Crimson clover and some wild mustard in a wildlife food plot near the barn.
A Red-winged Blackbird nest.
A young rabbit in a wildlife food plot.
28 May 2020
Photos Around The Farm
I almost always have a camera with me while working (relaxing) around our property. Here are a few of the images I was able to capture today.
Crimson clover and some wild mustard in a wildlife food plot near the barn.
A Red-winged Blackbird nest.
A young rabbit in a wildlife food plot.
Crimson clover and some wild mustard in a wildlife food plot near the barn.
A Red-winged Blackbird nest.
A young rabbit in a wildlife food plot.
26 May 2020
Pond Activity
The temperature was into the 90's today and when I went to our pond I found this deer trying to cool off in the pond as some geese watched.
After the dip in the pond, the deer went over to check out the geese.
Toads aren't normally aquatic except for spawning. I found dozens of toads in the pond singing to each other.
Several toads at the shallow end of the pond preparing for their version of spring prom.
The bullfrogs were not happy with the invasion of the pond by toads.
I found several of these small catfish swimming at the surface of the pond.
I was able to lift this small catfish out of the water.
After the dip in the pond, the deer went over to check out the geese.
Toads aren't normally aquatic except for spawning. I found dozens of toads in the pond singing to each other.
Several toads at the shallow end of the pond preparing for their version of spring prom.
The bullfrogs were not happy with the invasion of the pond by toads.
I found several of these small catfish swimming at the surface of the pond.
I was able to lift this small catfish out of the water.
25 May 2020
Lawn and Garden Work
Our grandson Reed had been visiting with us for the past couple of weeks and it was time for him to see his daddy.
Matt working on his garden plants in the greenhouse.
They have a nice crop of strawberries growing in the greenhouse and Mr. Reed was able to find a couple of ripe strawberries.
Reed took over the job of watering plants (and everything else).
It's a good idea to keep your distance from Reed when he has the garden hose.
Even his dad wasn't safe from Reed with a garden hose.
Reed helping his dad with the lawn mowing.
Matt working on his garden plants in the greenhouse.
They have a nice crop of strawberries growing in the greenhouse and Mr. Reed was able to find a couple of ripe strawberries.
Reed took over the job of watering plants (and everything else).
It's a good idea to keep your distance from Reed when he has the garden hose.
Even his dad wasn't safe from Reed with a garden hose.
Reed helping his dad with the lawn mowing.
22 May 2020
Fossil Hunting
Grandson Reed and I started out exploring the small creek behind our house looking for "little lobsters" (crayfish). We didn't have any luck finding "lobsters".
We found some insects and wildflowers but switched to fossil hunting.
As Reed inspected rocks for fossils he would toss the rejects into the water. This could explain why we couldn't find any lobsters.
Reed inspects this large fossil rock.
The fossils in our area are shells about 350 million years old from the Carboniferous period.
We found some insects and wildflowers but switched to fossil hunting.
As Reed inspected rocks for fossils he would toss the rejects into the water. This could explain why we couldn't find any lobsters.
Reed inspects this large fossil rock.
The fossils in our area are shells about 350 million years old from the Carboniferous period.
21 May 2020
Spring Fawns
The deer in our neighborhood are starting to give birth to this year's fawns. Within the last 24 hours we have seen three fawns.
This afternoon, while grandson Reed and I were at our barn, we saw this fawn walk into the field and bed down. Reed was able to get within a few feet of the fawn, but it was hard to keep 3½ year old Reed from getting too close.
In between controlling Reed's urge to get closer I was able to get a few photos of the fawn.
Since I wouldn't let Reed get too close to the fawn, he thought the fawn might be hungry and tossed it some grass, with one blade landing on the fawn's head.
This afternoon, while grandson Reed and I were at our barn, we saw this fawn walk into the field and bed down. Reed was able to get within a few feet of the fawn, but it was hard to keep 3½ year old Reed from getting too close.
