Did you know the words to yesterday’s post?

Yesterday for Wordless Wednesday, I posted a series of pictures that were in fact the words to a Christmas carol.  It is one that Sylvia, Midnight and I would sing for you, if we could.  From the pictures.

1. Wee fish
2. Ewe
3. A mare
4. Egrets
5. Moose
6. Panda
7. Hippo
8. Gnu
9. Deer

Did you figure it out yesterday?

Thanksgiving Day 2011

The folks that live beside Secondary Roads wish you and yours a Happy Thanksgiving Day.  We have so much to be thankful for.  The first thing that comes to mind is family: my wonderful bride, our two sons, a super daughter-in-law and a fabulous granddaughter.  We also enjoy good health and have enough to care for our needs.  Beyond that we are surrounded by the beauty of nature and by a community of good people that share similar values.

Today, we’ll have company: two sisters, a brother-in-law and his brother are coming to share some food and fellowship.  It’s gonna be a great day.  And to top it off, our son and his wife and daughter are planning to stop by later in the day.  Perfect!

What are you thankful for?

One smart bird

And a word from my friend, the one we call Hoosier Daddy:

From the horse’s turkey’s mouth

Hey Vanilla, do you really eat that stuff?  Or were you just playing games with your faithful followers?  Just asking . . .

Take time my friends to be thankful and to show that to those around you.

Last Sunday morning, I fed Midnight (our cat) and started the coffee maker.  From the dining room, Sylvia asked, “Have you seen the sky this morning.”  A few steps and I was looking out the window at an amazingly striking view.  I immediately headed for the office to retrieve the camera.  Next stop was the front deck with the camera in my hand.

Looking north from the front deck

This is what I saw from the front deck.  In the foreground is the new garden area that I had tilled on Friday.  That is Meghan‘s barn (center right).  The early morning sun illuminated the scene before me, which seemed to glow and provided a stark contrast with the dark clouds overhead, which threatened rain.

I turned slightly to the left and zoomed in

What a change from last Wednesday.  No fog.  Brighter sun.  Darker sky.  The camera doesn’t really do justice to this breath-taking scene.

Another slight turn to the left

I spent a few more minutes just admiring the beauty of a quiet Sunday morning.  Then it was time to think about breakfast.  With bread in the toaster, I poured coffee and took a sip.  By that time, the sun had disappeared behind the cloud cover.  The magic was over and the rest of the day was dominated by those rain clouds.

The photos have only been re-sized for faster upload.

That’s the way the day began last Sunday.  It was a good day.  Sylvia and I agree that it is wonderful to live here in this rural setting.  Little wonder that we feel so content.

Monday, I called the Service Department to see how they were progressing on my tractor repairs.  The manager said, “Oh, didn’t you see it in the barn?  We returned it Friday.  I guess I should have called you?”  Yes, that would have been a good idea.

In this shot, the tractor is dirty from work.

I have yet to see the invoice.  I did suggest that they learned so much in the five weeks they were fixing the problem that I should charge tuition.  I further added that if they tacked on a charge for “Storage,” I would not be pleased.

Our new garden space has been tilled.  It looks nice.  I also completed several clean-up jobs around the place.

Road Kill Insignia

Lin at the Ducken Wheel did a post the other day that got me to thinking.  In the post, she wrote that the lady in front of her in traffic had four cat stickers posted in a row on her rear window.  Lin mused that it might an indication that she is a “crazy cat lady.”  Or perhaps she is a “krazy kat killer” lady and those were trophies.

That quickly leads to an entrepreneurial idea.  Make and sell stickers to place on drivers’ vehicles to indicate road kills.  A wide variety of species would be available.  My neighbor could use about 20 of them on his truck.  I might even buy one of a deer for Sylvia’s ride.  Seems like the least I can do, and I’m always willing to do the least I can do.  Oh, and I was driving when we bagged that one.  Grilled venison.  Pardon my lack of enthusiasm.

Ideas Wanted

I’m open to ideas to improve this blog.  So please let me know your thoughts on:
How can I improve content?
How can I better interact with readers.
How can I increase traffic?
How can I better encourage comments?
Do you have other helpful hints for me?

Thanks.

Do you like the new logo for Midnight Monday?  My little buddy, keeps life interesting around this country home.  Lately, around mid-morning while I’m surfing the blogosphere, Midnight starts calling me.  He is very persistent, and so I get out my office chair and walk into the bathroom, which is located adjacent to the office.  Midnight greets from where he stands atop the counter beside the sink.  I know what he wants.

Kitty slows the water escaping the tap on a front leg

He is thirsty and he wants a drink from the faucet.  I turn on the faucet just enough for a thin stream of water to flow.  I don’t want my little buddy to go thirsty.

He doesn’t always use his leg to slow the flow

When I have the stream of water adjusted properly, he will drink directly from the faucet.  But I must have a slow flow.

He really enjoys the fresh water

I enjoy watching him “attack” the water with such vigor.  The water flies and some of it, believe it or not, actually makes into his mouth and down his thirsty throat.

Doesn’t this look like fun?

After a while, he has had enough water.  That’s when Midnight stand up, steps out of the sink and back to the counter where he rubs against me.  His way of saying, “Thank you very much.”

