Hunter, Preeners, Research, Hide

On a chilly morning, as I was taking a picture of the hay rake before it leaves the field,  out of the corner of my eye,

 I saw This stealth hunter in search of his breakfast.

Mice and grasshoppers are plentiful after hay is made.

 Even after watching traffic coming and going,

 Mr. Coyoteeee continued his hunt.

 The very next morning, just after sunrise,

look who was comfortably preening on the far edge of the field,

but

 a pair of Sandhill Cranes.  

I wonder where their young are or

did the coyote find an easy meal?  The

balance of nature sometimes seems cruel.

 Half an hour later, and still getting the 'itch' out.

 Late afternoon and there are more creatures in the field.

 oops, My mistake.  It's a couple of researchers, 

 bug collecting this time.

 see, Grandma, look how tiny and defenseless.

Mr. allergy eyes is not about to stop having boy things 

to do, like catching and~~~NO~~~ 

 silly boy, dip him in chocolate first!!!!!

 Even the teenage Bluejays were about to get into 

the act of silliness...as they

 took gravel baths and~

 worked at packing seeds away for a winter snack.

 The deer thought they were hiding under 

the thick cover of the maples...but

 darn, I think she sees us...hush, stand very still!

I hope you enjoyed out little walk and ride.

There is always something to see, 

no matter the hour of the day, 

sunrise to sunset.  

Life is Good

Zone 3 Survivors

With such a short growing season in our zone 3 north central Wisconsin,  we have been happy to see our garden is bursting. 

 Early evenings, we water when the rains don't count, 

and the weeding and the thinning is done.

This time, a basket of thinned carrots were a perfect snack.,

that we snacked on all evening and into days to come.

 There is nothing like the taste of  ' fresh from the garden.'

 The sweet, sweet Sugarsnap Peas are beginning to make our mouths water as we wait for ' just ' the ' right ' time....

to pick and eat, fresh off the vine~

 but then, along comes a 6' 6" giant that just cannot wait.

I was amazed the vines were taller than he is.

That makes for easy picking and a happy crop.

 The highly nutritious kale and beet greens

are as sweet and tender as ever in their early growth.

~oops, someone missed a weed. 

 Thanks to my hard working crew, especially my guy,

the gardens are looking better than ever this year.

 Can you tell he babies his potatoes and his

 pumpkin patch that is beginning to 

spread it's wings....I think we will be pleasing 

a whole lot of youngin's this fall.

 and this is exactly why we are up at the crack of dawn

...for there is always work to do.

If you have had a garden 

or farm in any way, then you understand.

May you have a productive, tasty season.

No matter what zone we choose to live in, 

it's all in how you play the game.

Rise and Shine 

There's work to do. 

~Life is good~

Hay Making & Pranksters

 We no longer farm, so we let our neighbors across town, make the hay from our small acreage.  We'd rather share than to see the land grow fast into brush.

 In minutes, the trailer is loaded with 10 round bales at a time, of beautiful hay of trefoil and clover mix for a herd of 80 cows and 70-some calves.  They will need a lot of hay so he works many fields besides his own to see his herd through the winter.  He also sees us through many meals of fresh beef~~~our ' bartering ' for the use of the field.  It's a delicious arrangement.

 Once the hay is loaded and on it's way to the farmers place across town,

 the pranksters must play~~~

 They were like two little boys, waiting~

waiting to see the reaction of their game.

 now to move that bale one more time~~~

boys will always be boys, adding to the fun!  

 The 40 bales from across the road, 

and the 22 from our field, added just a hint

of what is lined up in the farmers bale lot.

Hay making~just another part of 

' our view from the deck.'

Now, that's the only way to farm.

Have a great week~

Life is from God

Self-Explanatory

May you find your 

~sunrise to sunset~

this weekend.

Much Peace Be Yours

Eye Candy Stroll

 While sitting on the deck with my morning coffee a few days back,  I was distracted when a crow circled overhead.

I watched to see where he'd land, and there, among the potatoes and the pumpkins sat a Bald Eagle. 

A deer had been hit on the highway and the scent of fresh meat drew them in for breakfast.  I had almost hoped that the deer had not been dragged to the edge of the field, just so I could watch the meat-eaters feast on the carcass.  It would have been an oppertune  time to set up a trail camera.  I may even had captured photos of bear, bobcat, coyote, wolves, the cougar and the eagles and crows.  

The crow had landed on this branch full of spruce cones, but I was not quick enough to get the perfect shot.

 A walk around the yard and my senses were filled with color.

The first was a last Colombine hiding under the leaves of a shrub.

 Around the corner of the house, a busy Cottontail was munching on his breakfast of clover leaves, as fast as he could nibble. 

 Reed Canarygrass sways next to the driveway~

 as well as the bells of the spiked flower of Ladybells. 

 The Black-capped Chickadees are so busy right now,

playing their part as ' seed savers.'  

 Young lads are measuring up to~

the length of a single Reed Canarygrass~~~~~~~~
and they are surprised to see they tower far above them.