Grinnell Glacier Lake

destination of a hike in Glacier National Park (Montana) in August this year--This is upper Grinnell Lake below Grinnell Glacier and Salamander Glacier.

"...a man who keeps company with glaciers comes to feel tolerably insignificant by and by."

~Mark Twain, A Tramp Abroad 

Grinnell Trail is 7.6 miles round trip with an elevation gain of 1600 feet.  First we took a boat across Swift Current Lake, hiked a short distance to Lake Josephine and took a boat across that lake.  This trail had just opened a couple days before our hike, having been closed due to bear activity.  (grizzlies!) 

This is an amazing hike!  Stunning are the vistas of the surrounding mountains and alpine lakes.  Yellow, pink, violet, and creamy white wildflowers abound against the iron-and-chloride-rich red, green, and buff-colored rocks.  Milky turquoise lower Grinnell Lake nestles startlingly into the surrounding mountains below cascading waterfalls.  Bears, mountain goats, and big horned sheep graze contentedly.

 

Grinnell was at its largest in1850 at the end of the Little Ice Age, measuring 710 acres.  Today it's probably around 400 acres or less.

Around the world, a few glaciers are increasing in size, but most are decreasing.  This is an indication of climate change.   A number of organizations monitor glaciers using photography (on the ground and aerial), remote sensing, and on-glacier surveying. 

LINKS:
◄Glacier National Park information

◄Shawn Coggins' site (information and photos)  including USGS photos from 1938 - 2006 showing the melting of Grinnell Glacier.  Predictions say that most of the glaciers in Glacier National Park will be gone by 2030.

I'm participating in Jenny Matlock's Alphabe-Thursday.  Come and join in the fun!  You will be charmed and even enlightened in a delightful way!  See more entries HERE. This week our letter is "W."  W is for WATER!




photo by me © 2011 

nest

This June, I watched a robin build a nest in a blue spruce tree outside my window.  amazing what workmanship can be wrought with a beak!  She wove grasses and twigs together and then padded the nest with mud.  When the nest was complete, she laid 3 eggs over several days.

Only one egg hatched.  This baby robin is all mouth.  A mother robin not only knows when to feed her babies, she knows the proper combination of bugs and worms for each feeding.  

With worm in beak, the mother robin is perched on the dumpster which is next to the nest tree.

snoozing (about 2 days old)

snoozing (about a week old)

starting to check out the world beyond the nest

fully feathered at nearly 2 weeks old and preparing to fledge

LINK:

American Robin  a plethora of information!  answers to more questions than you could EVER think to ask!

a little background and some information--

We just bought a house and were preparing for a tear-off re-roofing.  I noticed a robin starting to build a nest in a tree right next to the dumpster.  Oh no!  Can I move the nest? I wondered.  That led me on a journey of internet research and the discovery of the wonderful site in the link above. 

What I found out-- 
► Robins carefully choose the site of their nests, memorizing all details of location.  If the nest is moved, they won't recognize it.

► After laying eggs, the mother sits on the nest, rotating the eggs and keeping them at the proper temperature and humidity levels.

► Robins have 2-3 nestings per year with the same partner.  (They do not mate for life.) 
► Most robins die their first year, but if they make it beyond, they live for 5-6 years.
► robin songs:
true song a territorial declaration
dawn song another territorial delcaration 

"peek" and "tut" calls are heard in alarm situations

whinny heard in mildly alarming situations

"seeee" call given in response to the presence of an aerial predator

"zeeup" call a contact note heard mainly during migration

I'm participating in Jenny Matlock's Alphabe-Thursday.  Come and join in the fun!  You will be charmed and even enlightened in a delightful way!  See more entries HERE.  This week our letter is "N."



photos by me © 2011

celebrating ice cream

Today is National Ice Cream Day!!  Hooray!

In my family, ice cream is THE most important food group!