It must be that flowing water is better tasting than the still water from the water bowl.  I can believe that.  I can also believe that it’s a lot more fun.

Waxing crescent moon over neighbor’s barn

Last Saturday evening I looked out my office window and saw the crescent moon in the southwestern sky.  I gathered the camera and tripod, slipped into a light jacket, donned a cap and slipped out the back door.  As I searched for the best angle to capture an image of the scene.  I heard a loud noise coming from the southeast.  The familiar noise was growing louder.  It was a flock of geese, but it had to be a large flock.  Indeed it was.  Despite the darkness, I tried to shoot a photo of them.  Trees and buildings would add to the level of difficulty.  However, like the old saw says, “Nothing ventured, nothing gained.”

Geese flying by

Later, when I found the results less than thrilling.  I brought the black level up with my graphic program.  You can see how that worked above.  The geese had been barely visible with the eye.  After processing, I could see that there was something going by.

That blue was not enhanced.  All I did was to lighten the dark areas.

Looking over my house at west-bound geese

I turned and captured another image of the geese.  This time I had to shoot over the roof of the house.  I could only fit a very small portion of the flock in the viewfinder.

As the huge flock was leaving I could hear another flock headed my way from the south.  This time, instead of flying east and north of me across the darkest skies, the second group flew south and west of me.  Much easier to photograph!

The second flock flies through brighter skies

 Soon, the geese were gone and stillness returned.  My mind eventually remembered my original purpose.

The crescent moon chases the sunset over a silent landscape

I took my final shot and then watched and listened for a while before returning to the house to see what the camera held for me.  I entered the house feeling very good.  Satisfied with what I had experienced.

I awoke yesterday, as is my custom, and saw the waning crescent moon sailing high over the barn.  The sun was about to rise.  First, I enjoyed the view out the window for a while.  Next, I got the camera and took a couple of shots.

With the images captured, I took time to enjoy the view some more and to consider all the good things in my life.  Family is at the top of that list.  All too soon, it was time to start my day.

After personal needs are taken care of, the next order of business is to feed Midnight.  Next, I brew coffee, pour a bit of orange juice and add carbonated water.  Then it’s off to the office (20 steps) to begin my morning rounds through the e-mail inbox and the blogosphere.  Breakfast happens after the coffee is ready.

Yesterday, our plumber made a house call.  There is was no shutoff on the water lines to our shower.  Eric took care of that.  He did not replace the cartridge in the shower control.  Instead, we talked, he left and Sylvia and I went out and bought a new control from the Big Box Home Improvement Emporium.  Eric is scheduled to return tomorrow to finish the job.

Later, I called the Jolly Green Tractor Sales & Service Store.  They first hauled my tractor away three weeks ago.  A week later, it was returned after they replaced a ruptured hydraulic line.  The same day the tractor came back, it broke again.  This time no power to the tiller.  The service manager told me that they have not been able to locate the problem.  We are now waiting for help from a factory expert.  I can hardly wait to see the bill on this one.

Last week it was car repairs.  Fortunately, both items came in under estimate.  That helped ease the pain a bit.

Looks like there will be too much month at the end of the money.  Has this every happened to you?

I awoke this morning, as is my custom, and saw a cloud-filled sky.  No moon.  No sun.  It will be a wonderful day.  Rain is refreshing the earth.  In the words of Tony the Tiger, “It’s going to be a great day!”

Poor Lyle, I can relate to this sad guy

I woke yesterday morning to the fact that my tractor has spent most of the last two weeks at the dealership’s service department.  After being gone for eight days to repair a broken hydraulic line, it came back home.  Within an hour, I had the mower deck off and the tiller and front-end loader mounted on it.  I drove the mile to church, and after moving some top soil to where it was needed, I began tilling.  After an hour and a half something in the tractor stopped working.  So it’s back at the dealership, and I’ve not got my fall tilling done yet.

I got out of bed yesterday, got dressed and fed Midnight.  Then I went to the office to read the online edition of the local paper.  My favorite Lowe’s store is closing.  I was not happy.  After checking e-mail, I went to the kitchen to make a couple of slices of toast to go with my coffee for breakfast.  The clock mechanism in the toaster oven ran for two minutes and quit.

I had a late morning appointment to have repairs done to my car.  They replaced the front-end sway bar links and a sensor in the exhaust system.  The final price was less than the estimate, but still more than $350.  Ouch!

Lowe’s was crowded.  Must have been the sale they were holding.  I found a replacement (an upgrade) for the toaster oven.  Yes, it was on sale.  The young lady at the check out counter reported that she is losing her job next Tuesday.  She has a family that needs her income.  I hope she finds something soon.

I think I’m retaining water.  Why else would my weight be going up?  Are my scales broken?

Self portrait

What’s a guy to do?

In addition to comments left on my previous post, I received e-mail comments and questions about Indian summer.  The exact meaning varies depending on the region and perhaps even the individual involved.  For me it is a period of above average temperatures with dry conditions that follows the first heavy frost (below freezing temperatures).

Indian summer brings thoughts of apples, apple cider, the bright fall colors wrapping deciduous trees (especially maples), pumpkins and marching bands.

I particularly like Indian summer.