I Slept Through the Quake!

I slept through it all, but Warren didn't. He was already at work. He said it sounded like someone was blasting rock next door. (Common around here in order to build a basement.) The building shook. By the time he figured it out, it was over.


I feel cheated. After having taught about Earthquakes in Missouri for over 20 years, I would have liked to have felt one.

Here's a link to the stats of the Day. Cool Jpeg of the area covered.

Talked with Sarah and she says she's GOT to be the only one in the St. Louis area who slept through it. Even Dan sat up abruptly in bed, saying, "What's that?"

Sarah feels cheated too.

But she DID feel an aftershock later this morning. Shook her 8th floor office quite a bit. Kinda cool and kinda scary at the same time.

So Sarah doesn't feel as cheated as me!

News Links:

Midwest quake felt far and wide

5.2 earthquake rocks large area of Midwest; no major damage

The Bluebird Eggs Are Gone!!

I came home tonight to a long-faced bluebird lover. "The eggs are gone," he said. "Just like last year."

"What do you mean--gone?" I said.

"They're gone. Nothing left, " he said. "It hasn't been tampered with in any way. The straw hasn't been disturbed. No snake could have gotten in there with the snake baffle. I just don't understand."

"Well, maybe a raccoon got in there."

"I don't think that's possible," he said.

"Why not? Doesn't it just open from the top?"

"No," he said. "It opens from the front. And it's exactly the way it was from the last time I opened it. I don't think they could have opened and closed it so perfectly."

"I don't understand," I said.

And we still don't, even after talking about it and mulling it over. We still don't get how there could be nothing left of two bluebird eggs. Not even a tiny piece of shell is left. We're devastated. We thought we had it all figured out. I guess not.

"I'm gonna have to talk with Steve and Regina over at Bird's I View, I guess. See what they think."

Meanwhile, we'll just mug-wump around here and feel bad about what could have been.

Bluebird Eggs!!

We have two bluebirds eggs in one of our bluebird boxes!! This is a big deal if you are bird lovers, like we are. But we have other reasons.

Last year, a chickadee took over the bluebird box. There were two or three hatchlings from that batch. Nothing against chickadees, we love them, but it wasn't what we'd planned.

The year before last, we had five bluebird eggs in our bluebird house. They all disappeared one day. One day there were five eggs, the next day there were none. Not even the smallest piece of egg shell. We figure a snake got them. Hence the snake baffle on the house now.

Three years ago, we had two baby bluebirds hatch. It was a miracle to watch.

So you can see why we're excited this year. There are actually bluebird eggs in our bluebird box! Two of them. There could be more, but we aren't looking for a few days. The mama bird lays one a day, so we are going to give her a chance to lay the rest of her eggs undisturbed. We have our snake baffle, so they are more protected than before.

Bluebirds build the most beautiful nests. They are neat and tidy works of art. We've spent the last month watching the bluebird pair fly in and out of the box, each time carrying one sprig of straw or grass inside the small hole.


Here is a photo from a couple weeks ago, showing the papa bluebird resting on top of the birdhouse. You can see the snake baffle below it. You can also see the new bluebird house that sits closer to the creek.


I hope you like bluebirds because I may just have a few more posts about bluebirds this spring!

St. Louis Friday Night

Instead of planning the next part of The Bathroom Project, we played hookey. Warren picked me up at work with the car loaded, we jumped in, joyfully crossed the bridge, and raced to St. Louis. We got to Dan's law office, which is just a short walk from the Stadium, met Dan and Sarah, bundled up because it was already in the 40's, and walked over to make it in time for the first pitch.

This is the scene as we approach the Stadium.

Approaching the Team Store , which I managed to avoid, this time.

The Sea of Red we love to be part of.

Looper on the Mound, Glaus (new guy) on Third Base.

Got a good shot of Dan and Warren, later in the game.

Every good shot of Sarah and I got mysteriously erased from my camera.
Here's the only one of Sarah that survived. Cute pink STL hat!

At home after the game we unwound in another Two Cat House. Their living room is this vast expanse of carpet, waiting for a new couch. We lolled around at cat-level, playing cat-human games, entertaining us all.

Henry on the left, Jackson on the right.

The kewl thing about this is that the cats are IN the room. They usually don't come around people who descend on their house. But they lived with us for a year during Sarah's 5th year of college and I guess cats do remember people, because they were there and let us pet them. One of life's small pleasures, to interact with cats you've loved in the past.

Got these shots early in the morning. They each have their favorite snoozing spot upstairs.

Henry likes the back of the upstairs couch.

Jacksie Bear actually sleeps in his cat bed!

The morning fog in the valley outside Dan and Sarah's home.

They live in what is called Missouri Wine Country.

We hated to leave, but we knew we had plenty of garden work waiting for us at home.

