Thanksgiving Weekend - Clubs/Friends

My Thanksgiving week blogs have focused on personal items of gratitude, memories, and have focused on areas of personal joy. This final Thanksgiving week post incorporates all three of these topics in one topic beyond family...which are clubs and friends. The most recent of which is described below.

I've immensely enjoyed the Burroughs Audubon Society since moving to KC 15 months ago. In attending a handful of their meetings and tagging along a few field-trips I am privileged to know other area birders and have been exploring the surroundings.

I am amazed at the generous kind nature of people when they are doing what they enjoy, and had a blast last weekend on a Burroughs field-trip. Seeing various species, enjoying the outdoors, debating specific field-marks, and helping others find new species is a different style of enjoyment than quite reflective times outside.

   

Binoculars, scopes, field-guides, friendly conversation, snacks and watchful eyes/attentive ears are common items on field-trips.

Many good memories come from other clubs and friends, too many to detail here....but as this week of Thanksgiving draws to an end my mind drifts to the Nine Springs Golf Course, Mead Wildlife Area, Hiawatha Valley Audubon Society, and friends/colleagues from previous locations/positions.  I'm grateful for all of them, and hope everyone had a wonderful week of thanksgiving. 

A quick family visit

Steph, Jordan, and Kelsie showed up Sunday while we were watching the skateboarders from the top of the bluff. We had a nice visit while everyone got ready to head into town, where we went kayaking. Below are additional pictures to the previous post. It was the first time kayak for these three and they all did great.

It's all smiles here, but somehow they disappeared after running into shore!

After we switched into dry clothes we stopped by Galvin Heights for a overlook of the town. We often fail to ask others to take family pictures, but luckily we remembered on this day.

The kids played great together. Jordan and Kelsie had more than enough energy to keep up with Michaela even though she gets into a delirious hyper state of mood when people visit.

I tried to have Michaela and Danielle hang on the branch, but they could only last a second or too. Jordan and Kelsie did much better and got a ride when I jumped on {bringing their feet to the ground} and let go {pulling them back up into the air}.

The kids are great and our girls were very sad when they left. Tonight Danielle hopped on my lap and told me "I remember them, they are really nice and played with us."

Thanks for the visit!

The Stockton Bucket List - Kayaking at Lake Lodge

We have truly enjoyed the kayak and canoe rentals at Lake Lodge and playing at Veterans Park.

This summer we were disappointed however to find out the park system is no longer letting children under 9 on their own watercraft. Both girls were looking forward to paddling themselves, as Michaela enjoyed it last summer and Danielle wanted to show how big she was and do it herself after being too small last summer.

We made a week long trek north spending a couple days in Canada fishing, biking, floating the river, and seeing friends and family.  When we returned to Winona a week ago we made it a priority to get out on the water again and talked our friends into meeting us for a night on the water.

This past weekend Steph, Jordan, and Kelsie spent a day visiting.

We were on top of the bluff when they arrived and after a quick shower we kayaking at Lake Lodge. Cooler than normal July temperatures kept many people away and there were enough kayaks for all of us to get out.

The rest of Jordan, Kelsie, and Steph's visit is on the next blog post.

Return to summer

At the start of July we visited Kansas City over three days and found a place to live next month and then we enjoyed the 4th holiday with friends in southern Wisconsin.  I'll get those photos and story up later, but for the time being today was a return a normal summer day after four days of working on a book project.  

The past few days ave been hot, humid, and windy.  We cleaned the house for a showing that fell through and then spent the afternoon in town.  After this move we will have moved three times in 48 months, and hopefully this time we will be able to quickly determine where boxes go when we unload.  We picked up colored tape to wrap around the top of each box, with a different color for each room in the apartment. Hopefully this will reduce the number of times Christine get asked "Where does this box go?" when we unpack.  How do you coordinate and increase efficiency when packing, moving, and unpacking?  

It is hard to believe 100 people were there from this photo shopped picture!

After the quick shopping trip we went swimming at Lacanne Park in Winona.  We've been to the park before to fly kites, bird, school gatherings, and bike rides but today was the first time swimming. Michaela likes to go underwater and pick things up, but is still working on swimming more than 5 feet without a life jacket.  Danielle is just brave enough to get her eyes wet. Here are a few photos from this afternoon, much like last summer with a new adventure every week.

Sunny February Day in Winona

Christine took the girls north to visit family, as there was no school Friday or Monday for them.  Unfortunately I was unable to travel with, having classes on Friday and Monday. I took the camera with into town, and with a sunny calm day I was able to enjoy the views around Winona.

I started at Prairie Island Park to see the male Bufflehead. By walking only when the duck dove under water I was able to sneak down to the waters edge without disturbing him. The sun was not compliant for taking great pictures, but it was awesome watching the bird's posture change as he preened, dove, and continually moved around.

After twenty minutes of laying on a log I caught a dark object out of the corner of my eye. I expected to see a crow on the spillway, but was surprised by this little guy coming down to take a drink instead.

The raccoon appears to be looking at me while he is walking down the spillway, but I believe he was unable to figure out what I was or rather was just scanning the area ahead. When the raccoon was about 20 feet away I decided to move and interrupt the jaunt. While quite common, they are not often seen in broad daylight unless sick.  While it would have been awesome to watch him walk right under me, the possibility of a rabies bite made me reconsider.  This last photo is the original size of the photo with a 300mm lens. 

I decided it was probably time for me to head into town to finish errands. I left the Bufflehead in the same location as he started, continually diving, and the raccoon siting in the shade under the tree I had used just minutes earlier. After the necessary errands I went looking for the immature Black-crowned Night Herons that have overwintered along Shive Road. The mallards, belted kingfisher, and herons didn't disappoint.

I love the dark blue reflection of the clear sky on this picture of the heron. With the warm weather and open water they were in a different location that afforded closer photos while remaining in my Jeep.

Now that I am done having fun editing photos, posting this blog, and remembering this morning it is time to go replace parts on the toilet!  Have a great day everyone.