Friendly feathered friends

This morning there was such a feeding frenzy at the bird feeders that I decided to lend a hand. Click on the picture to get closer. Before long a nuthatch came and fed out of my hand followed by...

a chickadee. As we were coming home today, I didn't have time to get my "photographer's assistant" to zoom in and get a closer look. Hopefully I can try this again later.

A fun week of visitors

This week saw quite a few friends from GF come for visits. On Sunday it was Byron, and Lyle and Diane; Wednesday it was Jim and Adelyne; Thursday and Friday it Lee and Marsha; Sunday was Dave and Becky; and today was this fine group from Kezar's Bible Study. Dick and Vivian, Elaine, Ralph and June, Arvelda, Dorothy, and Lillian came for lunch at the Douglas Lodge in Itasca State Park and an afternoon visit. Thanks so much for taking the time to stop and visit!!! We had fun!!!

It makes sense, I guess...

If an eagle is called a "bald eagle" because it's white head gives it the appearance of not having any hair (feathers), then.... I guess it makes sense that this little bird is called a "ruby-throated" hummingbird. But how come a robin isn't called "red breast" instead of "robin?" Something to ponder. Oh, by the way, these two birds are one of the largest and smallest of birds in North America and are both in our area. Looking at the diversity of size and color I have concluded that God must have enjoyed making such beautiful creatures. PS Did you notice the hummingbird forgot to tuck in his little "shirt feather?"

Walking on water

The loons were chattering early this morning and my presence on the dock scattered them.

Loons remind me of B-52's when they take off since they need a lot of runway to get into the air.
They run on the water while flapping their wings and eventually they do take off.
You can see the legs and wings going and what you cannot hear is the noise they make doing it. They are such amazing swimmers and divers but quick take-offs are not their specialty.

Finally air-borne into the rising sun...

End of week visitors

The end of the week saw some visitors from GF, Lee and Marsha, who spent some time with us at Terry Town and at a BnB in Dorset. We had a great time catching up with what is going on in our lives. Another visitor was a pair of Pileated Woodpeckers, Minnesota's largest about the size of a crow, who stopped by to check out the temperature. This is the female since she doesn't have a red moustache. Of course most women wouldn't want that, would they?

Bunnies at Breeze Campground

When we camped at Breeze campground over 25 years ago, Carrie would like to see the pet bunnies that were kept in a small cage on the grounds. Much to our amazement they are still here (though probably not the same ones I'd guess {:>). So these pictures are for Carrie and for a lady with the initials of I.A. (name withheld to protect the innocent) from Grand Forks who as a small child was read the story of Peter Cottontail so often that she thought that she was a rabbit until after 'a show and tell' time at school where she had told her classmates that she had once been a rabbit, her mother said, "You aren't now nor never have been a rabbit!" Too funny!

New Week - spectacular sunrise

On the way to Park Rapids through Fertile, Mn, we crossed the Sand Hill River. Two miles down the road, these Sand Hill Cranes were eating in a bean field. Guess we know where the river got its name. We had a great visit yesterday from Byron, Lyle, and Diane who came for church and lunch and a visit. No, I was too busy grilling to get pictures. Sorry.I did get a shot of a speeding loon last evening. Sort of like shooting a bullet.

This morning's sunrise was spectacular....don' t you agree?

Oh yes, we saw a rural church on the way here that looks like they may need a pastor.

Making Some Excitement

For years I had been able to lightly prune our big ash tree, but no more. It had gotten out of control, branches hung over the house and the neighbor's yard, it was full of dead wood, and split in the trunk. So I bit the bullet and called in a professional. At 6:00 pm they showed up just in time for supper. Soon the saws, buckets, and chippers were buzzing and I looked out of the window to see them reaching places that hadn't been trimmed in years.
It must be fun playing with toys like this...

An hour and a half later the trimming is done, branches hauled away, and we have a new tree... the only "giraffe" ash in the neigborhood!

