Wednesday, November 23, 2016

Another Thanksgiving

This year Dennis and I decided to not go to all the trouble of cooking a turkey. It's only the two of us. We've gone out for Thanksgiving, but that usually isn't the same. Plus, you have to go out into public. Sometimes, we just don't want to be around people. We're strange in that way.

So, we'll be cooking either a large chicken or two Cornish hens. We hope to find the Cornish hens (usually frozen).

I always hated the clean up of it all (don't have luxury of a dishwasher--I'm the dishwasher and Dennis dries).

So, whatever your plans are this Thanksgiving, hope it's nice, safe and enjoyable.


Saturday, November 12, 2016

Afton Walk

Until this year I have not been able to share any pictures with you of my surroundings--one's I've taken. So, today I thought I would share some I took while walking through this park where we live a few weeks ago.

Of course, we start out at the trail from our yard.


Beginning of trail through the woods winds around and out toward the park.


This is a trail that winds down toward the creek.


Here you see damage to trees by beavers.


This tree was big around as my thigh. Unbeleivable these guys can chew through a tree this size and somehow haul it off to the river. Because of the constant problems with the beaver, the superintendent hired someone to trap and eradicate the beaver. Dennis and I find this attitude backward and do not agree with trapping an animal which would create the very wetlands they want. But who are we but hired help?

Okay, to continue my walk. This day was perfect and quite warm. As you see in the next series the leaves were still on trees here and are very colorful this Fall day.



By this time I'm about ten minutes into my walk. Maybe more, since I stopped to take pictures.
Here are the tall prairie grasses that is grown and many birds use it for nesting, food and cover.


Below are burning bushes which grow on south side of the pine grove. 

This is view of north picnic area as seen from a different angle.

This is looking east across the creek and up to the rise.
Back in the day, this was grazing for milk cows by the McGurrs who first settled here. Atop that ridge once stood the original cabin--long gone now. We live in the house they later built in 1906.
From this point if you wish to hike up the hill there is an observation deck that gives you a wonderful view. Today, however, I stayed in the main park. This park has over 300 acres, lots of paths. My husband, who is now on hiatus, walks a minimum of 1 hour a day. He prefers to go during the early morning, especially when it's still dark. One morning, he heard coyote, and while he had his cell phone was able to film and capture the sound. 

While on my walk, my cell phone rang, and I knew it would be Dennis. He wondered where I was, and said he was heading to the north picnic area. I told him I'd be there in five minutes.
Here is a wooded trail I took as a short cut.


And here he and I are together under the shelter. He takes care of the main mowed areas of this park.

Well, that's my tour. I only did one portion of the main park. There are many more areas, hope to be able to get pictures of them at a future time.
Thanks for joining me!




Thursday, November 3, 2016

Fly The W!

Unless you've been in a coma for the past few weeks, you know that the Cubs have finally done something that has not been done in 108 years.



I was first to become a Cubs fan in my house. My husband was a White Sox fan--only because his family was. I will take credit in changing him over years ago.

I've watched them play for many years, and so many times get so very close. This time, even though I knew this team could do it, from the way everyone was talking, I didn't dare invest my emotions and time into this.
But I cheered them on, all the same. I knew it would go 7 games, but only said this to Dennis. I knew that pitching would be a key factor. I told my husband the Cubs players will have seen the Indian pitchers enough times to figure out what they needed to do to get hits off them. And these guys were VERY good. But I think giving those pitchers only 3 days rest (usually it's 4), was their downfall. The batters will have studied what that pitcher is doing, where they need to wait and be patient in the count. It's all fundamental, really. Both teams were excellent, and that's why they were there. But, after a rain delay, the Cubs were able to rally back, come back and kick ass. Very exciting game. I wish I could have seen more, and I'm watching some videos here and there.

And a lot of videos and pictures can be seen on Twitter here.

A lot of fans are walking around bleary eyed this morning. Not just in Chicago, I know all over the planet people were somehow watching or listening to this game.
Yes we were this excited!


 I was smart. I went to bed at a reasonable hour. I have to drive a bus, after all. I let my husband loose sleep. The signal he left me was the little blue W on the dining room where I would see it when I went to the bathroom.


Only he used a much larger one from the paper (I didn't take a picture of it).

Now all my husband wants is the hat to go with the bragging rights.


Those of us who used to say "Maybe next year", we ain't saying that this time. We're saying "Oh, I can't wait for next year!" and the word "dynasty" is being used as well.

Okay. I just had to get this off my chest. We've got an election to get through. I know who I am voting for. (Not for Trump!)

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