Full Moons

You can't see much differences between the full Wolf Moon in January and the full Buck Moon in July, until you stand out in the wet, dewy grass for about 10 minutes and then the close up below (and bites all over your body) reveals the main difference - moon size mosquitoes.

Happy Solstice

Video of my Summer Soltice celebration is below.

The Raptor is Coming

I caught these two Red Tailed Hawks hunting this morning and it reminded me of an incident at the funeral of one of my friend' mother. He is has always been considered kind of a goof ball, so when he told my wife to get ready that the "rapture" was coming, she misunderstood and thought he said that the "raptors were coming". Later when she asked me what he was talking about, I explained that he meant the "rapture" instead of "raptor".
So today when the alleged "rapture" was to begin, I see that he truly must have meant "raptors", because all I saw was hawks.

Flower Moon

I finally got a photo of the Full Flower Moon. I was lucky it has been cloudy, rainy and cold all week. The high temperature has not reached 60 and on at least one day we set a new low "high temperature" for the date. I just happen to notice a glimpse of moonlight peeking through the clouds about 5:30AM. By the time I got my camera and the correct settings it emerged from the clouds. No sooner than I had taken a couple of quick shots, it was gone. We are supposed to be up in the '80's this weekend.

Woodpeckers

I'm not sure what has recently attracted so many woodpeckers. They are usually very flighty and hard to photograph but I was able to catch a couple of shots. The Pileated woodpecker above is never around when you have a camera, so he is very hard to catch. Uncle Edward always called them "Indian Hens" which is apparently a common nickname.
The Red headed woodpecker below is also hard to catch on film. The photo is not real great because of the rain, but he did look real bright and pretty in real life despite his scruffy appearance in the photo.

Blackberry Winter

I guess it is definitely "Blackberry Winter". The blackberries are blooming and the high temperature is going to be in the '50's for the next 3 days. A week ago it was 90 degrees for 3 days. Things can sure change in a hurry.

Apil Showers

As of 6 AM today (27 April), we have had a little over 7 and 1/2 inches of rain since Friday (22 April). This is indicated by the top number on the rain meter. The second number is the cumulative for the year and the bottom number is the amount since midnight. The big TSC sightglass gauge outside ran over at 5 and 1/2 inches. Another 1-3 inches are predicted for this afternoon. It is already the wettest April on record (which is one of our wettest months) with more rain predicted Friday. Ark building time.

Vernal Equinox

Spring is finally here on the calendar and we have had a few very nice days, but we should really start seeing trees and shrubs blooming and mild days. I am ready to say goodbye to Winter even though we will have a few frosts and maybe snows yet. One of the things I do to celebrate the Vernal Equinox is burn the all the seed catalogs that have collected over winter. There seems to be fewer each year since most of my orders are now on the internet.

Worm Moon

The full Worm moon is suppose to be a "super moon" since it is near its perigee. It looks beautiful as usual, but otherwise about the same to me. The other good thing is that it is a good "tater" planting sign, fortunately the ground dried out enough for me plant them today. I also got onions, cabbage and broccoli out.

Daylight Savings Time

The above quote about says it all. You can learn more here, if jumping through hoops twice a year isn't enough.

Starting Tomatoes

I always start my tomato plants indoors and then move them outside in "wall o' water" , which are mini-greenhouses. In another 5 weeks or so I'll take the waterwalls down and stake the plants. They will grow up past the gutter of the house (10-12 feet). I get tomatoes about a month early. That may seem ambitious now but just look at the cold frame a month ago (below).

River's Rising

The sign states the obvious ("Road Ends At Water"). However, when the river crests above flood stage on Sunday, the sign will be underwater. It's all about spring and the welcomed rains.

Let the Lenten Season Begin

Daffodils are a sure sign that Spring is on its way. It's another 2 weeks by the calendar and probably also by the weather, but after the long winter the daffodils are a welcome sign. They also signal the beginning of many other spring flowers that are just coming through the ground. No wonder they have inspired great poets like Wordsworth:

"Daffodils" (1804)

I WANDER'D lonely as a cloud

That floats on high o'er vales and hills,

When all at once I saw a crowd,

A host, of golden daffodils;

Beside the lake, beneath the trees,
Fluttering and dancing in the breeze.

