Two Hours

Hmm ... 2 hours!  Yup, thats all we needed to finally finish seeding!  However, when your off-farm job dictates when you get to farm, sometimes those 2 hours do NOT exactly coordinate with what the weatherman has in store!  Those big ole' dark clouds dropped some moisture late this afternoon and that's okay as well!  Somehow it always gets done and it always works out in the end!  

Grilling!

The weekend is here and although there is still work to be done, I am certain there will be some fresh asparagus grilled and consumed!  Have a fantastic weekend everyone!  

Sun Kissed

It was a bit rainy, overcast and rather cool for a good portion of the day ... (yes, I was wearing my multiple layers AND my winter gloves today).  However, eventually that sun managed to shine through and kiss the landscape with its long, warm rays!  

Des Crossley

I had the pleasure of tagging along with our oldest child and his fellow students to the Des Crossley Demonstration Forest, near Rocky Mountain House today.  Despite the rain, it was a fabulous day ... both educational and fun!

Not only did the kids get some fantastic information on this demonstration forest and the trees within it but they also caught a glimpse of the rare Venus Slipper Orchid and a Brain Mushroom!!!  Seeing the kids asking so many great questions and being enthusiastically involved was delightful!  I know when I was going to school, I loved field trips and as a parent tagging along ... I loved this field trip as well!

Feathery Gem

Migration is an amazing phenomena and every once in awhile it will throw in a rare gem!  I was certain I saw a "streak" of blue at one of our bird feeders Sunday morning but the moment "I thought" ... it was gone!  Lucky for me this handsome man was sitting outside my kitchen window as evidence my eyes were not playing tricks on me!  Meet Mr. Lazuli Bunting (Passerina amoena)!  Isn't he rather "handsome in BLUE!"  Mr. Lazuli Bunting apparently overshot his most northern range ... which is the southern tip of our province and ended up here amongst the American Goldfinch!  It doesn't appear to concern him and I am hoping I can spot a mate ... otherwise he might just head south sooner than I wish!

All I can say is, I have officially recorded spotting this feathery gem in my bird book!  I have spotted many of our provincial and migratory birds that "pass thru" but there are many I have hoped to spot in my lifetime and this would be one of them!  He's just so darn purrrrrty!

R A I N

Many a man curses the rain that falls upon his head, 

and knows not that it brings abundance to drive away the hunger. 

~Saint Basil

We are not quite done seeding BUT we never want to curse a rain either!  After all ... you never know when the tap will get turned off!  Besides, the countryside is looking more and more like a colourful painting with many different shades of GREEN!  

In A Nutshell

Friday, May 23, 2014:

From overcast, warm skies and the spotting of young moose still shedding his winter coat to the sunshine breaking through in its finally hours, Friday came and went!

Saturday, May 24, 2014:

Seeding our 2nd last field ... 

Sunday, May25, 2014:

To finishing up one field and finally moving home just to get chased by those rain clouds!

Here's to the LAST week of May!  How did that happen?

Baseball Anyone?

Baseball Was Made For Kids ...

~Bob Lemon

Tis finally Spring and for many that includes the sound of a baseball cracking against a bat!  Our boys have never played ball before.  For quite a few years they played soccer and last year they started motocross racing!  However, they thought they'd give it a try this year.  Their first game was tonight!  It was a gorgeous, picture perfect evening and the best part ... seeing all of those kids grinning from ear to ear, cheering each other on and having a BLAST!  I think our boys just might get hooked on BASEBALL!  

Glory Be

Sunshine, NO WIND, 24C ... a GLORIOUS day!  It even sounds like this will repeat itself over the next couple of days!  

Insert **SMILE**

In The Garden

There are hints of garden freshness surfacing!  Although I have yet to plant my garden (on the 'to do list' for this week), our rhubarb is stretching, some spinach from last year is growing and sprigs of asparagus are popping up!  Oh ... and we can't forget the BUZZ of the bees EVERYWHERE!  Such happy bees!   

And They Were Singing!

