The Great Outdoors and A Beaver Named George!

This is what it's like in the great outdoors near our house.

We're still about a month away from lilac time.

and

I can't believe that we're not 3 weeks after the pond has been free of ice.

Yes, these mallard ducks are walking on top of the [beyond] thin ice.

 

 It's spring and the birds have been noisy and busy like they are every year.

This photo is from last May.

 

 Also, last year on Earth Day, a painted turtle came to visit us for a day.

We named him Simon James Alexander Ragsdale III after a song we know and a friend named Alexander.

 

 The painted turtle was much friendlier (as far as amphibians go) than the ancient snapping turtle who commuted across our yard a few weeks later.

We've seen him already this year. He's so big that you can see, from up the hill, his head moving through the surface of the pond!

 

 Humour me for a moment and let's see if you can follow the irony of this.

This silly little elephant that I have NO idea how it got there keeps making me jump. 

It looks like a mouse out of the corner of my eye.

 

 Some bold great outdoors explorer I am, huh?

Remind me to pick it up next time I go inside!

The ravens and crows have been getting caffeine rushes from the coffee grinds in our compost pile and the fox and skunk have boldly been wandering around, getting into the eggshells.

(YIKES!)

 Honestly, I keep promising myself that my next post will be shorter!

BUT

just to get sidetracked for a moment...

This is a most excellent little book.

 

Tom is finished with the stone stairs but is still working on the wall. (For those of you who've asked. =] ) Never fear, though. Tom is more stubborn than any ol' BIG ROCK!

I am hoping that, while he's busy with other very important projects, we can put a stopgap solution in place to enclose the compost pile.

I like this idea ...

 

 My favorite idea of all, though, is this one...

 

 I love the idea of planting things in the hay of the compost pile BUT I'm sure that our rather large herd of deer would like it even better than I.

Why don't I have a picture of the deer?

They're usually out when it's pretty dark.

I'll work on it.

Anyway,

We, also, have 3 constantly hungry wild boys running, running, running barefoot in the cool, soft, new grass.

They are definitely animals!

See...

 

 empty and hungry!

NOW,

I have to tell you a simple little story.

We had a pair of Canada Geese that nested in the pond across the road from our house last year.

 

 We watched the goslings grow and mature until they flew away last fall.

This is a picture taken from our dining room window.

 

 

 There is an elderly couple who started coming and feeding the geese. We didn't think that this was the best idea in the world but they have been doing this for years.

They would honk they're car horn and the geese were trained to immediately come from wherever they were...

up the hill, on the other side of the pond...

wherever.

Well, the geese and the geese feeding couple migrated (I think to Florida - the elderly couple, I mean) and they are both back.

A few days ago, we heard the familiar honk (of their car horn - not the geese) and the resident geese came aswimming!

I know it's two from that same family!

Fisherman drove them up the hill, today, and I took this picture from my "famous" kitchen window.

 

 Well,

there were some otters in the pond a couple of weeks ago.

The fox was hiding behind a tree hoping to catch them.

They've moved on, they never stay for long

BUT

the beaver is awake and busy as a, ... well, ...you know,

...busy as a beaver!

As a matter of fact,

if you asked our beaver,

he would say,

"I cannot tell a lie! I chopped down my lovely neighbor's weeping cherry tree with my

BIG TEETH!" * 

 

 Bad George!

BAAAAAAD George!!!

(He did it on April Fools day too!)

Lest you get depressed on our behalf, I will leave you with some puppy pictures.

Sorry, can't resist! 

 

 

Uncle Lliam really likes to puppysit.

 

 

Yes!

You all are right! I live in the most wonderful place!

I feel it - I really do!!!

 Love,

Katy Noelle

P.S. For those of you who aren't American and might not know, it is a legend that George Washington, our beloved first president, chopped down a cherry tree when he was a little boy. It is rumored that he said, "I cannot tell a lie! I chopped down the cherry tree with my little ax." We planted the weeping cherry last November and had been watching the buds swell with expectancy.

P.S. again, Halle and pups are doing well, as you can see.  Halle has been taking the most extreme catnaps - you can hear her snoring from all corners of the house. She's doing an excellent job. I'm so impressed!