In between controlling Reed's urge to get closer I was able to get a few photos of the fawn.
Since I wouldn't let Reed get too close to the fawn, he thought the fawn might be hungry and tossed it some grass, with one blade landing on the fawn's head.
19 May 2020
Red Winged Blackbird
I never know what I'll find while mowing our lawn and this time it was a Red Winged Blackbird. As I came around the end of our raised bed garden this bird didn't move as I mowed within 6 to 8 feet of it. I got off the mower and took a few more photos before it flew off.
18 May 2020
Wood Frog
I was doing some yardwork today and found this small, very friendly, Wood Frog that was willing to pose for me. (checking out this frog was more fun than the yardwork)
15 May 2020
Firewood
With the neighborhood weather into the 80's today, it didn't feel like time to cut firewood. While mowing the lawn I found a couple of dead ash trees next to our apple orchard that needed to come down. It looked like a simple job of dropping the dead trees and missing the apple trees on both sides and not taking down to overhead power lines. What could go wrong?
The first tree dropped as planned and on to tree #2. This one didn't follow the plan. The dead tree spun to the right as it broke the hinge cut and landed in the side of an apple tree. It then did a seesaw on the apple tree which force the butt end of the tree up and backward into my shoulder, knocking me to the ground as I threw the running chainsaw clear of my landing area. Due to the tree's right hand turn, the top of the tree now careened off the overhead power lines before coming to rest on top of the first tree.
With the dead trees down it's time to make them into firewood. Grandson Reed always wants to help with chores. Enough work for this day. We'll split the rest of the blocks tomorrow.
Grandma, you have to hit it harder.
This is how you split firewood.
The woods all split and time to stack it.
And I found you a pretty flower Grandma.
We now have more firewood for next winter than we used this past winter.
The first tree dropped as planned and on to tree #2. This one didn't follow the plan. The dead tree spun to the right as it broke the hinge cut and landed in the side of an apple tree. It then did a seesaw on the apple tree which force the butt end of the tree up and backward into my shoulder, knocking me to the ground as I threw the running chainsaw clear of my landing area. Due to the tree's right hand turn, the top of the tree now careened off the overhead power lines before coming to rest on top of the first tree.
With the dead trees down it's time to make them into firewood. Grandson Reed always wants to help with chores. Enough work for this day. We'll split the rest of the blocks tomorrow.
Grandma, you have to hit it harder.
This is how you split firewood.
The woods all split and time to stack it.
And I found you a pretty flower Grandma.
We now have more firewood for next winter than we used this past winter.
11 May 2020
Spring Turkey Hunt - Day 7
For day #7 of my spring turkey hunting I was back at the same location I used on day #1 of this season. On day #1 didn't see any turkeys at this location, today I had turkeys, but no luck. The turkeys are practicing their own form of social distancing which involves staying out of the range of a shotgun.
I was in the turkey blind at 5:30AM and heard a turkey gobble at 6:00AM. Around 6:15AM a hen walked out of the woods 100 yards away and then a "long beard" gobbler. The long beard gobbler looked at my decoy and gobbled several times but decided stay with the hen he had. After the first two birds headed off for breakfast this young "Jake" came out of the woods to check out my decoy.
This tasty looking young "Jake" was just a few steps short of optimum range for my shotgun when the long beard gobbled and this Jake made a course correction to join his two friends for breakfast.
Around 9:00AM two large gobblers appeared 200 yards away, feeding in the field. I watched these two turkeys for the next hour as they worked within 100 yards of me and then they did an about-face and continued feeding in the direction they came from. Those two gobblers were then replaced with this long beard that got within 100 yards of me before he walked into the brush.
I pulled the memory card on the game camera in this area to check on the turkey activity since my last visit. It looks like today's long beard was here taking a selfie photo at my game camera on Friday the 8th (Day #6) while I was hunting at a different location and not finding turkeys. I have lots of photos of this turkey posing for selfies at the game camera.
