Another wet Wednesday!

[Othersharon]

Good morning. I think I’m a broken record, always wet and rainy here it seems! Got back from my trip yesterday morning. We had a wonderful time viewing and hearing the elk. We had a small group in the upper field of the campground Monday evening. They hung around for a few minutes and then the bull rounded them up and off they went into the woods. We could hear them sounding off during the night too. So cool! Unfortunately it started raining about 7 that night and it rained all night. I stepped out into a swamp yesterday morning! This campground is all grass and I guess it could be considered primitive. They had some 15 amp hook ups but mostly no electric. People bring in their horses and ride the trails. We anticipated the rain so they had me in a place they figured I would be able to get out of. But no worries they said, they have a tractor and could pull me out if I got stuck! Apparently, according to some other campers it’s fairly common! Kelly wanted to get on the road to home early since she had a longer distance to go and I had to planned to leave later but when I saw the conditions and that the rain was still coming down I decided to leave early too. I pulled right out and didn’t stop until I hit the gravel road! Good Lola! So I was home before 9 yesterday morning! I’ve stayed in better but will stay there again just for the owners. They were the best. This was Rascal’s first trip without his buddy and I wasn’t sure how he’d react but he did great. He wasn’t bothered by the elk or the horses. He loved our walks, so many good smells. He looked and acted like a bloodhound!
Lyn, I feel for you with your back having gone through that last year at this time. Took a lot of physical therapy and chiropractor appointments but we finally got a handle on it. So far I just continue to do what I did in therapy and it’s been pretty good. I know when I get lazy and don’t keep at it every day! Beth, sorry about you fall from your scooter. But glad it was only skinned knees and not worst. I’ve wanted a scooter for years but don’t know if it’ll ever happen! Saw a cute one at the fair but didn’t want to spend the money! Irmi, seems like you just got back and now your talking about heading south again! Guess the calendar keeps turning and before we know it it’ll be winter again! Yuck! And many of you are heading for warmer climates.
Okay, enough rambling! Hope everyone have a good day!

[OregonLuvr]

Last week I was wondering where summer went. We had cool mornings and in the low 70's. WELL apparently summer is back. At least for the next few days supposed to be in the high 90's with 10% humidity. A couple of the fires have flared up one burnt 7600 acres just last night. We have a slight chance of rain this weekend but not holding my breath.

Off to a birthday lunch today with a few of my neighbors so not enough time to get into my projects before the heat arrives. I am working in my storage shop and it gets real warm in there real fast....so tomorrow morning will work. Thursday I am going to shampoo my rugs as that is the hottest day so Emma and I will be relegated to the kitchen family area for a while. My rug shampooer does a pretty good job but next spring will get it professionally steam cleaned.

Off to the shower, time to start my day.

[Redetotry]

Glad you were able to get out Sharon and that you had a good time before the rain. The rain has stopped here and north wind blew in nice cool air. Last night at dusk while I was walking dogs I had a conversation with an owl! It hooted from the neighbors front yard so I hooted back. Some neighbors walked by and I was relieved that since they heard me hooting, the owl still answered back. This went on while I walked all three dogs separately. Such fun!

[BarbaraRose]

BJ, you must know fluent "Owl"!

Nothing new here. Off to work in awhile.

[JudyJB]

My older son spent 6 months in the Olympic Peninsula hooting as part of a job. That was about 1996.

He and a group of others were responsible for making sure that state land scheduled for logging was free of any Spotted owls nesting. So they went off each morning in lumbering boots, orange vests and hardhats, to search an area. They also took tubes of lab-raised mice and radios, plus recordings of hoots. When they got to a place, which involved hiking in areas without trails and climbing over huge downed trees, they would either play a recorded hoot or hoot themselves. If they got an answer, they hooted some more and put a really dumb mouse on a log or stump. (The mice were too dumb to run away and just sat on the logs.) When the owl came to get it, they recorded the direction it flew off.

Eventually, they were able to find owl nests. Except the owls got used to guys in orange vests and orange hard hats feeding them mice. So whenever they saw someone with that outfit, they would fly in to get their mouse or two for the day. (Almost all birds had been banded and were known, by the way. If they found an un-banded bird, they called in help and caught it with nets and banded it.)

My son said one day, an owl came in, but my son had run out of mice, so he had to radio in for someone to come bring him more. Owl sat on branch a few feet above his head while my son sat on log waiting for backup for an hour-and-a-half! Smart owl. Another guy got knocked down flat on his face while he was hooting because a big great horned owl thought he was a spotted owl, which they eat, and dove at him, hitting him in the back of his hardhat. Guy ended up unconscious for a while but managed to walk out on his own. Found dent and large scratch marks from talons on hardhat.

I think owls are the neatest birds!

[Acadianmom]

While I was gone to Texas it rained 2 1/2 inches. I was gone all afternoon so don't know how much it rained but my neighbor told me it rained all afternoon. It's still thundering. The mosquitoes are about to carry us off. I don't know how long it's going to take for the yard to dry enough to mow.

My friends left Rockport today for Galveston. If I didn't have all these animals to see about I would go meet them.

Martha

[snowball]

when I went to the senior centers owl presentation I was surprised to find that the majority of the owls are out in the daytime I thought that they were all nocturnal...lot I knew!!! I came away with an appreciation for them...
sheila

[Redetotry]

My older son spent 6 months in the Olympic Peninsula hooting as part of a job. That was about 1996.

He and a group of others were responsible for making sure that state land scheduled for logging was free of any Spotted owls nesting. So they went off each morning in lumbering boots, orange vests and hardhats, to search an area. They also took tubes of lab-raised mice and radios, plus recordings of hoots. When they got to a place, which involved hiking in areas without trails and climbing over huge downed trees, they would either play a recorded hoot or hoot themselves. If they got an answer, they hooted some more and put a really dumb mouse on a log or stump. (The mice were too dumb to run away and just sat on the logs.) When the owl came to get it, they recorded the direction it flew off.

Eventually, they were able to find owl nests. Except the owls got used to guys in orange vests and orange hard hats feeding them mice. So whenever they saw someone with that outfit, they would fly in to get their mouse or two for the day. (Almost all birds had been banded and were known, by the way. If they found an un-banded bird, they called in help and caught it with nets and banded it.)

My son said one day, an owl came in, but my son had run out of mice, so he had to radio in for someone to come bring him more. Owl sat on branch a few feet above his head while my son sat on log waiting for backup for an hour-and-a-half! Smart owl. Another guy got knocked down flat on his face while he was hooting because a big great horned owl thought he was a spotted owl, which they eat, and dove at him, hitting him in the back of his hardhat. Guy ended up unconscious for a while but managed to walk out on his own. Found dent and large scratch marks from talons on hardhat.

I think owls are the neatest birds!

What a great story Judy!! I'm glad the owl didn't come down to check me out! We've always heard them in the neighborhood but never seen one.

[Bethers]

Judy, awesome story asks what a neat job.