middle creek wildlife management area

I know it's been a long time since I've shared much here. I'll try to be better about that.
Lot's of things to share but I'll save that for another time.

This installment is about a wonderful visit to Middle Creek this past weekend.
A very good friend, Sharon Nunan and I have both wanted to visit so we did! The Snow Geese ( and various other water fowl) use Middle Creek as a resting place on their migration and the numbers are astounding. The weekend I was there Snow Geese were estimated at 60,000 (!) and Tundra Swans around the 3,500 range.
From what I gathered that was the best time to visit and see the largest numbers of birds. We were not disappointed.  It was amazing.
The weather was just right, hovering in the high 50's and the sky clear and blue.
So without further delay I'll share my photo's of my visit .

Tundra Swan

Female Common Merganser

Common Merganser

Immature Bald Eagle

Snow Geese 

Lunar eclipse of super blood moon

Just a quick video I put together of last night's event.

Happy Grandparent's Day!

"Gammy" Bracken with her grand daughter Carey

Baby Boom

Lot's of new fresh faces here at Swift Star!

look what the barn cat stork delivered 

Cali

Mac

Squeak

Caramel

 

Opal now finds pups are fun

Add caption

Three Amigo's

Rush blessed Swift Star with three new additions on July second .

Male (bottom) left ,Female center, Female right
day one

Female
day one

Female
day one

Male
day one

Bracken is thrilled with her Grand Babies and keeps a close eye on them.

"Grandma"

Day five
Fat belly's 

L-R
Female, Male , Female
five days old

L-R
Female , Male, Female

 

Hope springs eternal

Ideals are like stars; you will not succeed in touching them with your hands. But like the seafaring man on the desert of waters, you choose them as your guides, and following them you will reach your destiny.
Carl Schurz

Spring it seems is finally here. What a long drawn out Winter.
Hard to believe just a few weeks ago our "Spring" morning was covered in a thin blanket of white. Beautiful, yes but disheartening as well

I took a sabbatical from lambing this Spring. I really needed to.
Last year just two days in from lambing out 75 plus ewes single handed my Mother had a stroke. It was a difficult spring managing this task as well as caring for my Mom. So last Fall I just said "No".

Spring arrives with all it's splendor.
Just when you feel beaten down, ready to throw the towel in it blows in .
Allows you to open the windows of your soul and breath fresh air and hope into it.
You finally see the grass greening up

The sun feels warm and inviting and the air finally is filled with song as the spring birds return.

red winged blackbird

Bob-o-link

eastern Bluebird

The first ferns pop out of the ground, buds are swelling on the trees

And you quietly give thanks for what you have and hope for what you have planned, comes to fruit.

barn build

A new barn for the horses and farm Equipment!
I can't say enough about the quick and skillful work of the five men who came to put this barn up.
In just about 16 hours of work time they put this barn up on our farm.

My Mom had generously given us some money she got from a few insurance policy's after my Dad had passed away and we used it for this barn.
I know he would have been very impressed with this build.

Now onto finishing the inside and figuring out what type of horse stalls. We have narrowed down our search and are close to ordering.

I'll share the finished project when stalls are in place, wood dutch doors are stained, fences reconfigured and land and drive way is graded and graveled .