I didn't go hunting on Saturday the 9th due to the cold weather, but these turkeys stopped by to see if I was home.
I was in the turkey blind at 5:30AM and heard a turkey gobble at 6:00AM. Around 6:15AM a hen walked out of the woods 100 yards away and then a "long beard" gobbler. The long beard gobbler looked at my decoy and gobbled several times but decided stay with the hen he had. After the first two birds headed off for breakfast this young "Jake" came out of the woods to check out my decoy.
This tasty looking young "Jake" was just a few steps short of optimum range for my shotgun when the long beard gobbled and this Jake made a course correction to join his two friends for breakfast.
Around 9:00AM two large gobblers appeared 200 yards away, feeding in the field. I watched these two turkeys for the next hour as they worked within 100 yards of me and then they did an about-face and continued feeding in the direction they came from. Those two gobblers were then replaced with this long beard that got within 100 yards of me before he walked into the brush.
I pulled the memory card on the game camera in this area to check on the turkey activity since my last visit. It looks like today's long beard was here taking a selfie photo at my game camera on Friday the 8th (Day #6) while I was hunting at a different location and not finding turkeys. I have lots of photos of this turkey posing for selfies at the game camera.
I didn't go hunting on Saturday the 9th due to the cold weather, but these turkeys stopped by to see if I was home.
09 May 2020
Springtime in the Northeast
I changed my turkey hunting plans this morning when the temperature was 25°F at 5:30AM with a forecast of snow, I took option #2, stay in a nice warm bed.
Snow squalls with 18 MPH wind gusts created white-out conditions between the breaks of sunshine during the day.
By late afternoon these turkeys were able to torment me by feeding 100 yards from the front window of the house.
Snow squalls with 18 MPH wind gusts created white-out conditions between the breaks of sunshine during the day.
By late afternoon these turkeys were able to torment me by feeding 100 yards from the front window of the house.
08 May 2020
Spring Turkey Hunt - Day 6
It was another cold morning for turkey hunting, with a forecast of rain/snow later in the day. Today's choice of hunting location had a deluxe hunting blind with a propane heater which kept the temperature at a comfortable 60 degrees.
This is the same location where Matt bagged his bird on the first day of the season. Today the turkeys were a no-show.
I'm not sure where the turkeys went, but this area was full of turkeys earlier this spring.
This is the same location where Matt bagged his bird on the first day of the season. Today the turkeys were a no-show.
I'm not sure where the turkeys went, but this area was full of turkeys earlier this spring.
07 May 2020
Baby Geese
Two different family groups of baby geese on our pond have merged together and the 4 parents have joined forces to watch the little ones.
Spring Turkey Hunt - Day 5
I changed my turkey hunting strategy today and slept until 8:00AM, had some coffee, read the news paper, checked my email and got to my turkey blind at 10:00. It was a short day of hunting due to a 12:00 quitting time for the first two weeks of the season. Today I was hunting at the same location that I used on the first day of hunting, May 2nd. I pulled the memory card on the game camera next to this turkey blind. Here are some of the photos of what happens when I'm not there.
I didn't see anything at this spot in the morning of the first day but this bird was working the afternoon shift.
On the second day of hunting, May 4th, I was in a different turkey blind on the other side of the valley when this bird walked by during legal hunting hours.
In the afternoon of day 2, these two birds walked by the blind.
In the afternoon of day 3 this big boy stopped by to pose for a photo. That same morning I was hunting, without any luck, in another turkey blind just 200 yards north of this spot.
I didn't see anything at this spot in the morning of the first day but this bird was working the afternoon shift.
On the second day of hunting, May 4th, I was in a different turkey blind on the other side of the valley when this bird walked by during legal hunting hours.
In the afternoon of day 2, these two birds walked by the blind.
In the afternoon of day 3 this big boy stopped by to pose for a photo. That same morning I was hunting, without any luck, in another turkey blind just 200 yards north of this spot.
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