Sunday, August 23, 2015

A Full Weekend

And I mean full. 

Friday night, my spouse treated me, his mom and dad, 
daughter Amber with husband Jesse, and their 3 kids, 
my son Jim and wife Amy and two of their kids, and our good friends
Troy and Kathy and their family to a party for my birthday. 


Yep, we were in a suite at the good old ballpark. 

(Keith's dad watching the doubleheader) 


Tiny baby Hayden, born just a month ago, was there. 


Sizzle the Mascot was there, along with Troy's daughter and 
grands... 


Here is your blogger opening gifts... my awesome husband 
gifted me with photography equipment... this is a professional-quality 
tripod.  The equipment is so awesome, I am going to have to take 
some lessons at Wolfe's camera to learn to use everything. 

Saturday, we were so tired ... and Keith had a bad day physically... that I took only a few pictures. 

Today, through, I had time to do some "playing". 


In 20 years of keeping chickens, I have always believed that a busy 
hen is a healthy hen.  I was given some old straw at the Ag Hall 
when they got their new straw for this year's hayrides... and I give a 
flake to the girls from time to time, since I don't let them in the pasture as of old. 

They have a blast with it! 



My beautiful Silver was used to running in the yard with the cochins that 
have gone home to my friend. 
She tries to get out every day when I go there.  She talks to me a lot, too. 

She and another hen are going to come here to live at some point, we 
already have a little coop for them. 


Here is our girl Lil laying on the new back deck here. 
I will show you this week... we had a very old, unsafe 
builder's grade deck here, and it has been replaced by two 
awesome framers from Sands Construction of Leavenworth, KS. 

It should be finished tomorrow, and I will show you the grand unveiling. 

I took this picture tonight with my new Tamron 150-600 mm lens
which Keith gave me. I was on the deck at the old house, and did not even have it extended 
the whole way.  MY GOSH.  I should be able to show you hummingbird eyeballs with this 
baby!  
Speaking of hummingbirds, the migration will be starting soon, so keep 
filling your feeders and tending your flowers for our little migrants. 


Hopping back to this morning, for the first time in almost four months, 
I was able to see the hawk's nest.  It has been hidden by leaves all summer... more proof that fall is coming like a freight train. 


The camera kept trying to focus on the umbels of the Queen Anne's Lace. 
I am going to collect some of these seeds. 




Can you see the tiny "no see-ums" in the air? 
They are everywhere right now. 


This is a blurry picture, but you get the idea... I came upon a murmuration of starlings. 


That wasn't even all of them!  Please don't let them find my house! 


This little guy was grazing right by the road... with the little pond still shrinking behind him. 


So goes another weekend in Leavenworth County, Kansas, 
end of August, 2015. 


11 comments:

  1. Happy birthday! How nice to spend it with family!

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  2. What a wonderful gift for you Mary Ann,,,,, You are going to enjoy the challenge of learning all about your new equipment,, and taking more spectacular photos,, than you already do!
    love
    tweedles

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  3. Happy Birthday Mary Ann. Wonderful pictures, you've become an amazing photographer!

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  4. Just found your blog and I'm loving the photography!! Gorgeous pictures!

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  5. Happy Birthday ! Glad you had a good weekend with lots of family to celebrate with too! I do love that sunset picture ! Hope your Monday is off to a great start !

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  6. happy birthday mary ann!!! what great presents! i can't wait to see all of your photos.

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  7. What an awesome husband to feed your passions! You will have so much fun with your gifts – and so will we, through your always beautiful photos!

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  8. Late Happy Birthday! How wonderful to celebrate with your family at the game. You'll enjoy your new "toys" and we'll enjoy the pictures. We hope Keith is feeling better.

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  9. Keith is a great man Mary Ann. Hope he's feeling better now.

    OMG, fantastic shots. Love all the pics.

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  10. Sounds like you had an awesome birthday!
    Here's hoping Keith is doing better.

    M :)

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