Making Room for Rabbits

The Dusk is dark and glorious
A star upon her brow;
With sunset blushes in her cheeks,
She beckons now.
~Robert Loveman, c. 1901

I love this picture of Moses. I'm not sure if he's baiting the birds or a part of a crime scene!!! 

December 4 was a super busy day. Jon had discovered a woman wanting to get rid of a mixed Chinchilla pair in Pendleton. He was working that Friday and planned on going into town that night to get them. Steve was home and helped me move one of my lasagna gardens since it was in the way of the rabbits. I'd known it was going to need moved, it was the timeline that was vague. So, with rabbits arriving, it was now on the immediate agenda! 

I am a huge fan of a lasagna garden. It is so easy to build a garden in layers and add to it over the seasons. It took less than a couple of hours to build and plant it and a bit longer to tear it down, move it, and replant it. Part of the longer moving time was how slow this lasagna gardener was moving. Not just because of aching, but because I was positive there were tulips in this bed and I didn't find many of the bulbs! I did find some broken places in the bottom later of chicken wire. Most lasagna gardens don't have a first layer of wire, but the rodents seem to adore tulips and since they just go around the daffodil and other toxic bulbs, I wanted an extra layer of protection for the tulips. It didn't seem to work!!! The dirt was carefully piled up on a tarp with the top frozen layer set aside and the bulbs in another pile. Steve removed the wooden square and took it to a new location and later helped haul the dirt over. I was very impressed with the ease of moving the garden. I've previously only moved parts of one and not an entire garden. 

Steve also put up another tree that afternoon. This year he fixed the lights and added color to the plywood shape and hot glued on Christmas ball halves. 

Then, we left for Pendleton to get the two rabbits. 

 

Season Changes

Sunsets cropped to hide man. I love how this tree has sort of a heart shape. 

One of the sadder and more necessary changes on the street. The big locust by Aunt Karen's old home is gone. Took a long time to get it taken down and cleaned up, but it looks a lot nicer. 

Rain was one of the early parts in the month of November. A lot of rain and cold and frost. I took in my geraniums and a couple of the nasturtiums I'd picked started to grow in the water!! We'll see if they continue. Fun fun fun!! 

On Janet's birthday, Nov 8, it snowed here in Athena!!! It didn't last long, but it was so pretty!!! 

Wind took the rest of the leaves off the trees after the snow melted. 

Steve decided to grab the chance to put up lights in nicer weather. The whole house and yard is a big job and starting in mid November was a good idea! 

One of the most stunning days in November started with an absolute brilliant sunrise. The house was lit up inside!!! The day later degenerated, but wow!!! What a world this is! 

New Viewpoint!

When Jon was here, we noticed a spot that looked like it might become a viewpoint. I finally stopped last night and it is! I posted photos so people in the Kenai area can figure out where it is. I have no idea what the mileage might be! It is just about to S Miller Loop on the bluff side. Actually, it is just before the pavement break from last November's earthquake. At any rate, it is very new and not quite finished. I'm thinking fencing will be put up and from the tourists who stopped, it is a very good idea!! Standing on the edge of the dirt in this area isn't always a good choice.

You could see for ages and when it is a clear day, I bet you can sight quite a few volcanoes. The last few days we've had bright clear days and clouds at night. Which help make for an awesome backdrop! 

First week in June-so far!

It isn't surprising to see a ship at anchor down Salamatof, but it isn't often  you get to watch it leave. 

It was pretty breezy on this sunny day, the gulls were everywhere. There was beach fishing for halibut, but nothing else, yet. I was pretty impressed with this capture of the gull landing. The sun was in my eyes, so I didn't see much more than birds. I hoped for something nice, but wasn't sure I'd get anything! 

 You can see how windy it was from the curled feathers on this ones back.

 Later in the evening, I decided to hop down to Arness Dock for the sunset. Yet, the sunset wasn't as nice as I'd hoped. The clouds, however, were fascinating! Like sky etching from a Master author.

 The inlet was grey, fog was at the base of the mountains, above were some fluffy looking edging, then the above that some stretched out bits of cloud. Eerie and interesting.

 I'm truly enjoying these late daylight hours. I took this lake reflection from the house at about 1030 pm one night. The mosquitoes are pretty intense, but hoping the dragonflies that are starting to appear will take a few of those out! There are babies on the lake now, also an immature eagle. So, not many will likely grow up. As my friend Elaine has said, "I wish all the predators would eat fish and berries!"

 Our lupine are quickly reaching maturity, soon the fireweed will follow. Jon is arriving on Saturday afternoon and Steve will come up the next Saturday. They will miss the crazy red season hoopla, which might have been their goal! Now, all we need is Tony!!

Photos of here and there

Most of these are sunsets. We've had some stunning ones the last few days! Some are growing things. Others might just be odd. 

Baby Pushki. 

Leech in the lake. I was a bit put out because where this leech was the ducks had been hanging out. I wasn't sure it was really a leech, because it appeared to have tiny legs. However, when I scooped it from the water (I was wearing gloves) the darn thing had babies! This was not the only one I found either. EWWWWWW. 

More Arness Dock sunsets.

For some reason there are a LOT of mallards on the lake right now. There are also Golden Eyes and one Green  Winged Teal family. 

She's already lost a couple of her babies. I hope this year at least one grows up to fly away. I'm really surprised they came back. The photo isn't very good because it was getting dark. I took this photo AFTER the two below. 

I believe this is a two year old cow. She's been hanging out in mom's yard the last couple of days and she does not have a calf. I reckon she the one who was around last summer, too.