Hiking Tanglewood.

Sunday morning was partly cloudy, so I rushed to our local nature center for a nice, cool walk in the woods, hoping to be there and back before it rained.

Got some great shots and a lot of new aches and pains.

I think it was worth it.

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Little Pond

P.S.: don't forget you can click on the pictures for detail!

Ahem! Your attention, please!

If you haven't yet discovered my Everloving Blogmother Sissy Willis' site, you are missing out on some excellent photography. Just as I dearly love my Chemung River and the surrounding countryside, so Sissy grooves on Chelsea.

Chelsea is a port city and Sissy watches and catches it all on film. Her work is to be featured at Chelsea's Pearl Street Gallery, and they will open with a gala party.

Sadly, this little homebody will remain close to her River.

Go visit with Sissy, and see why her photos were selected for display at the local artshop.

Brava, Sissy!

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Little Pond

Music.

It's not just for Friday any more.

Visit Norm first, then open a popup for the player, so you can surf the net to the tunes. This time, though, it's a video composition.

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Little Pond

The River is Low

It's noisy and it stinks!

Actually, it isn't too bad in the downtown area, where the water is still spilling over the dam. Troutfishing is still good, there.

However, if anyone plans to visit the southern part, just below the city...

Stay out of the water, and away from anything that looks like mud.

My hikers are sitting out on the porch, where I hope the sun will dry them enough to allow me to brush them. Then I will clean them and sit them back in the sun again. Later I will apply some more water proofing, but for now, I can't get near them.

I bathed Ellie and I showered, but when MammaDog came by to collect her, she mentioned that something was very stinky.

SIGH... Still stinky, that is.

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Little Pond

Damn these rainy days.

RJ's garden , Thursday, June 5, 2008.

On the other hand, we wouldn't have such a lush garden without precip. There's a very young bunny out there, but he's hiding from me right now. The spinach calls him every morning just before RJ goes to work. We haven't the heart to shoo him.

Now for just a touch of the sunny days of yore. Look fast, because they run away like an excited HuggaMutt!


Just kidding. The forecasters promise temps in the mid 80s (approx 27C) later today and 90's (32C) tomorrow.

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Little Pond

It poured.

But just before the rain resumed, I ducked around the house and snapped Husband RJ's prized irises.
The deep purple iris is the symbol of Elmira College, which used to be Elmira Female University, I think. Purple and gold, colors that are sometimes reflected in the sports uniforms.
Lately, those colors are more accurately reproduced by the clematis vines that grow on the fences of the soccer and baseball fields attached to the main campus.

But these are nice, just the same.

Later we went to the Chemung River and got even wetter.

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Little Pond

A Heartfelt Thank You

to those who gave the ultimate sacrifice, and to those who put their lives on the line to protect our beautiful country and our wonderful way of life.

God Bless and Keep You.

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Chemung River Valley, USA

Local Lore

Like any beautiful area worth its American salt, Chemung County nourishes an old tradition of horrible monsters, lovely maidens and brave heroes, all compiled into a love story.

Full legend is here, as told by Dr. Robert Lyon, a descendant of an old settler family from the late 1700s. A quick recap:

Tiny little Eldridge Lake, not much more than a puddle, really, has its very own legend. Ours involves a settler's boy failing to fit in with his native tribe. Unable to compete with the other, more successful braves, the young man wanders on his own into forbidden territory, the quicksand marshes that surround Eldridge Lake. There he sees a maiden of unearthly beauty weaving flowers into garland. He chooses to pursue her, and she returns his affection. She sets out into the lake in her white canoe and calls upon her father, the Great Spirit, to bless their love. Gaspara, the monster of the lake, immediately rises and drags her to her death. Days later the body of the young man is found dead in a white canoe on Eldridge's shore.

Newest update: the lake monster, Gaspara, is now called Jasper?

A resurgence in interest in Eldridge Lake is being celebrated this holiday weekend.

A lovely, public supported rebuilt carousel will also open for the season.

Many people worked very hard to make this year's opening a reality.

If you can stand one more shot of cute goslings,

You should go here.

I walked the usual route around the levee and Foster Island. It is already incredibly lush and overgrown.

Unfortunately, the tall grass and weeds hid the burrow that snagged my boot, and I went down in a heap. Thirteen years of Multiple Sclerosis has taught me how to fall and I was unhurt, though a little sore. No broken bones.

Regrettable casualty? My Monopod. I'd reinforced that thing at the lower two joints to stop just such nonsense. Natcherly the third joint up bent and snapped. I will once again reinforce it, with dowling and tons of electrical tape.

Can anyone direct me to a sturdier support? It can't be too expensive, because I'm sure to break it. I am willing to augment it, though.

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Little Pond

It's in the Air

Babies everywhere around here:
For a video fix of our mommy herding her little darlings, go here.

And I believe we can expect some more soon:

Here are a lovely little couple, making eyes at each other and cuddling necks. So cute!

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Little Pond

Don't you just love it?

Whenever I begin to get nervous about either Hillary or Barack, they shoot themselves in each other's foot. At this point they are busily destroying one another--and their own reputations--in a fun-to-watch mutual smearing campaign.

Divide and conquer? Who needs it when the Democratic presidential candidates are doing it for us?

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Little Pond

Feed the little brown birds all winter,

And look what you get in the springtime. Sort of like a canary, isn't it? The house finches will also brighten up, turning a lovely deep rose color. And there is a huge variety of migrant birds following the Chemung.
Down by the river, I have adopted a plump little feather ball. He was staying close while I took pictures for the River Hag, three nice bird shots. Different opportunities when the River Dog is not with me.Tomorrow or Saturday, I can expect the HuggaMutt to join me on my walks, weather permitting. We are hoping the rains give us a break in the morning, when my car will be in for inspection. Vacation will be over this weekend, and for once, I feel totally rested and satisfied with how the week went.

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Little Pond

Finally, a vulture...on Foster Island

And almost by accident, too. I couldn't see them clearly, so I shot them anyway with my zoom. It turned out to be what I wanted all along. Makes me wonder if I'm missing a lot of great pics simply because I can't see them well enough.

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Little Pond

Yay! Pretty Morning!

The last two weeks have not been good to Ellie. Despite the faithful administration of Interceptor, she turned up with roundworms. This was especially worrisome because that meant that Willie and Bree also had to be wormed, whether they were infected or not.But so far today she seems cured and energetic. We went to the Gateway area of the Chemung River, and found ourselves surrounded by Canada geese and local fishermen.

Couple more shots here.

River Hag was busy in the days before she came back to Little Pond.

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Little Pond

Just a thought...

What can we expect this year in Peking? Assuming the Olympic Torch actually arrives there.

Frankly, I don't remember such ruckus in my lifetime. And while I wholeheartedly enjoy the theater being played out city by city during the bearing of the Torch, I can't help but wonder what will occur during the actual opening ceremonies.

In China, itself, of course, nothing will happen. They will go on as usual. The authorities will, no doubt, efficiently (and maybe brutally) squelch any embarrassment and inconvenience caused by any honest dissent.

Elsewhere, though, the protests will probably intensify.

We've had Olympics in totalitarian countries before, lots of them. However, insufficient media coverage always worked to minimize any protests and their subsequent retaliation.

Coverage is now continuous and copious. The hosting country and its repressive policies will be laid bare for all the world to see. There is no place to hide this time around.

And that will be the best reason of all for having the Olympics in China. One might almost forget that its all about sports.

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Little Pond