Trumpeter Swans, Snow Geese and A Hawk

Today was a busy day - we left early to stop and pick up one color of yarn I needed for a craft project - then on the road, to the butcher in Stanwood (about an hour south of here), then lunch with friends and a good shopping at a big thrift store in Stanwood. (More about the thrift store another day).

We picked up our order from the butcher (we go about every 6 months), had a great lunch at an old fashioned cafe with old fashioned prices and absolutely delicious food - and then after the thrift shop we all headed home.  We took the back roads - looking for Snow Geese and Trumpeter Swans - and for a long time we didn't see any - then just before we got to Bow and Edison we saw some circling - ready to land.  A quick turn down a narrow road - and there they were.  A very small flock - well actually two very small flocks - one of Snow Geese and one of Trumpeter Swans - mixed together.

The Snow Geese will fly up and land again - over and over.  They are in a plowed over corn field - eating what they can find there.

It was a cloudy day, but they still showed up against the gray clouds.  They have beautiful black tips on their wings

Coming in for a landing

The black feathers on their wings look like fingers

Look out below!

A little fuzzy - but I love the position of the wings and feet as he prepares to land.

Mixed in with the Snow Geese are Trumpeter Swans - which are much larger.  The brown on the face of the swan is from contact with ferrous minerals in the soil .

Stretching their wings - the wingspread of a Trumpeter Swan can reach up to 8 feet and the average male weighs 26 pounds, average female 22 pounds.  Compared to the smaller Snow Geese, which weigh 3 to 7 pounds, with a wingspread of 4.5 feet

The Trumpeter Swans don't fly as often as the Snow Geese - but they are majestic when they fly

Stretching

Taking off

And just down the road - was a hawk on a pole

What a day!

On Naming Posts

I thought names of posts didn't matter - but I've found out differently.  The last two posts I'm done are "It's Beginning To Look A Lot Like Christmas" and  "It's Beginning To Look A Lot Like Christmas - Part Two".  A couple of friends have told me that they almost skipped the second post - because the name started out the same as the first post.  But really, truly - they are two different posts - I didn't mean to confuse you out there in blogland - my wonderful readers.  So you can see the second post by scrolling back to "older post" - or click HERE.  The first post is about penguins - the second is about christmas pretties!  I hope you enjoy them both.  

And here is a picture of some pretty horses on a foggy day  -  enjoy!

Christmas - Part Two

Last post you saw what I have been up to - making ornaments and napkin rings - and today I want to share with you something that Don does every year.  He loves to buy his girls (me, our two daughters and our daughter-in-law) christmas pins.  A new one each year - it is a favorite part of his traditions.  He gives them to us on Thanksgiving so we can have them all through the holiday season.

Each year it is an exciting time as he searches for the one that he thinks each of us will like best.  Last year he got this wonderful snow flake for me - and I never got to wear it one time because I was in deep recovery from emergency back surgery.  I told him I would wear this one this year and didn't need a new one - but it just doesn't fit his plan - so I will have two new pins to wear this year.

There are shiny bells, candles and candy canes

Assorted things - like gingerbread men, angels from Alaska, reindeer, sleighs and snow folks

And we must have our Santas

And look what we discovered today - two different years were two almost identical snow boys - there are tiny differences - but very similar - and we never caught on that they were so similar.  What I am amazed at is that there haven't been more duplicates over the years.

And teddy bears - always teddy bears.

And some pretty bejeweled trees

All together - so sparkly

And then when he is done buying pins - he buys me earrings - lots of cute earrings - not always a new pair every year - but quite often. I have to be careful what I admire, or it ends up in our shopping cart.  (You don't hear me complaining in the least).

Strings of christmas lights

Sparkley silver trees for dressing up.

These two Santas have tangled themselves up in christmas lights.

More Santas

Silver snowflakes - for when we don't have real snowflakes

And what would christmas be without teddy bear earrings?

A pretty trees - these are from Avon - long long ago

Two pair of sparkly silver dangling earrings.  The bells actually jingle and tiny little jing.

So many pretties - I'm very lucky - maybe a little spoiled you say? You bet!

This is how I display the earrings during the holidays - on a vintage greeting card holder - perfect for earrings.

The rest of the year they sit on my dresser in pretty crystal boxes

Waiting for the next year.

Christmas is so much fun with Don!!!

It's Beginning To Look A Lot Like Christmas!

  I know - it is only November 3, and for those who don't want to think about chrismtas, please stop reading so you don't frustrate yourself.  Ok now, let's get on with it - but first there was no glue - I had two bottles of tacky glue, but they just up and walked away - or hid out - and I couldn't find them, and I had just cleaned the studio - so had to go get some.  

And then I needed tiny black beads for eyes - so had to go back to the store a second day.  Ok - everything is ready - but wait - the glue doesn't work.  The instructions said to use a hot glue gun - but I (in my infinite wisdom) thought tacky glue would work better.   Well, let me tell you - it doesn't - so finally relented and used the glue gun - and zippo - they were put together.

First there were parts - lots of little parts. The body part is the "ring" to hold the napkins

Scarves, and hat pieces and faces and pom poms

Don't you just love that face.

Hey - put me together - I need a body!!!!

Where are our heads????

Hey - he's got a head - how come  I don't have a head?  And who scribbled on that table?  You didn't think I could see it, did you?

Ok, that's better, feet, body, scarf and part of our hats

Now add the trim to the hat - isn't that pretty?

And the "dangle" on the side of the hat - yup - that's the official name of the part of the hat that hangs down beside your cheeks - the dangle.

And finally - two lovely pom poms - we are fine and dandy now.  Where's the rest of the gang?  Don't tell anyone - but she got a pom pom stuck on the hot glue gun and it melted - she mumbled something but we couldn't hear what she said.

Six - that's not enough.

Hail, hail, the gang's all here!!!

The penguin napkin ring brigade.

Stop pushing!!

You can't all be in front - now be nice, it is almost christmas - and Santa might be watching.

Ok - now I need my computer back from those pesky penguins - to show you something else I made.  I love Gingerbread cookies and gingerbread houses - so my friend Franni and I started making christmas crafts together - she lives in Florida and I am in Washington - we chat online while we stitch together - keeps us both moving on our projects,  and is fun besides.

This is the front door - with a pretty star above, and christmas tree and reindeer buttons for trim.

Sequins on the roof

Ric rac - another tree in the window, a gift and snowman button for trim on the back of the house

It is about 2" square - and ever so cute.

I just love christmas - but I'd better go and see what the ruckus is in the dining room - the penguins are up to something, I'm sure.

What have you made for christmas?  

I'll be back soon and show you what Don does every year at christmas - but first I have a little photography work to do - see you soon.