Continuous as the stars that shine

And twinkle on the Milky Way,

They stretch'd in never-ending line

Along the margin of a bay:

Ten thousand saw I at a glance,
Tossing their heads in sprightly dance.

The waves beside them danced; but they

Out-did the sparkling waves in glee:

A poet could not but be gay,

In such a jocund company:

I gazed -- and gazed -- but little thought
What wealth the show to me had brought:

For oft, when on my couch I lie

In vacant or in pensive mood,

They flash upon that inward eye

Which is the bliss of solitude;

And then my heart with pleasure fills,
And dances with the daffodils.

By William Wordsworth (1770-1850).

Too Many People

A couple of news items caught my attention today. First, experts at a national conference predict that our planet could be 'unrecognizable' by 2050 due to population pressures. At the same time the GOP has introduced legislation to cut funding for Planned Parenthood. Again, it seems our policy decisions are more and more out of step with the realities of world facts. The numbers speak for themselves.

Young Bucks

I was lucky to catch these two young bucks in the middle of the road this morning just before daylight. Since I was trying to catch a photo of the moon, I had the camera on a tripod and had most of the settings for a low light photo. Also since it was cold (25 degrees), I had donned my camouflage coveralls. The deer could not see me as I made a couple minor adjustments and swung the camera on them. Also I was fortunate they stood still for a few moments and there was no traffic. In my case, good luck is more important than skill in photography.
I assume these guys will soon drop their antlers and get ready for next year.

Riverboat Traffic

The barge in the foreground is loaded with coal presumably from western Kentucky headed north on the Ohio River. Less visible in the background is an identical barge load of coal that just passed underneath the bridge. If you don't live near one of the larger inland waterways, it is hard to imagine how is transported over the water.

Snow Moon

The "snow moon" will be full tomorrow, but it was already bright and shiny this morning.

Go Fly a Kite

One thing I try to do each year is fly a kite. I had ordered a new kite and was itching to fly it. So the first pretty day, I got it up and going. I also had to fly the old kite ("Jordan"). It is about 10 years old and homemade, but still soars great in a good wind. (I resemble that last phrase)

Signs of Spring

It warmed up to 60 degrees today and while I was out, the warm temperature was not the only sign of spring that I noticed. When I looked down I saw the first crocus of spring. A pretty yellow spring color. Then I heard a noise above and caught hundreds of Sandhill cranes headed north. These are sure signs of spring. I know we will have more cold weather, but the signs say we are headed for some warmer weather too.

Happy Darwin Day

Darwin Day is celebrated on Charles Darwin's birthday, which is also shared with Abraham Lincoln. Darwin Day is not as much a celebration of his birthday as it is of his theory. It is a celebration of Science and Reason. His Theory of Evolution has been and is the most maligned theory by the non-scientific community; while at the same time, one of the most hailed and lauded by those in the scientific community. There is no way you could study and apply many of the sciences and advanced technologies of today without use of some parts of his theory. It can only be rejected through ignorance.
Representative Pete Stark’s (D-CA) has proposed a House Resolution calling for the designation of February 12, 2011 as Darwin Day. I am almost certain that it won't pass, so in its stead I present the following video in celebration of Evolution Theory and Darwin Day.

Evolution Made Us All from Ben Hillman on Vimeo.

I caught these two Chickenhawks (Red Tailed Hawks) perched together this morning. I have been seeing them together over the last few days, so I assume they are mates. The above link gives several interesting facts about chickenhawks. First, I'm not sure which is the male or female, but according to the article females are the larger of the sexes. Also, they are monogamous. I guess I need to watch and see if they nest nearby. It would be neat to watch their nest. But it's hard to catch photos of the two together.

