Happy Friday to All. It’s been a busy month for blogging and for being out and about. Was able to get a first bike ride in, went to Meijer Gardens a few times, out to a movie with friends, to dream group, out for lunch with friends, out to an open mike night to listen to friends, and a bunch of other things that have been both energizing and sapping.
I’ve mentioned it a few times in comments, but I’m going on blogging hiatus starting in May. Even on other breaks, I’ve dropped in for a few weekly prompts, but not this time. I need to make space for a bit. Lots of real life things have been put on the back burner and they are piling up.
OK onward!
On 4/11 older son and I went out on a bike ride at the Spoonville Trail, starting in Nunica, which is really the current trailhead for the North Bank Trail.
Finally got a chance to go into the garage to check on the birdhouse gourds. They look so icky! But they are dried out as I can hear the seeds inside. IIRC the flaking skin has to be sanded off. Younger son has a dremel (sp?) to drill the holes in them. One of them collapsed, but it’s still intact.
Update on dawn redwoods: I gave two of them away, one to Cari, my fitness guru, and one to her mother, who gave the seeds to me in the first place. The water table here is so high, I fear a very large tree will topple over at some point, so I gave them to these very good stewards who I know will watch over them. I’ve got two bigger ones left and will share pics of them once I get them planted, out near the road where tall trees seem to do well. I did get pics from Cari’s mom of the mother dawn redwood and the lady whose property it is on (with her head edited out.)
Next are a couple of pics of Mlady and Dotty. The one of Mlady in the cat bed makes her look huge. She’s not small but her fur is over 3″ long so it makes her look bigger. With Dotty, her fur is losing its luster, which is a tell-tale sign of a cat in poor health. She’s still eating, drinking, eliminating, and breathing as normal. Sometimes she snores. The 2 lumps don’t seem to be getting any bigger, but they feel like they are hardening and they seem to be tender to her as she adjusts the way she lays now. I cherish every day we have left. She’s my best buddy at night when I’m watching TV.
There are many spring flowers out at fmg. I caught some cool pics of a turtle on a rock in one of the ponds, where the reflections in the water give them a sort of spacy look. I got a couple of the wisteria trellis, showing the wisteria before it has budded out.
This last section is all about the cranes! Sandhill cranes. On our bike ride on the 11th we heard them first and saw them in the corn field. The next day I looked out of the window and there were two very close to the house. Luckily I captured them. The video at the end is from bike ride day.
Tao-Talk 
Oh, such beautiful nature, Lisa. It all looks so peaceful. Time with our grown children are to be cherished. I understand about the urgencies of life taking away our time and the need to take a break from blogging. As long as you return! :)
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<3 <3 <3 Thanks so much. Are you settling in to your new home?
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beautiful pics, and video Li! Enjoy the blogging break, in May, I know it is a few days offyet, I’ll miss your posts as I always look forward to them! X
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Thanks so much, CA <3
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Lovely pics! Sorry to hear about Dotty and I hope her remaining days are good ones.
This month has been a lot re blogging! Like the old days, I am on all the time, reading, replying, etc. At least I’m not writing multiple posts per day the way I used to. I plan to slow waaaay down in May…
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Thanks on Dotty. I found out about a year ago she has a bad kind of cancer that had already gotten into her body by the time I took her to the vet. she had a lump growing fast out of her belly button area. They gave her 12-18 months at that point.
I know what you mean about being full speed ahead on blogging. It started in March and won’t end til the end of April. I need a break, bad! I miss having you on WP.
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Those sandhill cranes look big enough to eat.
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Crane on the barbie, yes! :)
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p.s. do you get cranes in your area?
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I hear hunters call it the ribeye of the sky.
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OMG, Jim, I hope you are joking!
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Yes, they are here, but skinny ones, unlike your.
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I know it sounds awful, but I read that.
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Love the Redwood trees… and I’m glad Dotty is holding steady. Love those Cranes! I see some when I walk Martha at the dam. Love those reflections in the water…I thought it was a camera trick at first.
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Yes, I need to get mine planted soon before they leaf out much more. So cool you have them there. It was weird how I saw them 2 days in a row, once right outside my window! I’m used to seeing deer out there but not cranes. Yes on the reflections, there are always cool images in how the building is reflected in there and they have bubblers so it makes ripples.
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I actually thought you manipulated a couple of those pictures… cool that it is nature.
The Blue Herons and Cranes are here…
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We have a lot of blue herons now, after the introduction of zebra mussels to Lake MI. We’re seeing the cranes more and more, which is very encouraging. The only pics I manipulated was Dotty’s, to make the background fuzzy. The rest have been shrunk to around 700 x 700 but that’s it.
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Yea…I still can’t get over how it looks! I thought you photoshopped something…that is pretty incredible to happen naturally…great eye.
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:)
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What a refreshing, beautiful time in nature. I don’t blame you for starting a blog break in May. This A to Z Challenge is a lot of work, but I’ve really enjoyed it.
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Yes, nature heals all. I’ve been enjoying as well, Karen.
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Great photos!
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Christine, thank you!
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Have a well deserved break, Li! I’m so sorry about your fur baby… that’s always hard. Great shots. Those gourds 😱 I laughed at the head cut off photo❣️😹
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Cindy, thank you so much, I agree on the break. Dotty has been a stoic trooper through all of it.
I know on the gourds! I watched a YouTube in the fall on them and how to cure them but it didn’t prepare me for seeing them up close.
I debated on whether to share the photo or not but decided on a middle ground: Ichabod! lol
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Great shots, Lisa. Stuff really has a way of piling up, doesn’t it? I know the feeling. Have a great and well-deserved break. 😊
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Nancy, thanks so much. Yes, it does. Thanks very much, I hope to <3
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You are so lucky to have sandhill cranes! Magnificent!
I’m glad you’re getting out and about. And I know you need a break. It’s better when you just tune completely out for awhile.
I hope Dotty hangs on for a good long time. ❤️ (K)
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K, over the past decade, they’ve decided to be here and there in the area. Always by the water, but not on the water.
Yes on a complete tune-out.
Me too on Dotty <3
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