Winter scenery

I thought I should come back and let you know I'm still alive. I don't have any new sewing projects to show you (Christmas kinda got in the way there), but I am now working on a couple of things. Courtney finished a project that I forgot to post about, however I'm going to see if I can get her to write a guest post about that. She didn't come here yesterday because she was home sick, so maybe next week we can get caught up.

Our winter weather's been crazier than usual this year! We had a very warm November, which boasted these lovely mushrooms on the 28th!

Two days later, it looked like this around here.

It was a bit hard to take after being so spoiled with the warmth, but it did make for some pretty photographs. Minor compensation.

Then we had an extremely cold December, with the temp going down farther than -20°F one night, which produced lovely frosty decorations on the windows.

I had posted the photo below on Instagram, and someone who works for ABC TV asked permission to use my photo on TV! I said yes, of course, but whether it got used or not, I'll probably never know, because I didn't see it. Anybody remember seeing this?

Here are some more frosty pretties.

Believe it or not, we had heavy RAIN on Christmas Day! It was also very windy and near freezing, which resulted in a power outage for a couple hours or so.

We've also had some colorful skies, like this sunrise on December 30th...

... and plummeting temps brought these sun dogs a few days later (I had to take the pics from two different windows, so I spliced them together)...

... with this amazing scene that evening after the sun had just set!

The cold is good for something nice to look at, if nothing else!

One more scene, not so nice to look at...

... was these persistent turkeys sneaking across our backyard. Ugh. This was the first time we've had them during the winter. NOT my favorite birds! ;-Þ

They're back

Sorry... more turkey news. But there are some interesting photos, so I hope I'm not boring you. I'm not fond of the turkeys myself... but I do like taking pics, and if I can get some great or unusual shots, I'll do it... even if they're of turkeys. ;)

I hadn't seen the hen and chicks for nearly two weeks. I was hoping they'd found a better place to live permanently... like over at the neighbors' or something. However, Saturday evening I happened to see them along our driveway again.

It was roosting time, and one by one, they were heading up into the trees. They flew effortlessly. Here goes one of them, as one on the ground awaits its turn...

... higher and higher...

... till it made it up into the tree!

Mom flew up, too, but they were pretty wary of me and my camera...

... so she called them all back down again and off they went.

There were two hens out there. I don't know if they each had some chicks or if they all belonged to the one. I saw at least six chicks, but I may have missed a few. They hide so well in the long grass.

Unrelated, but... down at my feet there happened to be a baby robin who kept calling over and over to its mama.

Do you know how hard it is to get a photo of it at the exact instant it has its mouth open in that call?! I took over a hundred pics of that little birdie! (Thanks to the continuous shooting setting.)

Okay, enough turkeys! (In more ways than one. "Calling cards" left behind on the deck railing lead me to believe that the young'uns are getting drinks of water from the birdbath early in the mornings. Ugh.)

I do have some sewing photos to show you... even some of an adorable little project Courtney made for 4-H! I'll try to show them soon. However, I'm testing a new pattern this week, and it needs to be done as quickly as I can (and you know I'm not a fast sewer), so that has to take priority. And on that note, I'd best get busy!

Belated update

I meant to post this shortly after my last post, but didn't get the job done. So sue me (as if there's anybody reading anymore besides Geneviève). :)  Anyway, here's an update to that post. These first two photos were taken the same day as those in that post, later in the day. The empty nest and eggs had been found by our pasture renter, and thanks to him (also unbeknownst to him), I managed to brave the long grass, tick potential and nettle to get the pics.

The nest had been hidden just outside the cattle yard fence next to a corner post, in the middle of a patch of nettle.

A closer look revealed the empty eggs plus two that hadn't hatched.

Three days later, I had stepped outside early in the evening, and I heard the mama turkey clucking to her chicks. I couldn't see her, but I happened to look up and saw the chicks lined up on a tree branch across the driveway! I ran for the camera, but by the time I got back, there was only one left up there.

