Lily of the Valley starts & it's taken them a couple years to establish.  I've planted I don't know how many ferns.  This spring, they are emerging.  I don't know if they're what's called "Common" or not, but I love ferns & have missed them so much. 

Just since the fist of the month & even with the strange weather, it's wonderful to enjoy such a beautiful seasonal renewal.  

Blossom's Abound ~

 The most beautiful time of year.  It's taken a couple weeks, but the trees are leafing out!  Seeing all the fresh shades of green is a true gift of the season.

The way south~

Our weather so far this spring, has been one for the record books.  Just the week before Mother's Day, we broke the all time record low, at 29 degrees.    Hardly a week later, we're breaking record highs, averaging 20 degrees above normal with daytime highs close to 100.

Smokey & the Phlox~

Along with the blistering heat, was the non-stop wind, gusts reaching 30-mph.  Working outside was like baking in a blast furnace.  The poor flowers I'd planted in pots took constant watering just to stay alive.  Wednesday, was the worst day of the week & everyone I know was ready for the wind/heat/humidity combination to cease!

Banks of blooms~

Butch had fertalized the front lawn when he was home mid-April.  With the little bit of rain we did get, along with the heat/humidity, the grass was inches tall in just the week since it had been mowed.  By the time the man who Butch hired to mow started in Wed. evening - grass was flying everywhere.  In my rock, on the porch, in the street & ground into the sidewalks from the zero turn mowers.  I spent over an hour cleaning up the mess.

Such a change!

It was a refreshing change to be out in the clean air & enjoying the fresh greens!  I was surprised to see the planted corn already a couple inches tall.

The light green of growing corn!

I could hear the train coming, but didn't make it to the underpass in time to get a photo of the engine.  It's an impressive sight to see it coming full speed with it's lights on.  One of these days my timing will be right!

Train going by overhead!

It's incredible the noise the locomotives make when they're going over!  Almost scary!  But, as fast as it had appeared, the train was gone & I continued on to Malvern.

Anise Root~

The Anise Root is now in full bloom!  I have some in our woods now & hope they contine to spread.  There's quite a difference in the habitat of the trail, compaired to our lowland woods, but cool & dappled sun seems to be what it prefers.  It had been so dry for so long, even the Virginia Waterleaf had wilted without blooming.  The rain we did get, combined with cooler temperatures the last couple days, finally gave it an opportuinty to recover & bloom.

The Bronco at Little Red's~

I did stop to visit the Bronco.  It's on Donnie's to-do list!  Once it's running again, I have an excursion in mind.  I told Donnie there's no hurry...  I'm just hopeful he can find & fix the problem with the ignition!  

After a short break, I turned back.  Smokey & I are cruizing right along on our 17-mile stretch of trail now.  We'll see how summer's heat effects my motivation!  

Shunshine to Shade ~

 A grand day!  Sunshine, 70's & no wind!  Time to visit the trail & leave my outside chores at home for another day.  I parked by Happy Trails & said hello to Mari Jo before leaving for Malvern.

Are dandelions a wildflower? :-)

The trail south of Silver City was lined with blooming dandelions!  So bright & pretty!  It was really the first day it's felt like & looked more like spring too.  Some of the trees are finally leafing out, so the canopy I look forward to is beginning to appear.

Cottonwood~

  I always stop at the trestle, just over four miles south, unless there are people there.  The old Cottonwood is a friend by now.  Seeing the hint of green in the trees is so welcome, after all the months of bare branches.

Smokey on the trestle~

This is the time of year I like to ride other sections of the trail, but with Butch gone, I no longer have my ride home.  The next section is a very difficult 14-miles from Malvern.  I did it once round-trip & that had been a challenging 28-miles!  

Smokey & the flower Phlox~

Now that the flowers are blooming, the trail is such a beautiful place!  There are several spots far enough away from intersectioning roads etc., the only sounds are the blistful hum of nature.

Break spot by the Depot, Malvern

I did stop in Malvern, but mowing was happening there, as it had been in Silver City.  The roaring mowers do a necessary job, but don't make it easy to enjoy the afternoon.  I soon turned back north.

Both purple & blue phlox.  

I've only found the purple Phlox in a couple places.  It was fun to get a photo of both colors, so close together.

Purple violets~

Violets come in such a vareity of colors!  Even at home, I have white, purple, violet & some that are varigated blue/white.  

Clouds moving in~

I felt a couple raindrops on my way back.  We're still in drought, with only the one decent rain we received on Monday, just under an inch.  I never thought I'd look forward to gray, rainy days but I do now!  They do make me - just occassionally - homesick for WA.  But - after a couple of them I'm more than ready for the bright blue skies of my home state!