Sunday Safari

We spent our Thanksgiving with the birds.

There were over 200,000 Snow Geese, a few hundred Pelicans
 and a few thousand White-Fronted Geese.
The Loess Bluff Hills made a spectacular background.

The sounds of the birds are in my heart.

I will always treasure 

being part of this migration.

The Pelicans greeted us.

Amazing birds.

There were Eagles too.
This immature was interested in us.

Squaw Creek is about 100 miles North.
We had come looking for Trumpeter Swans.

We were not disappointed!

A small flock were about 200
 yards out in the wet lands.

We watched them feed and preen.

We ate our peanut butter
sandwiches with this family of Swans,
a Cob, a Hen and their Cygnet.

A  Cattle Egret watched us for a little bit

than went about hunting for dinner.

A Hawk flew into the tree next to our car.

A Yellow-shafted Flicker flew in right after.

We had a wonderful Thanksgiving.
 Dinner with the Swans was a dream come true.
We had eaten pumpkin pie for breakfast.
Mashed potatoes and mushroom gravy with
 peas was our late night snack.

We traveled with our critter friends, Mammoth and Horsey.
We had fun. It was a warm, 67 degrees, and windy day.

Back home we needed bee medicine.
We had lots of work to do.
November needed to be put away.
We had to clean the house and decorate for December!
Our festival of Trees begins December 1st.

We are almost finished decorating. I have put up 54 trees!
Tomorrow I will polish the silver and iron the linens.
We will cut pine and holly for the vases.

I am celebrating the German and Dutch cultures
in December.  It is my heritage.
 I have paper-cutting and baking to do.

I just might go back to Squaw Creek
in December.
I just might pack the picnic basket.
We will be home alone for Christmas
this year.
Christmas with the Swans sounds romantic.

Happy Sunday safari.

Sunday Safari

It is cloudy and cold today.
I am grateful for my warm house.

Many families are gathering this week
to celebrate Thanksgiving.

Our children live far away.
Too far to travel this year.
I miss them.

It is a good sort of missing.
I am grateful they have found their way.
They have loved ones nearby to share their day with,
no worries.

We have many stories of Thanksgivings.
We have blessed memories.

Like the Native Americans
our family stories are oral traditions.
We laugh when we retell our stories.
We remember the taste of Granny's pies.
I have her rolling pin. It is part of my November.

My friend and I went to an art show yesterday.
I bought a small sculpted and felted Acorn Fairy.
He is part of my November now.
He is part of my story.

I believe in magic.

The Christmas Cactus is blooming.
After Thanksgiving I will pack up the November things.
I will decorate the house for Christmas.

My husband called out, "Geese, geese, geese."
I ran out to the backyard.
Up so high I could barely see them were the Snow Geese.
Line after line of Snow Geese migrating south.
Oh joy! Oh joy! Oh joy!
We listened and could just barely hear them.
These are the first flocks we have seen this year.

The Swans and Pelicans may also have begun migrating.
I shall be looking for them. I worry for the Swans.
 I worry they have lost more habitat.
I would love to spend Thanksgiving with them.

May you and yours have a blessed Thanksgiving.

Happy Sunday Safari.

Sunday Safari

It was 67 degrees this afternoon.

The skies were clear and sunny.

Indian Summer continues.

My sniffles have become a cough so I am taking it easy.

Since it was so warm I sat outside for a little while.

Sunshine is good for me when I am under the weather.

I went inside for a glass of cider and found a
 Cabbage White butterfly had emerged from her chrysalis.

My indoor Butterfly Bush is blooming

but I released her outdoors.
It is to remain warm all week.

I took my cider to the deck and read.

I am smitten with the American Chestnut Tree.
I wonder if I could find a spot to grow one.
I would love to be part of her comeback.
I do love the good roasted chestnut!

I have begun collecting proverbs.
I have a notebook for my collection.
I am beginning a study.
Hopefully this will be a life long adventure.
I can always find room for one more proverb.
Trees are much bigger.

Happy Sunday Safari.

Sunday Safari

When the sun came out this afternoon
I went butterfly hunting.

The mums are in their third bloom.

The marigolds look so lovely.

I gathered seed from the Morning Glories.

I picked the last of the squash.

It is November.

The birds are keeping me company

when I sit outside with my coffee and books.

The colors of November are lush.

We still have some green leaves.

We have not had a hard freeze.
Soon I am sure we will.

We still have some grass growing.

The bittersweet is open.
I have harvested and have long sprays in the house.

These Indian Summer days

are treasures.

We bought chestnuts at the organic market.

I roasted some this afternoon.

They are delicious!

I am learning about the Chestnut Tree
this week.

I am studying nut trees
in November.

Happy Sunday Safari.

Happy November.