I searched etsy for some hand made ice cream goodness, and here's a small sampling of what I found:

Miniature Ice Cream Hot Fudge Sundae Parfait by Jessie Raye 
 

Rainbow of Sorbet Sandwiches by The Mouse Market

Ice Cream Social Dress by Baby Stitch

Lemon Melon Ice Cream Sundae --so cute!  filled with baby items by Lilli of Crafty Cupcake Girl

(Lilli has a BLOG , too!)

Ice Cream Sandwich earrings by Shay Aaron Mianiatures

There's even ice cream soap!  Neapolitan Ice Cream Soap by Susie Q's Bath and Body

yummy little chocolate felt ice cream cone hairclip by Geneva Diva 

and this fun vintage photo offered by Karen Tullo of Digital Decades.

Deb of The Storybeader's Bookshelf and Stroll Through Storyland blog offers this etsy bloggers' team carnival.  

She gave us 2 topics to choose from:

Topic 1:
The third Sunday in July is National Ice Cream Day? Are you celebrating it?
Topic 2:
What's your favorite summer recipe?

To see a variety of blog responses, look HERE starting Monday, July 18. 

ONE QUESTION before you go!  What is your favorite ice cream flavor?  Mine is mint chocolate chip.  YUM!

brand?  (OK.  That's 2 questions!)  I love Jeni's (Backyard Mint is luscious).  Check out Jeni's Splendid Ice Creams  HERE. 

all photos  © by individuals above

Tamdoll

Meet Tammy Gross, crafter extraordinaire.  

Known as Tamdoll, Tammy says, "I sew, I knit, I craft... been doing these things for over 30 years.  Creating relaxes me and keeps me happy in a hectic life filled with a busy family, teenage daughters and part-time teaching.  It seems like the ideas never stop flowing..."

I love this soft fabric sherbert necklace! 

so creative!

Look at this wonderful serenity mermaid pattern

and this beautiful pink sequined handbag.

It's one of a kind!

"Each item is unique and one-of-a-kind, handmade by Tammy Gross. I love creating art dolls, distinctive handbags, fabric jewelry and collages...basically, lots of different things - depending on what creative mood strikes! I love to recycle & reinvent things - some of my totes, jewelry and dolls are "upcycled" art....  something new is always just around the corner - you never know what I'll come up with!"

This is so cool!  Tammy's birdhouse can be found in the background art in the Patterns section of the Fairfield website.  See the full art HERE. 

Tammy can be found here:

etsy shop 

blog

facebook

flickr
Ravelry
twitter 

Tammy is a wonderful teammate and the etsy blogger for the month of June!




all photos by Tammy Gross © 2011

Mist

soft blanket of mist

clothing the mountains in dreams

mysterious veil

This photo was taken in Glacier National Park, USA, one of the most gorgeous, sublime places on Earth.

LINKS (previous Glacier posts): 
Majesty  Hidden Lake near Logan Pass  
along the Hidden Lake Trail
Glacier Skies Hidden Lake Trail
escape includes a couple photos of Grinnell Glacier up close as well as links to Glacier National Park and glacier information.

I'm participating in Jenny Matlock's Alphabe-Thursday.  Come and join in the fun!  You will be charmed and even enlightened in a delightful way!  See more entries HERE.  This week our letter is "M."

photo by me © 2008 and poem by me © 2011

celebrating my Dad

My Dad and me at Christmastime.  I am just shy of my 3rd birthday.

My Dad has been dead many years and is so missed.  He was a gentle and kind man with a giving heart.  Of course, I had him wrapped around my little finger! 

(How about that tie?!)

This post is for the etsy bloggers' team carnival which is hosted by Cindy of Devine Designs Jewelry.  You can visit her shop HERE and her blog HERE.  (Her creations are gorgeous!) 

These are the topics for this carnival: 

1. Father's Day is June 19. Write anything you want pertaining to Father's Day.
2. What is your favorite summer recipe? Please share with us!

