Both last week and this week, I spent a little time turkey hunting.
This is what I was supposed to be looking for - I wasn't having much luck.
These hunts more or less devolved into morel mushroom hunts while carrying a shotgun.
I had a little more success on the morels than on the turkeys. Not a bonanza like previous weeks but not shabby either.
Saturday was great weather so we went on a bit of a nature hike.
We crossed a deep valley and followed the creek for awhile.
We made a few discoveries like this skull from a young buck. We put it on a stump so that we could pick it up on our way back.
One of our objectives was to check out an area that we saw a couple weeks ago. It looked like it had wild iris but they weren't in bloom then.
They were blooming now and there were a lot of them. The Seek app tells us that they are dwarf crested iris.
I think these were bluets.
Celandine poppy.
Trillium
Jacob's ladder
One of the creek bottoms.
It was kind of steep going up and down these "hollows". Here's a video of a graceful descent.
Graceful Descent
Lots to see everywhere we went.
I almost stepped on this guy on the way up the hillside.
Spectators waiting for him to stick his head back out.
Wild geranium
Showy orchis (which is an orchid).
At first glance, I thought these were morels. The Seek app says they are American Cancer-root which is some kind of parasite on tree roots.
Jack-in-the-pulpit
Bitter Wintercress
Reclaiming the found skull (a treasure).
Climbing back up and out.
A long climb.
With obstacles. But it was a fun hike.
This week, due to shelter in place rules, we had to resort to do-it-yourself dog grooming.
As long as we had the clippers, might as well give the shaved head look a try.
It was a good week to make some deer chili also.
Charlie let our 12 year old, newly groomed doodle out of the cabin. She got a taste of freedom and a chase ensued.
She had quite a nice tour of the property.
Joan even turned out for the rescue effort. She managed to get the small/old Ranger out. Eventually, Chloe got tired and stuck in a patch of greenbrier. But she had a blast while it lasted.
We got a little fishing in before the rain started.
One of the better bass in the pond.
Amy caught this same fish twice.
And never lost the worm either time.
Watch me kids, this is how you do this without losing the worm.
BBQ rib night - a farm favorite.
Looks like our neighbor had a dozer out making some new trails.
I'm going to try starting some of the bigger pumpkins earlier and inside this year.
Amy's collages of this weeks observations.
We had a nice tour on Saturday before the weather changed.
Sunday was mostly a washout.
Escaped dog recovery team.
A walk with Pipa last week.
Coyote.
A buck with antler bumps.