A Great Neighborhood

I live in a great neighborhood. In September, we have an old-fashioned block party, with police barricades blocking off the cars even. Last year we all had such a good time, we had another one, impromptu without the barriers, but we still sat outside in Nancy's driveway/street with a portable fire pit warming our tootsies and melting marshmallows for S'mores.

From last year's block party:
Jan and Tim set up kid games in their driveway.

From last year's block party:
Warren, Sam, and Tim are playing "Pitch to Sam." Best game on the block!

Take tonight for example, I walked out to take some shots of my blooming daffodils and ornamental cherry tree.

My daffodils are out! You can see Jan with her cane in the background.

Out on our block were Jan and Tim, who live next door, and their darling grandson. Tim was trying to get his lawn mower working. I was glad it didn't work because even though their grass is long, it's so peaceful without that noise. Seems too early to start the eternal mowing racket. Jan was limping around with a cane, her arthritis acting up again. Jacob was trying to play softball with the "big" kids.

Nancy and her two "big" kids, Sam and Maya, and a couple more boys, cousins or buddies of Sam, were playing softball in the driveway/street/Tim-and-Jan's front yard ball field.

Maya in her soccer practice outfit. You can see Linda on the left. Sam in the red hat on the right.

Along came Linda and her little min-pin, Gretchen, taking their nightly walk. We firmed up plans for our weekend "Wine Chat" with Nancy. More on that later. Nancy and I made a gardening date for Saturday.

Before I went back inside--it was getting too cold to be outside without a sweatshirt or jacket--I reminded myself how blessed I am to live in such a great neighborhood.

Then I got cold and went inside, Linda and Gretchen went on down the street, Jan and Tim took Jacob inside, and Nancy and her mob went off to Soccer Practice. The street quieted down.

But I suspect we will all be out there tomorrow night. The kids will be batting more softballs, Jan and Tim will be trying to get their lawn mower working, Gretchen and Linda will come by on their nightly walk, I'll be outside taking more photos and itching to begin that gardening, and Spring will continue to warm our hearts and gardens.

Life is good.

The Creek Revisited

Warren is in St. Louis with our son-in-law, Dan, in the process of getting rained out of the opening game of the Cardinals. I talked to him on his cell phone at the end of the 2nd inning. We were ahead 4-1. Their tickets led them to the top of the top tier. Great seats with a great view he said, and since Warren hates heights, I was impressed by his attitude.

He could see dark clouds in the west and a good wind was bringing them closer, but they were happy just to be there. By the time I got home the game was on hold and was eventually delayed till tomorrow night. I'm wondering if Warren will stay since his tickets will be honored tomorrow night. I'm doubting it since he spent the weekend in the car driving to St. Paul and back, delivering my Dad home.

The Creek in back of our house was calling me when I got home today.

I ran upstairs, quickly changed into jeans and sweatshirt, grabbed my boots out of the garage, and slogged down the hill. I just HAD to get some video of the "raging waters!" I was tempted the last time and this time I was going to get that video!

Here are three videos. The first is upstream at the culvert that brings the water from higher up the hill, under the road, and past our property. The next is right in front of our lower property, by the fence. The last is further downstream, on its way down to the mighty Missouri River.

Here's a great shot of the tree branches that Warren put along the inside edge of the stream. It really looks like they are doing their job of saving that bank!

Here are some more shots of the creek. My buddy, Linda, who is in my Easter dinner photo, came down the hill from her house and we had a good chat. Would have taken a "Sarah" photo of us both, but my camera's batteries died.

Can you see the GREEN leaves sprouting on the branches? Spring really is here! It's not a fluke! My jeans are muddy, my cat's on my lap, and even though Warren is wet and happy in St. Louis, I guess I have found a bit of happiness here in the Capital City. :)

Henbit

No, not hen bit, as in bit by a hen. But in a sense we ARE bit by Henbit. Darn it.

Henbit is a beautiful weed. Aww, you say, it's only a weed in your mind. Only if it's not wanted. Well, that's what it is! Not wanted!

Half our front lawn is covered by Henbit right now.

Most fields around our area are covered by Henbit. Farmers don't seem to bother with it. They just plow it under and kill it off with whatever they use against all the other weeds that threaten their crops.

In our case, Henbit's choking out any grass we might have growing in that half of our front lawn.

It's really pretty up close. From far away Henbit gives a field or lawn a beautiful purple hue. But since Henbit chokes out the nice green grass, I'd say it's a weed and let's fight it. And fight it we've been doing. But every time we spray it, the rains come and wash the weed killer away. So here we sit with another crop of Henbit coming up in defiance of us all.

The straw-covered half of our lawn that isn't smothered in Henbit is newly seeded lawn Warren worked hard on last fall. Even it's showing a bit of Henbit encroachment lately. I hesitate to even mention it to Warren.