Like Floating on Glass

After a late night thunderstorm I nearly took a shower after I remembered that I hadn't lowered one end of the awning. When I got it lowered while it was pouring down rain, about 30 gallons of water narrowly missed me much to the delight of Marilyn who was taking it all in from the dry side of the window. After such loud thunder and lightning, we awoke to this... a glass like lake so we headed for a kayak ride and a little exploring to Potato Lake.Usually loons are pretty docile creatures... unless an unwanted visitor shows up. Two were cruising in front of us when a third popped up and then the fun began. There were displays of toughness and running through the water before the intruder got the message and submerged. I guess three's a crowd in loon-dom too!
See how tough I am?

Early Morning Activity

Some people wonder what we do to keep busy at the lake. If you get up before sunrise there is a lot of activity centered around getting breakfast.Early morning fishermen are out trying to get breakfast from the lake.... one from a boat....
And one from the dock...

Then a young family of wood ducks' breakfast is interrupted by a fisherman and they all hurry for the protection of the tall reeds...

while another fisherman tries his luck from the dock of a nearby resort.

A chicadee gets his breakfast almost too easily and looks at me as if to ask: "So what's your problem?"

Meanwhile Momma loon brings breakfast to her only child in bed.

(Click on the pictures to make bigger). Well, one more breakfast...mine.

Roadkill Eagle

Yesterday after a rainstorm, we lost power so decided to go to Park Rapids for supper. At the last minute I grabbed my camera having learned that the best potential wildlife shots usually have happened when I didn't have my camera. Well, on the way we saw an eagle feasting on a roadkill deer lying in the ditch.We turned around and M took the wheel while I shot the pictures. This is the closest I have gotten to an eagle in the wild. Sort of ironic since I had recently commented that I hadn't seen many eagles lately.
I took about a dozen shots before he got tired of me and flew away. He doesn't look too happy with my interrupting his feast. Eagles tend to look like they aren't happy most of the time. I haven't seen one smiling anyway. Click on them to see how close we were.

TT Shots

Since our original plan of having a new pastor overlap with me abit did not seem to work out, I have felt it important to allow the church to have some distance between my departure and their new pastor. So we have spent more time away from GF than there. We certainly miss our church family but a new candidate is coming in August and the Lord will continue His work. Yesterday we returned to TT and explored the river that connects our lake with Island Lake. It isn't very long but was fun navigating the kayak in the shallow water and under bridges.This Blue Heron stood motionless just before our presence caused him to fly away on a dock in Island Lake just north of Eagle Lake.
And the Ladyslippers were just about done blooming but I got this shot after the rain the night before. Click on it to get its full beauty.

I had mentioned that I hadn't seen many eagles yet. Well, this morning one dropped in for a visit on the tall evergreen in front of our camper. As stealthy as I tried to be, I could only manage one shot before he showed me his tail feathers.

You have to be quick... I think the first shot was when he saw me and then it was bye-bye.

Appropriately Named

We have our trailer on Eagle Lake. Last year I saw more eagles than this year but on our trip around the lake with my brother on our neighbor's pontoon, we saw an eagle's nest on our lake for the first time. And since they come back to the same nest every year, it should be around for awhile if it doesn't blow down. Here you see a juvenile eagle sitting near the nest. So our lake is appropriately named.Here are a few more Pink Ladyslipper pictures. They are a variety of orchid and as beautiful as can be. This is the first year I have seen them so they are extra special... what a Creator we have who is so passionate about beauty and color.


Anybody have a small enough foot to slip into these slippers?

Iowa Visitors

After we returned from Colorado we hurried with the lawn and a few things and headed to the lake to greet our guests from Iowa. Lou and Pat, my brother and wife, came for the fourth of July weekend. We had a great time talking, walking, and kayaking... though Lou and Vic found out that the kayak can tip you out in the lake... another story for another time...I have been wanting to get a picture of the state flower of Minnesota, the Pink Ladyslipper. Just when we got back we found some in full bloom. I had asked at Itasca's visitor center where I might find them and they said they were not allowed to say because people pick them and dig them up to take home. I explained I was just taking pictures and she told me where I might "like to go for a hike" without specifically saying I would find them there, but there they were in all their glory.

We also saw the state bird of Minnesota, the Common Loon, here pictured looking very proud of their new brood. We had a great time with my brother and wife and were happy they could join us for the weekend.