Remnants of Brunch

Sunday Brunch included blintzes (top), roasted potatoes (middle right), link sausage (bottom left), and a mushroom/tomato/spinach omelette (consumed). All were very delicious, thank you. ;-)

Jason Buys a House

Our son, Jason, bought his first house last Friday. Because there are so many short sale and foreclosures in Ft. Myers, he was able to get a good deal. . . . and an $8000 first-time buyer incentive won't hurt. He was a little amazed at all the papers he had to sign before he got the keys, but once it was over, he was pretty happy . . . and tired. We helped, of course, although we left the unpacking to him.

Sorry to have had a lapse in posting, but I got very behind with helping him.

Springtime Pansy

Do Not Drink

Basil's Dream

Chris Hale, one of the nonfiction mentors in the Murray State University MFA program, has published her first novel, Basil's Dream. Chris read from the novel during our winter residency (above), and I look forward to reading the entire novel.

"In Basil’s Dream, a novel of love, lies, betrayals, and struggles of conscience, a love affair exposes violence and deceit at the heart of not just two unhappy families but an island nation’s history, shattering lives and bringing a stumbling government to its knees. Basil’s Dream melds the personal to the political to offer a redemptive vision: the world as a place where destruction and moral ambiguity enlarge hope rather than annihilate it."

For more information, go to www.christinehalebooks.com.

No Bull

While I was out in the back taking photos of the calves and cows, three bulls approached me slowly. I stood quietly by the fence, and all three came up to me. One was young, but the other two, including the one above, were older. I picked a long piece of grass and held it through the fence. The bull in this photo put his nose up to the fence and let me scratch him with the grass. Evenutally, he took it from my hand and ate it. His tongue touched my fingers, which shocked me because it was quite rough. It felt almost like a Brillo pad.

We were quite surprised that the bulls not only came up to the fence, but also took the grass from me as they can be quite skittish.

Keep Away from Me!

This baby calf was asleep when I walked outside. At some point, he woke up and walked over to his mother and tried to nurse. Mom, who was busy eating, did NOT want to be bothered, and she head-butted him a few times before she finally turned and walked away from him. Of course, she also kept a good eye on him while she was going. ;-)

Tomorrow: A bunch of bull

Hey, aren't you a little old for this?

The cows are out behind our house, again, and this afternoon I went out to shoot them. While I was out there, I noticed this rather large "calf" trying to nurse. Her mom was pretty patient, unlike the one I'll show you tomorrow.

Coming Monday: A bunch of bull

It's Spring

Cool Store

I love the stuff in some high-end furniture/home furnishing stores, but I have a question: Do people really decorate with some of this stuff? White sofa? Antler bowl?

Tiptoe Through The Tulips

Happy Easter

Happy Easter, everyone.

Moo are you?

If you follow my blog, you know that there is a cattle pasture behind our house (not ours). I love to go out and shoot the cows (with the camera, of course) when they're in the field. A lot of times, I'll open the door and "moo" at them. It always gets the attention of a couple of them.

The calf in the photo above is probably about 6 months old. . . . I think. It could be younger. Isn't it beautiful, though?

Sunset in the Hills

Every time we buy a house, we end up with one with a backyard facing west. The best part about having that west view is that we get to see some beautiful sunsets.

Used Cows?

If you travel I-65 between Nashville and Louisville, you have probably seen this sign.

For what did someone use these cows previously? Are they gently used or really worn down? Do they come with a guarantee?

Peek-a-boo

Serenaded at Lunch

Michael and I ate lunch in a Potbelly Cafe in Columbus, OH recently. There was a great singer there who serenaded us during lunch. Too bad there weren't more patrons in there to listen.

Hide and Seek

A few months ago, Decker, my 13-year old Welsh Terrier, suddenly started trying to "bury" his dog food every morning. He tries to cover it with his placemat and leaves it under the corner of the counter, in front of the refrigerator (as in this video) or in the middle of the floor. During the day, he'll walk over, sneak his nose under the cover and eat a kibble or two. I happened to have the camera out the other day when he started, and tried to upload a video, but I just couldn't get it to take. Instead, I offer this photo.

In the wild, canines (and other animals) cover their food to save it for themselves. We figure this is a natural instinct for him, but we wonder why he's doing it at this advanced age.

The funny thing is that he will also try to bury Kasey's food at times, particularly if she is sitting next to me or getting attention. :-)

Which way is up?

Spring = Yardwork

When the grass wakes up from its winter dormancy, it looks beautiful. It also brings a lot more work with it. It's time to get out the lawnmower, trimmer, weeder, hedge trimmer, shovel, trowel, rake, fertilizer, weed killer . . . . . . . .

The last of the daffodils

Our daffodils are gone already. Here's one last look . . .

Spring has sprung