I couldn't believe they were big enough already to get up that high to roost, but this last one flew down quite easily. Apparently their mom decided this wasn't the best place to spend the night, so off they went.

They grow up so fast! Look below at the second from the left one, how it's stretching its wings. It must be a male learning to strut already! ;)

Off they went, but only 7 of the original 9 chicks. Predators can be hard on them when they're that little, and no doubt it's hard for mom to defend that many at once.

They ambled in the direction of the garden...

... as I headed back to the house... and I haven't seen them since. That was a week ago.

Cuteness

I must show you some of what's keeping me occupied around here. I don't want you to think I've fallen off the face of the earth!

This is Buttercup, who has somehow managed to become a resident of the garage. She's an adorable little brat (but looks so innocent, doesn't she?) who keeps managing to get herself stuck up in trees and needing to be rescued - 4 times already! She has a LOUD cry that lets me know. LOL

Next we have Patches and two of this year's litter. She always keeps them hidden until they're about 6 weeks old and too wild to get close to. She has two others for sure, but I thought I'd seen five the first time. I had to be very sneaky to get this photo. But have you ever seen a cuter face?!

This is the face of the other one. Kinda reminds me of Annabelle a little.

I hung around (hidden behind machinery) long enough to catch them napping (while the others remained hidden also).

Then we have this little loner. She's Mia's kid. I'm sure there must've been others at first, but this is the only one left. Her crazy mother keeps hauling her in and out of the old hog barn via the fan hole in the wall. It's gotta be a rough ride up that wall and down the other side! She's such a fat little thing, I'm surprised Mia can still do it!

Just this morning I managed to catch a glimpse (AND get photos) of this little group crossing the yard.

Can you count the chicks? There are 9 of them!

Fortunately, I've only seen one other turkey around the yard in the last few weeks. It's a tom, who is apparently the father of this little flock. I don't appreciate him gobbling outside the bedroom window around 6:00 a.m.! Grrr!

I'll very soon be showing you some cute sewing projects, too. Two are done, and I should be able to get the other one finished up today. At already 90°, it's too hot to be doing anything outside today or for the next few days, so hopefully I can get lots of sewing done. I certainly have a lot of projects on my to-do list! They're mostly pretty quick things. Sometime in the next few weeks will also be a fun pattern test. I'm really looking forward to that one!

Another lucky shot

I wasn't even going to post today, just for lack of time, but then I happened to see this outside my kitchen window and thought it was worth a quick share.

I couldn't believe this. This young turkey, one of those babies I showed you in those tree shots, was really struttin' his stuff just now. Apparently it's a tom. Practicing. Ha.

Sewing... sewing........

Another sighting

Sorry for the photo overload, but I couldn't help it. These just struck me as so funny. You should see all the ones I'm not posting! Ha!

Remember these photos from exactly a month ago? Well, on Saturday evening I happened to see the hen turkey (I'm sure it must be the same one) flying waaaay up into the trees again, followed by her 5 (remaining) babies. I had to go out and see how they would tuck under her wings this time, since they've grown an awful lot in the last month.

Here she is, with two of the chicks, right after landing up there. She's kind of panting from the long flight. (I hope you can see the pics okay... you can click on them for a bit larger view, but I didn't want to make them too big, with this many photos.)

"Wait, I think I see a better spot up there."

"Follow me!"

Consultation going on below as to suitability. I love the silhouettes!

"You think this is high enough?"

"Okay, this'll do. We're staying right here... settle down!"

"Time to tuck in, kids."

"This isn't working like it used to!"

"Squeeze together."

"Where's George? That kid's always fooling around somewhere!" (I could hear the 5th chick peeping in a nearby branch. They still peep like tiny babies yet.)

"Look for George, will ya?"

"This just isn't working...."

"Okay... everybody up and turn around!"

"Oh, mercy. Settle down, kids! George!!!"

"Snuggle in close now and go to sleep. George will have to fend for himself. Again."

And that is how I left them. Not quite as snuggly as in the other post, huh? LOL

Crazy birds. But quite entertaining at times. ;)