A couple of outings with our oldest

I need to report on a couple of fun activities before they are forgotten.



Last month was the Great Backyard Bird Count, so I made a date to count birds with A near the lake that is just down the road. The photo shows A with a couple of turtles sunning on a log (the third was shy and slipped off into the water when we pulled out the camera). We did see plenty of birds including pairs of common mergansers, a western grebe, and a pie-billed grebe on the water and approximately 150 sand hill cranes making noise way overhead, not quite sure whether they were coming or going. We stopped to count at another location that was much quieter with turkey vultures and an oak titmouse passing by. Although we are amateur birders, the sun was shining and we had a fun time visiting.



Just last Friday, I went on another outing with A. We had planned on a wildflower hike, but rain has been continually in our forecast. Instead we went bowling and for ice cream. The photo shows A eating her gigantic sundae with chocolate sauce (she had already eaten the top 2 inches off). Mine had caramel sauce. Both of us brought home leftovers. Good times - though I am ready for a little more sunshine.