Right now, we're resting and relaxing, building up our strength, waiting for the rains to move on. Then we will begin round three--or is it four--fighting the good fight against Henbit!! And I'll bet you got just a little irritated with all those purple Henbit words showing up in this post and are ready to join us!

Dutch Baby

Also known as a German Pancake. Part pancake, part soufflé-omelet. I served this over the holiday. Quite elegant for very simple ingredients and very little time. From Cooks.com.

DUTCH BABY

1/3 c. butter 3 eggs or egg substitute equivalent 2/3 c. milk 2/3 c. flour Pinch of salt Put the butter in 10-inch skillet. Put the skillet in a 425 degree oven to melt and get the skillet very hot. Put the eggs in a blender or food processor. Blend 1 minute or until they are very light and fluffy. Add milk and blend for 30 seconds. With the motor running, pour in the flour a little at a time, letting it blend until the batter is very smooth. Add the pinch of salt and stop the blender. When the pan and butter are very hot, remove from oven and pour in the batter. Immediately return the pan to the oven and bake 20 minutes. It should puff up, then collapse in the center while it browns appetizingly. Serve hot wit a sprinkling of powdered sugar and a squeeze of lemon juice or with strawberries or berries on top.

The Last 10 Days, Part Two

Another sign of spring. I just can't get enough of spring this year. Especially when you consider all the ice we had a few months ago.


But here's the sight to warm a daughter's heart. Here's my 91 year old father walking just three months after total right hip replacement. Way to go, Dad!


Always remember, you're my Favorite Dad!


This one we do the "Sarah" way. Pretty fun, don't you think!

The Last 10 Days

Here's a recap of all the FUN I've had lately, while Mind Blogging.

(1) A couples days after the Creek is Flooding blog, a pile of bikes showed up in the road, as I swung the car around the curve, heading home from work.

A crowd of boys was having the time of their life slogging through the boggy creek bed, discovering treasures and muddying up every article of clothing they had on. I had fun watching them. Are they the ones who got that soccer ball?

I hope so. I'm just glad I'm not the mother of this pack of wild things.

(2) Spring is so definitely here, that I had to take a few shots of the evidence.



(3) It's easy to catch nice photos on quiet days, when just Warren and I and the cats are rattling around the house. It's when four more people come roaring in with suitcases and exciting lives and big plans and lots of stories, that I forget to get out the camera.

First my dear hubby drove up to St. Paul to pick up my father for an Easter visit. He hit snow on the Minnesota border, from 4 to 10 inches around the Twin Cities.


They got back the next day with little to show for it but the traces of salt that covered the car. (No photo of that. But I did THINK about taking that shot!)

(4) We had great times, sitting around the table with family and friends, chatting about so many things. I was lucky to get any photos during this time.


(5) Here's a shot of my three "kids." Dan--Sarah's dear hubby, Sarah, and Ben.


(6) During this time period we also noticed a bluebird pair scouting our bluebird houses. Maybe this year, we'll be blessed with bluebird eggs that hatch!

The male scouts out the box:


The female waits patiently in the redbud:


I'll be back. Things to do. More Mind Blogging to take care of....

Mind Blogging

I've been intensely blogging for the last 10 days. Really.

Well, at least in my mind, I have.

But the reality is much less.

I used to carry around a camera in high school at family events but I never took many pictures. I asked my Dad why I didn't seem to be able to snap more photos. He thought it was because I was more involved in living than in photographing. I think he was right.

Lately, I've been enjoying life and not taking many photos...again. Blogged very little, also.

Having too much fun, I guess.

So I've vowed to blog in reality today--not just in my mind. If I don't get it down today, I'll forget all the fun times we've had lately.

The Creek is Flooding

I missed it. I got home too late to see when the creek actually jumped the banks and flooded our lower property. Warren swears it happened and the puddles surrounding the fire pit are proof. But by the time I got home, the rained had slowed down for a couple hours and the water had already receded.

If you look really close at the first photo, you can see puddles of water on the ground this side of the fence. This is a rare event--has only happened a couple time in the 5 1/2 years we've lived here. I think our part of town had over 2 inches of rain in the last 24 hours.

I just shudder to think how much snow that could have been.

And wonder whose soccer ball that is trapped in the tree roots.


We're just happy we armored our stream banks with all the branches we cut down this winter after that horrible ice storm. Since I taught "The Armoring of Stream Banks" as a soil conservation technique in my high school Earth Science class, it seemed like the only thing to do with all those branches. Warren's peeks through the binoculars seems to show the bank on our side holding up rather well to the rushing water. When it dries out a bit, we'll go down there to check it out.

But right now, I'm trying to figure out where I'm going to put everyone this weekend, now that my daughter and her husband, my son, and my father have all decided to visit us for the weekend. What fun!

Oh, and my dear husband has volunteered to drive up to St. Paul to pick up my dad now that flying is no longer something he likes to do. How'd I ever get so lucky!