After a good inch of rain and a "splash" of hail the night before, despite the overcast, cool sky, my yard was alive with happy birds!  I spotted this beautiful Yellow-Rumped Myrtle Warbler (Dendroica coronata) singing his heart out!  Warblers are a very tiny bird but their songs are ever so sweet!

I was also very fortunate to be bombarded by a flock of Rose-Breasted Grosbeaks!  Gorgeous birds that don't often show themselves.  They have a tendency to stay high up in the tree canopy but with our trees just leafing out, it makes it a bit easier to spot so many of our songsters!

Of course, it helps to spot so many "BOYS" strutting their stuff when there is a lady around!

Drip, Drop ... SPLAT!

FINALLY ... a fairly warm, substantial and much needed rain!  It's amazing how the trees and grass just seem brighter, cleaner and appear to S T R E T C H upwards after a good Spring rain!  Now, bring on the sunshine and warmer temperatures and this ole' prairie just might burst into a colourful painting!

Yellow Bird

Brown Bear, 

Brown Bear,

What Do You See?

~ Eric Carle

I see a Yellow Bird looking at me!

Not quite the way Eric's book reads but when our boys were very young, much like "Eye Spy," we would play games of "What do you see?"  Lucky for us, our American Goldfinches are beginning to return!  These vibrant yellow, cheery lil' songbirds are always a delight to see ... especially when they return in the Spring!  

Bid Farewell

As the sun set, we finally bid farewell to the clouds that kept our skies overcast and the cold wind, that blew most of the day.  Seeing the bands of colour at twilight make one smile ... sunshine and a warmth tomorrow!  Right?

Bring IT!

The clouds, — the only birds that never sleep. 

~Victor Hugo

There has been no shortage of cloudy skies, threatening skies, nor COLD winds!  Brr... I really wish it would rain, snow or rain and snow ... either way, I just want it to get it out of its system so we can move onto to warmer days!  My rant for the day! LOL!  On the upside, stormy skies don't stop the 'Mama's' from doing their thing and although a cool spring ... I still prefer calving cows in May!

Beginning to Burst

The naked earth is warm with Spring,
And with green grass and bursting trees
Leans to the sun’s kiss glorying,
And quivers in the sunny breeze.
~Julian Grenfell

It seems like it is taking 'forever' for this prairie land to be painted in colour!  It was a long winter and its been a cold spring and a few of us are getting impatient!  Today, however, with a balmy 24C temperature warming the hearts of everyone, you could watch, as a few trees began to burst.  These new leaves bursting on the Trembling Aspens is certainly a very welcome and joyful sight!

Passing Through

I find our prairie sloughs fascinating!!!  I know ... weird eh?  Haha!  The truth is, our prairie pothole sloughs are so often overlooked and ignored yet they are FULL of fascinating wildlife at different times of the year.  (Geek ... I know!)  These beautiful mottled rusty, plump birds are Long-Billed Dowitchers (Limnodromus scolopaceus).  This is their breeding plumage and they are passing through our province and heading to the wet Arctic tundra to their breeding grounds.  You can thank Dr. Butler from the UofA and the mandatory wildlife identification courses for filling my head with this stuff!

Sing That Song

Something that I think warms the heart of everybody, is the return of our songbirds.  Slowly but surely they continue to migrate north.  In my travels checking cows, I came across this wonderful songster!  Although not glamourous looking with its very plain sparrow-like plumage, this Song Sparrow (Melospiza melodia) stands out as one of the great songsters that return to our province each spring.  Their sweet melodies are certainly music to my ears!

Blessed

My crew and the 'loves of my life!'  Yes, I was showered with homemade gifts and cards, gifts that they shouldn't have, coffee and waffles but most of all ... and all I need, ... love, hugs and kisses!  There are no words to express how truly grateful I am to have my boys and husband!  On this Mother's Day ... and EVERYDAY, I am just blessed to have them in my life and at my side!  I love 'em to bits!

And with that ... its seeding time and it was back to the field!  LOL!  Our boys helped us fill with fertilizer and canola seed and the remainder of the day was spent under a beautiful prairie sky in and around ... yup, the TRACTOR!

Wishing all Mom's a wonderful Mother's Day!