May 31

Ben & Zoe spent some time with us while

Mom & Dad went to a wedding in Ontario ...

Gardening 

Discovering

Watering

May 30

Feel a little mean when I do this, but these guys
are getting so comfortable with me at the pond already
that in order to get them to be more active, I almost have
to try to startle them

May 29

Trying to get back into this and get some pictures posted.

Between an overwhelming number of pics, a very very slow

computer, and obligations, I've been putting off posting.

Won't finish because it's already late, but at least it's a start.

Today was birds, birds, birds ...

Sitting on Buffalo Creek this morning ...

Parked my car and tried hiking a little closer
to the creek ... little nervous about ticks though.

A Cedar Waxwing at our pond

I really should name these two ... they are regulars
at the pond (at least by their habits, I'm assuming it's the same pair)

May 28

Found some shade, a breeze
and still no mosquitoes!  for outdoor yoga  :) :)

Cheyenne and Poppa playing some catch

May 27

Mike & Molly feeding time

May 26 ... Birthday party time!!

These girls all have birthdays together ...
Zoe turned 3 on 25th, Thea turned 6 on 24th and Ravae turns 4 on June 4th 

All the grandbabies lined up in age order ...
Thea 6, Ben 5, Ravae 4, Zoe 3, Cheyenne 2 and ... one more coming!! :)

Trampoline time :)

May 25

Zoe turned 3 today!  :)  :)

May 24

More pond life ...

May 23

This puzzled me ... this female wood duck landed
in the pond with this partial eggshell in her beak ...
and looks like egg remnants around her beak ... hmmmm

Another new bird at the pond ... but
just have not been able to identify this one

Peek!

Ben has started his
baseball career :)

May 22

I find it interesting the number of birds I see
at the pond that I have never seen around the house feeders 

Mike & Molly ... again 

Zoe found my shelter quite amusing :)

:)  :)

Swings play a very important role in our summers

May 21

Mike & Molly  :)

Planting trees today ...
volunteers being moved 

Had an unexpected and unwelcome visitor at the pond
while I popped in tonight ... 

I think this is an American Warbler ...
still working on my birding knowledge

May 20

Conrad & Troy decided to swing
their clubs at the driving range before heading for the course 

Some repairs were in order on my bike

May 19

This pair of Wood ducks were doing a lot of bathing and
preening and just maybe a little 'smoochin'  :)

Caught this real quick just before heading to
bed tonight ... 

May 18 ... Puddles, Umbrellas & A Little Girl

Yup, lots and lots of colors
going on here!  :) :)
And LOVE LOVE LOVE this rain!!

May 17

With the price or oranges,
this could get expensive.  But,
had these slices out for less than 5 minutes
before we had multiple visitors again.

Perfect afternoon pastime ...
camera ready for birds, under a blanket with a book,
alongside a cozy fire!  :)  :)

May 16

Oh my!  The craziest time at the pond this morning!
Landed up scaring away several ducks as I made my way out
to the pond, then sat for over half an hour before any action.
But, when the action began, it got nuts!  Nine wood ducks,
8 male and 1 female, landed in one fell swoop!  And not sure
what was in their breakfast today, but the males were very pumped up!
There was so much racing, chasing, fighting, dipping, and
general 'cavorting' going on, it was hard to know where
to focus!  Half the time I just stopped to watch all the action
and forgot to take pictures.  Came away from about half an hour
of their action with over 300 pictures! That will be tough to beat!

Oh yes, and then got some beautiful birds at the feeder at the house too!

May 15

Well, not as big or old as the last ones we lost,
but another one of our poplars came down in today's wind :(

Maybe a female grossbeak?  Sampling
the seed in my glass jar feeder :)

May 14

Thankfully not a lot of these around just yet ...
but up close, they are actually quite nice looking!  :)

Spent a short period of time in my blind this morning ...
icing a sore foot propped up, reading, camera ready ... :)
but no ducks again.  Well, I scared one off as I came to the pond
but no one returned. 

May 13 ... Mother's Day

Had a big variety of stuff going on today ..
got to take a few pics after waffle breakfast at Sherry & Stephen's
(and apparently Zoe is in a DO NOT LOOK AT CAMERA phase),
and spent a few hours on a road trip with Conrad, including a picnic lunch
in East Grand Forks. 

Caught this guy close to sunset at pond ...
my ducks seem to have flown the coop.
The theory is that they're maybe nesting? 
But not at our place. :(

One of over a hundred pics at the extended Foord family photo shoot after supper :) :)