A list with links to all participants submissions are posted on our team BLOG.   (You'll want to see the yummy and easy Summer recipe posted here.)

photo by W. Jamison © 2011

Nanjo Dogz

Nancy creates the most wonderful polymer clay beads!   Visit her shop NanjoDogz to see her amazing doggie beads.

This is a Pandora style hand sculpted Westie.  (I'm featuring it as a tribute to my friends who LOVE Westies!)

Here is a light brown and white beagle.

I couldn't resist showing you this cute basset hound, aptly named "Your Majesty Little Toes." "She wears a little silver crown on her head and in the center of her crown there is an amber Swarovski crystal."

 

Nanjo Dogz "features polymer clay Pandora beads, sculpture, pendants, tiles, beads and more with our main concentration on the dog in various breeds. Although our main focus is on dog related creations, we also create various other critter beads. We have a variety of whimsical and unique items."

Nancy also writes a blog about her beautiful creations.  You can find it HERE.   

Nancy is the featured etsy blogger for the month of May.  Etsy bloggers' team rocks!  Come check it out!

photos by Nancy © 2011

Key Lime Pie

with chocolate cookie crust and raspberry sauce... 

Chocolate Cookie Crust

5 oz shortbread type chocolate cookies, pulverized (about 1 C when crushed.  I used Newman's Own Alphabet Cookies) 

4 T butter, melted

1/2 C shredded coconut (leave out or add more if you  like)

Crush cookies.  Blend in butter and then coconut.  Press into bottom of 9" pie pan.  Bake at 375 degrees for 7-10 minutes.  Let cool.

Lime Filling

1 14 oz can sweetened condensed milk (I used fat free.  Hey, saving calories counts!) 

1 to 1 1/2 C whipping cream,* whipped into stiff peaks  (Reserve a little for serving.)

@ 4 limes, zest and juice.  Juice should equal about 4 oz.  (Chop zest into smaller pieces if desired.)  Reserve some zest.

Mix sweetened condensed milk, lime juice, and unreserved zest well.  Fold in whipped cream.  Spoon into cooled pie shell.  Sprinkle with reserved zest.  Place pie in refrigerator or freezer.

Raspberry Sauce

Place fresh or frozen berries in a pan on stove.  Add honey to taste.  Let slightly boil for a few minutes.  Remove from heat and crush berries, mixing well.  

To serve:

Place a tablespoon or 2 of raspberry sauce in bottom of bowl or dish, spreading in a pretty manner.  Place slice of pie on top.  Put a dollop of whipped cream on top of pie.

*For easy whipped cream making, place mixer bowl, mixing attachment, and even the cream itself into freezer for a brief period till all is very cold.

This Fun and Fabulous dessert gets rave reviews every time I serve it.  This recipe is original to me, synthesized from several other recipes and honed over time.

Once again, I'm participating in Jenny Matlock's Fantabulous Alphabe-Thursday.  Come and join in the Fun!  You will be enlightened, charmed, and have some plain ole Fun!  See more entries HERE.  This week our letter is "F."  
photos by me © 2010 and 2011

Re-nesting

...the story of Barry the Barred Owl...

It all began one sunny Friday in late April when a dead tree was cut down.  A small owl was found on the ground clinging to a branch.  The owl was placed on an old shirt in a cardboard box.  

(size of 2 softballs)

The Raptor People were called.  The small owl was taken away to be checked for broken wings and to be fed and watched for 24 hours.

At last the Raptor People returned with the small owl!

(Cindy teaching about the owl)

The neighborhood children and adults gathered 'round to hear tales of raptors and to learn about this particular species of owl.  The children named him "Barry."*

Soon a "nest" (plastic milk crate) was roped to a tree near where the original nest had been. 

(Marc attaching the nest)

It wasn't long before both parents visited the nest.  After that initial visit, as far as we know, only the mother stayed at the nest.  (The father hunts, brings the food to the mother, who then tears it up and feeds it to the baby.)  

After a couple days, Barry moved out of the nest and sat on the edge of the crate.  