46 Years Ago

Forty six years ago on 6 February while I was on temporary duty at Clark Air Base in the Philippines, I was hurriedly tagged as part detail to go unload a C-130 that had just taxied up. By the time we got to the aircraft, ambulances started screaming in and we were assigned to help carry litters of bloody bodies to the ambulances. Afterwards, we were told to grab our gear and boarded a C-130 (I don't think it was the same one we unloaded). Somewhere in the process we were told that the bodies were from Camp Holloway, Pleiku, Vietnam and that we were in route to Danang Vietnam. It was late that night or early the next day (didn't really know what time it was except dark) when we landed and were dumped out on the taxiway.
The next day we would launch our first airstrikes against North Vietnam as part of Operation Flaming Dart.



That was a long time ago in a place far away only the vague memories and the lost innocence of youth persist. This is the same posting as last year, but you can't forget.

Year of the Rabbit

Today is the beginning of the Chinese New Year. 2011 is the year of the rabbit on the Chinese calendar. Rabbits are are non threatening creatures that are the subject of much of art and folklore as expounded here.

Imbolc Ceremony

The weather was terrible this morning, so I had quick ceremony out in the shed. It wasn't much, but I had some great Imbolc tunes on the Mp3 and was glad I did something. The captions explains the Brigid Crosses I made and burned.

Happy Groundhog Day, Imbolc, Candlemas

Groundhog Accuracy

Phil sees his shadow approximately 90% of the time.

According to StormFax Weather Almanac and records kept since 1887, he has been correct 39% of the time.

This was my video and posting from last year. I thought it was worth a rerun, after all it's Groundhog Day!

Is it Spring Yet?

I love all the seasons, but Spring is by far the most anticipated. By the end of January, I am worn out with winter. So you can see from the above photo of the "man cave" that I am getting ready for Spring. In the foreground are broccoli plants started by the stove. I already have early girl tomato and pepper plants growing in the window sill in the south end of the "man cave". In the middle of the photo some kite decorating has been started for the March winds. In the back are ferns that have wintered on top of the microwave and in the upper right hand corner are boots and snowsuit that will be worn a few more time before Spring. In another room of the man cave shown below we also have started working on taxes.Perhaps we will finish by April 15th. At any rate maybe next week the groundhog will give us some good news about Spring. Although we know we have at least two and half months of frost left.

Wolf Moon

I was finally able to catch a good photo of the full moon. It was 10 degrees this morning and very clear. I was also able to catch some good moon shadows. The last photo also capture venus rising over the horizon. It was a pretty morning to be out, but rather crisp.

January Wolf Moon

My first photo of the moon in 2011. It's not a very good photo, but I wasn't expecting to take any this morning. First, the Wolf moon is not full until Wednesday, and secondly the weather forecast was for cloudy skies. However when I was woken this morning by the bright moon shining through the window at 3:30am, I though I had better try to catch a photo while I could. The sky was a little hazy and the moon was low in the trees, so this is the best I could catch. Given the dreary weather forecast, this may be the best I can get of the near full Wolf moon.

Vedic Winter Solstice

I don't know much about India or it's religious beliefs, but today is when the sun moves north into the sign of Capricorn and many people celebrate the Winter Solstice as part of the Harvest Festival "Pongal". I thought this video was very entertaining and colorful even though I don't understand the words or rituals of Pongal.

Crowd at the Feeder

You can see 5 doves, 3 cardinals and a few sparrows, etc. crowded around the bird feeder this morning. While you can see an occasional spat, they seem to get along with their diversity better than humans do. Of course there does appear a pecking order in which size does matter.

Seven Degrees

A typically cold January morning as the weak sun rises through the frost and snow covered trees. Mrs squirrel will probably not venture far from the nest this morning, but she gets to view a golden sunsrise.

Chicken Hawk

Mr Chicken Hawk is perched up in the cottonwood tree next to the garage waiting out the snow shower. He has been perching in the same spot off and on for several days. I don't know if the weather has altered his hunting or he just found a good place to rest.

Waxing Crescent Cold Moon

This is my first moon photo of 2011. It sure is a beauty and sets a high standard for the rest of the year. I caught most of the light and ambiance of the rising "toenail" moon.