Trailcam Throwback Thursday

Every now and then the trail cameras capture something pretty spectacular that would be nearly impossible to see in person. The candid shots of the animals going about their daily rounds are always enjoyable.

Last fall, though, we got an amazing glimpse of a bobcat returning home with a fat fox squirrel for a breakfast feast. It's rare that we get to see them when we're out in the woods, since they're primarily nocturnal - we catch a rare glimpse of one running across our path, but nothing so relaxed and content as this. The carpet of brilliant maple leaves is pretty spectacular too.

I know, poor squirrel, but that's the way of nature. The bobcat has to make a living, too.

Not the Least Bit Bland

On my way down to the family homestead, I found a Blanding's turtle stalled in the middle of a busy lane of traffic, trying to cross to the other side of the road. It wasn't going to make it with the number of fast moving cars zipping by and barely missing it (especially since it was going to cross into a lane that had a blind hill), so I gave it a hand.

Blanding's turtles are considered endangered in most of their range, so even though I always try to do turtle rescue when I can, I feel particularly motivated to help these beautiful turtles. 

I know they like to be kept in their territory, but there was nowhere in that specific area that would be safe from almost certain traffic death, so I took it a very short way to a pond with good sandy spots for egg laying and a little stream to travel down to get anywhere that might be desirable. It was probably less than a quarter mile, as the crow flies from where it was found and in the general direction it was heading.

Once I put it down in the sand, it slowly came back out of its shell and  checked out its new environment.

Then, it scuttled down into the pond and promptly disappeared. Not an absolutely perfect solution, but as close as I could come, under the circumstances.

Happy Mothers Day!

Happy Mothers Day! Mine left this world way too young and I miss her creative and indomitable spirit.

This is one of the little lilac bushes she nurtured and kept alive in the shade of huge pine trees. It's somehow fitting that it's blooming for Mothers Day this year - and it smells divine already, even though only a few of the flowers have opened.

Piper was with me when I took the lilac picture and sat down very obligingly in front of the little bush for her own portrait. She doesn't hold still much, so I took advantage of the opportunity. :)

There's a Morel to This Story

It's hunting season again. Time to get out and stalk the wild things.

These little beauties can really hide among the leaf litter and matted grasses, so it's a treat to spot the distinctive pattern of true treasure.

My brother and I covered some territory and had a pretty good outcome this year. We hope there will be more to come. Yes, I admit it - we're greedy like that. :)

The old favorite mushroom hunting areas we traipsed through with our parents when we were children succumbed to the emerald ash borer and died out with the ash trees, so we're always looking for new spots where they've decided to bloom.

A couple gallons later, we were pretty happy with our efforts. 

Yes, there were some extras in another bag that made their way into a pan for hors d'oeuvres as a bonus. 

Yum!

The Mystery Bush

Every now and then, I come across something I can't identify. I'm hoping that someone might be able to help with this mystery since my brother and I have hunted for the solution without success. 

These bushes are about eight feet tall, are happily growing among the wild raspberries where hardwoods were clear cut somewhere between ten and fifteen years ago.

Does anybody recognize this plant? We've been trying to figure it out for several years now and I'm really hoping one of my brilliant blog readers can give us a clue.

Introducing...

As you all know, I've been missing my sweet Baloo for nearly two years now. And I still miss him every day and probably always will. He was the most amazing dog ever. However, even though I still have a huge Baloo shaped hole in my heart, I have been looking for the right new trail buddy to come along and she finally has.

So, let me introduce Piper. She's a black lab mix of some kind - just a little over half Baloo's size. She was a stray that never got claimed and was in need of a new start in life, so I drove downstate to meet her and bring her home.

She's a total sweetheart around people, but is very nervous and frightened around other dogs - that will take some work. 

These first two pictures reminded me a little of mug shots, but the worst criminal behavior so far has been the destruction of several toys and a swiffer duster. We'll see what mischief she gets into as she comes out of her shell a little further. 

Here she is snuggled against my sister on her first full day in her new home. She looks very nervous, doesn't she? But, even in her discomfort, she loves to cuddle.

The rescue organization estimated her age at around two years, but her new vet told me today she's probably closer to one. 

Oh, the adventures to come...