He grew and grew and grew! 

His mother spent most of her days and nights sitting with him on the edge of the nest. 

(mother in nearby tree)

She shooed away squirrels and kept him safe. Then one evening, Barry was gone!  We imagine that he is happily hopping from tree branch to tree branch.  In about a week he will fledge.  His parents will stay with him for a bit longer teaching him to hunt and continuing to feed him.

TIMELINE of a barred owl's life:

ⓄⓄ parents mate for life

ⓄⓄ nest is usually in a tree cavity

ⓄⓄ female lays 2-3 eggs per clutch 

ⓄⓄ eggs are brooded by female which then hatch about 4 weeks later

ⓄⓄ female remains with young while male hunts and brings food

ⓄⓄ young owls first hop out of the nest onto other branches at around 4 weeks

ⓄⓄ owls fledge at about 5-6 weeks 

 

some FACTS:

ⓄⓄ scientific name:  Strix varia

ⓄⓄ also called a wood owl or hoot owl

ⓄⓄ calls hoo hoo hoo-hoo or "who cooks for you"  Male's voice is lower than the female's.  See links below for sound recordings.

ⓄⓄ brownish grey with white bars across their chests

ⓄⓄ no ear tufts

ⓄⓄ found across Canada and the Eastern US south to Mexico. More recently this species has been found in the Western US as well. 

ⓄⓄ Adult is 16-25 inches long, about 1-2.5 lbs, with a wingspan of 38-50 inches.  Female is larger than the male.

ⓄⓄ not migratory; territory is about one square mile

ⓄⓄ lifespan is about 10 years in the wild, 23 years in captivity

ⓄⓄ prey:  opportunistic meat eater--birds, squirrels, rabbits, chipmunks, voles, mice, frogs, lizards, insects, and more
ⓄⓄ If a juvenile falls out of the nest, it may be able to climb back up the tree using its sharp talons and beak.

LINKS:

information and a few photos

barred owl habitat MAP

more facts

owling.com 
The Owl Pages

All About Birds scroll down for a variety of sounds these owls make

A huge THANK YOU to Cindy and Marc of Raptor, Inc, who took care of this baby owl, banded and re-nested it! 

RAPTOR, INC. is a non-profit organization dedicated to the preservation of birds of prey through rehabilitation, education, and conservation.  (Click the link in brown above for more information.)

Click any photo to see a larger version.

* Barry might be Bari!

photos © 2011 Margaret Freije, Zack Freije, Anita Mazza, Kim Torbeck

Mystic Wynd

An awareness of peace and love rose anew,

As the spirit found truth and the Mystic Wynd blew…

It spoke with a voice the heart at once knew,

The wisdom of sages, resounding and true.

Poetic words written by Karen, express her spirit which is reflected in her blog and her works of art and craft.

Come now.  Meet Karen  "...pull up a chair, get comfortable, and share a part of [her] world..."

First let me introduce you to her BLOG, appropriately named Mystic Wynd.  Karen likes to write about a variety of topics, sharing her thoughts and ideas about life and the world.  She often enjoys illustrating her "ramblings" with products.   Listen to this!  "Spring is just around the corner, and here in the deserts of South Central Arizona, we don't really have that springtime thaw to wait for, or that first blade of green grass to tell us that spring is on its way. So how do we know spring has arrived? Lizards." 

(I love this banner!)

Now come visit her 3 shops!

Mystic Wynd: "Embrace your spirit of fashion with jewelry and gifts for your every mood!"  This shop has such a variety, you must go see for yourself!

Mystic Wynd Elegance:  "You want your special day to reflect your joy and excitement..."

The Crafters' Cabinet:  supplies and destash

You can also find Karen in the following places:
twitter 
facebook 
Handmade Spark 
Creating the Hive

Karen was chosen as the etsy bloggers' blogger of the month for March.  If you have a blog and a shop on etsy, follow the link and come join this fun team.



photos by Karen of Mystic Wynd © 2010-2011