Yard Work

Easter

Dakota gets an Easter treat

Ring Neck

We've been hearing this pheasant's vocalizations for about three weeks now. While there are wild pheasants around, we think he is an escapee from either a stocked hunting ground or a farm that raises them for restaurants, both of which are in the neighborhood. During the past week he's started to come into the yard and to shadow our chickens as they make their rounds. Maike doesn't seem perturbed by his presence and the rooster hasn't run him off yet. It will be interesting to see if he sticks around.

State Tournament

Yesterday G competed in the Middle Level Forensics Association of Wisconsin's State Tournament. There were over 1,500 middle schoolers from more than 100 schools around the state. She did very well in the first two rounds and made it to the Power Round, where the top third from the morning sessions vie for trophies. G placed third in the Informative category with a speech about Krakatoa. Dan and I are so proud of her! She's not sure what she's going to do with herself now that the season is over.

The hardware from her first Forensics season

Thirteen Years Ago ...

Hail to the Chief

After serving in various positions with the local library's "Friends of" Board, my dad was elected President. His first order of business was to set a 90-minute limit on meetings (with a 15-minute "sudden death overtime" provision for pressing issues). He's been really dedicated to the library since his retirement, so I'm glad he's in the top spot now.

My dad setting up for his favorite activity -- the book sale

Forensics Season is Over

Good luck to all who are going on to the State Tournament! (G qualified in the Informative category with a speech about Krakatoa.)

Frische Luft is Gesund

We had some spring-ish weather, so G (who has been home sick) & I opened the glass door sans screen to let some fresh air into the house. Luna was even happier than the two of us, because the birds are back!

Under the Milky Way

On super-clear nights like last night, the cloudy band that is the Milky Way is easily seen right over our house. (On some nights in the summer, it is so evident that I like to say that it looks like we're an exit off of it.) We had an extra treat last night: the Space Station was visible around 7:50, with the Space Shuttle chasing after it about 20 minutes later. The Shuttle looked like it was in a higher orbit and was moving much faster, passing right through Orion, which was above the southern horizon. G wasn't too impressed, but Dan & I, true children of the Space Race that we are, lingered until it had faded into the northeastern horizon.

Another March Cake

Darn Good Chocolate Cake for Grandpa's birthday

Signs of Spring

Daffodils on the south side of the house

Lily lounging in the sun

Maike playing fetch

Oops!

Yesterday we got quite a surprise. Dan went out to give the cows hay, but there was a newborn calf there as well! Since the cows are bred to calve in late April through early June,* this heifer is more than a month early. While she's a little small, she's not premature, which means that the bull and Honeysuckle managed a secret rendezvous early last summer. Given the circumstances of her birth, I think she should be called Immaculata, but because of the weather at the time of her birth, Dan's choice is Vanilla Ice.

(*Note for Inquiring Minds: The nights as well as the days are typically warmer then. Even when we have warm days in March and April, the nights are cool/cold. It's just easier for everyone later in the spring.)

Windy Moon

The Cherokee called the March full moon "Windy Moon." With the weather we had overnight, it is clear why.

3/11 @ 6:11 a.m., over the flooded & frozen west field

Birthday Pup

Maike turned 10 yesterday. It has been a harsh winter and she is really starting to show her age. As you can tell from her expression from the various pictures on this blog, she is a good dog and a smart one too. When we got her, that was difficult for me to believe. It was obvious early on that she was never going to be "my dog." She and I flunked not one but two puppy kindergarten classes because I could not assert Alphaness. While she still regards much of what I say as optional, she loves my kid with such intensity that all the other stuff stopped mattering to me a long time ago. She is just the best.

G made an Alpo Chop House Prime Rib cake with Milk Bone garnish for Maike

Winter Break

G had Friday off, so we went to the Milwaukee Public Museum to see the Titanic exhibit and IMAX film. On the way into the exhibit, a docent gave each of us a passenger profile that we could check against the survivor list at the end of the tour. G and I pulled women in first class (mine even stayed in one of two grand suites), while Dan got a man in third class. You can probably guess who made it and who didn't. The underwater technology used to bring the artifacts up and make the movie was truly incredible (and no doubt extremely expensive), so the trip was worthwhile just for that. We hadn't been to the rest of the museum in a while, and that was fun too.

Posing because they have to

Ring of Fire, one of G's favorite subjects

Tagged

Dan & G have been going to the indoor rock wall most Sundays. Sometimes Jamie & Becca go too. They all passed their Belaying class this weekend and got their green tags. Now they can climb any of the walls, not just the ones with autobelay. Next step: Trying it outdoors ...

Chili

Dan and I were invited to a Valentine's Day wine & chocolate tasting. While the hosts set up the four flights, we were asked to bring something chocolate-based as well. I decided to go with a savory dish because I figured most other people would bring sweets/desserts. After some Internet research I decided to go with chili, then looked at various recipes. G and Dan helped me put it together. It turned out awesome! You can find the recipe here. Next time we make it I will probably use less brown sugar in the spice mix and leave all of the seeds in the jalapeños.


Chopping in tandem



Ready to go

Happy Valentine's Day

Mud Season

It's not always so beautiful here ...

Toys in the Attic

For the past 10 years, my friend Dawn has periodically, and with great relish, posed the question, "How's that attic coming?" For the first time, I can't wait for her to ask, because thanks to Dan's cousin Graham, it will be DONE! We've been lucky enough to have him while he's home for a few months before he heads back to Alaska. He's done all the fine woodwork that's been unfinished lo these many years -- doors, windows, windowbox, trim. We've had several plans for the room, but at this point it is going to be a Wii/slumber party room for G and her friends to hang out. Yay to Graham for taking this on!



G & Graham and some of his handiwork