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Monthly Archives: July 2013
Lost & Found
I was scanning through images this morning when I came across this Shoe cartoon, which ran one year ago today.
I was about ready to close shop on Secondary Rds when I first saw this. For that reason, I captured the image with the thought of featuring it in a farewell post. The encouragement of friends plus a move to self-hosting WordPress changed my mind and renewed my commitment.
A new friend, recently passed an award along to me and this blog. This sent me into a search of earlier awards. As I looked at the list of those who had issued those awards, I noticed a lot of them are not currently active. Others no longer swap blog visits and comments with me. While some blogger buds disconnect and others leave the scene, yet others connect or enter the blogosphere. Then there are those special friends that visit and remain.
In my first year of blogging, I spent about six hours a day in blog-related activity. For more than 365 days there was a new posting each day on Secondary Rds. Eventually enthusiasm that was found at the start was lost. Later it was found again only to wane and return once more.
This time of year, I find it difficult to spend much time here at the computer. That will surely change as warm weather gives was to cold. Thus goes the ebb and flow, the lost and found.
Right-of-Way
I was mowing on Friday, when I noticed something moving slowly–kind of flopping actually–in front of the tractor. I slowed and stopped. It was a baby bird. [No doubt from the dove’s nest in a crab apple tree that’s very close by.] It didn’t take the baby long to move out of my way. I drove on past the struggling youngster. (Fortunately the cut grass exits the deck on the opposite side from baby bird.)
The next pass repeated the above scene. Baby bird is tiring. It’s a struggle for the little one. No feathers and hence no flight. This may be the first adventure out of the nest. As I drove past the crab apple tree, mama dove dropped out of the nest doing the cripple bird act, but not very convincingly.
I changed my mowing pattern. I’d come back 45 minutes later to see if I can complete mowing in that portion of our huge lawn.
When I returned the youngster was not to be seen. I completed the job and then went inside to retrieve my camera.
Mama dove sat on the nest.
Mama dove is looking at you with her left eye.
The light spot on the side of her head looks like a beak, but it’s not. You can see it better in this picture.
The crab apple leaves provide excellent cover for mama.
After capturing these images, I left the birds in peace. They are doves after all. I had a different agenda and that was to make a glass of cool water disappear. Mission accomplished. 😀
Twenty Years Ago
Flashback Friday is hosted by Camille. (Click on the badge to visit her blog, which is the home of Flashback Friday.) Won’t you consider joining in the fun?
Twenty years ago, Sylvia and I were living in Connecticut. Summer vacation, and usually Christmas, meant a trip back to our home state of Michigan to spend time with family. Part of that time would be spent at Glen Lake.
On this trip, we were at the lake with family. On a nice day, we made the short drive to the base of the Sleeping Bear Sand Dune. It was the tradition for us to climb to the top of the dune. We did and so did son, Bryant, his wife, Barbara, and our granddaughter, Briana.
Briana and Barbara with Glen Lake in the background
Can you believe that little girl is now a senior at Grand Valley State U? She is also an honors student in the nursing school.
Her Favorite Spot
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Nieces
Saturday was the shower for two of Sylvia’s nieces. They are the daughters of Sylvia’s youngest sister, Gaylynn. It has become a tradition for the oldest sister, Joyce, to host with the help of Karen and Sylvia when it’s time for a wedding or baby shower.
Kelly, Stacie & Gay (mom)
The guys also get together on those day. But it would be a 10 hour long experience and I opted out this time. Someone had to supervise the cat, didn’t I? :dontknow:
Kelly, Gay & Stacie
The girls are due a month apart, which should keep the soon-to-be grandparents fully distracted. :surrender:
The Joy of Friends
Flashback Friday is hosted by Camille. (Click on the badge to visit her blog, which is the home of Flashback Friday.) Won’t you consider joining in the fun?
Last August four blogger buds came together for our first ever face-to-face. Our house is about in the center of our geographic spread and so we hosted it. The idea came from Lin. Vanilla and Shark rounded out the group.
After a picnic lunch, we had lots of time to talk and explore the grounds beside our secondary road. The garden received a lot of attention and visitors received some of the bountiful harvest that it produced.
No gathering of friends is complete without pictures. This group was no exception. Lin’s hubby, Joe, did the honors.
Vanilla, Shark, Lin & Chuck
As Joe was taking the shot, Shark observed, “I’m always the shortest one in the photo.” Lin gave me an elbow in the ribs. I looked at her. She nodded. I nodded. Joe took another shot.
Who’s the shortest now, eh Shark?
Class clowns caught in the act.
Perhaps we can do that again some day. I certainly hope so. That was fun!
Family Time
Last weekend, my three sisters were here so that we could spend some time together. It was a great time. And we ate well. My sisters are all good cooks and Sylvia is, in my opinion, the best.
Chuck, Maggie, Barbara & Clara
That clean-shaven look has resulted in more than a few comments. I don’t miss the facial hair as much as I thought I might.
In the photo, we are standing in the family room under the sky light. That was a really bad idea. Only later did I realize how bad. I had to reduce contrast quite a bit to salvage the image, which resulted in this washed-out look.
We didn’t always look like this. There was a time when we were younger, and it seems like only yesterday. Come to think of it, we were younger only yesterday. Compare the above photo with this.
Clara, Chuck, Barbara & Maggie
It sure is nice to have a family get together! I only wish we could do it more often.
On Blossom
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We Call It Home
Our friend, Vanilla, started it when he posted a satellite pic of his neighborhood. That was interesting and I made a mental note to do a similar post.
I don’t know how you handle mental notes to yourself, but I will surely misfile or forget most every attempt. An hour later will likely find me several layers deep in distractions.
On Saturday, Sharkey did a similar post. Before it escapes me again, I’m going to try to follow in the footsteps of these friends.
Our neighborhood as seen by the circling buzzards
Dirt roads form the North and West boundaries of our homestead. The house and garage have red steel roofs. Beacon Bay Farm and Kennel (home to Meghan and Kurt) is in the upper right. The farm in the lower left is home to Bob and Rosemary. (Bob raises beef cattle and makes hay from what used to be our lower lawn.) Hubert and Joyce live at the bottom center. He raises a few chickens these days.
These are some of the best neighbors we have ever had. That is wonderful!
Having to travel dirt roads means we despair of ever having clean cars for more than a few hours. That’s not so great, but it also means we don’t have a lot of traffic zipping by our country home.
The forecasters tell us to expect hot weather this week. The lawn has turned from lush green and is beginning to brown. You’d think it was summer . . . Oh! Yes. It is summer.