Happy Easter 2009

Happy Easter a month late! Not bad considering I was 4 months late to wish Happy New Year...

The McMullens and Mimi and Popka visited us for Easter again this year. It was a short visit, but jam packed. We visited St Augustine to sightsee and beach it. We got to Fort Matanzas just in time for the canon demonstration...Grant is still not a fan of loud noises...Hanging out... Sadly, this is the best shot I could get of kids who just finished a long drive and were antsy to explore and get to the beach.Egg Coloring and HuntingScore! another one...
Thanks to Popka and his 120 candy filled eggs - we are still eating chocolates and finding shiny, colorful foiled wrappers around the house!Kinda blurry but I couldn't resist posting a pic of the pretty dress Mimi gave Olivia...The McMullens had yet to explore Paynes Prairie with us, so that was a must. The Gators made a grand appearance for them that day.We even had a big guy swim right by for a nice closeup view.


And we saw Bison for the first time ever - not the best zoomed in shot but they are there, trust me. Those McMullens are good luck.Nature Boy Nathan found a skink for everyone to molest before letting him go again...We also saw an armadillo rooting around in the woods and he might have been the favorite sighting... which is completely understandable if you've never seen an armadillo (See: Armadillo Attack)

A snowshoeing we will go

One of our fave things to do in the mountain snow is to shoe through it. There is no better way to commune with nature in the cold then to escape on paths less traveled.But don't get me wrong, it isn't a nice leisurely stroll and at times it is heart-pounding work. Luckily the picturesque views are numerous, allowing for multiple rest stops.Now THOSE are trees...And you must take time to stop and hug the cedars...Wow, look at the lake!McGruber! Don became McGruber (if you haven't seen that SNL skit, you are missing out) as he tried and tried again to fix Dave's busted up snowshoe.Poor Dave...Should we really hike up this former avalanche area? Sure, why not?Because it isn't much fun. But it is fun to slide back down.Life is Good!

Lake Tahoe

We have done something right in our lives to have completely generous friends and family that hook us up with opportunities to do some of our fave things: snowboard, snowshoe, and play in the snow. Don's colleague (and our former major adviser in grad school), Mark Butler, invited us for a week in his condo in Tahoe. We also did something right to have awesome parents who come and babysit. We had a FAB time as always.

The first day was spent getting things in order: groceries and gear. We took some time toward the end of the day to explore:Is this the Caribbean or the mountains? There is a good reason their local conservation motto is: Keep Lake Tahoe Blue.Love the clouds...This is a pass through on the road around the lake. Years ago during the major logging days, they would simply drive around it on the left.Can you find Don?

Sand Hill Surplus

One Sunday in January we headed to Paynes Prairie for a hike. There were a ton of cars there and while the weather was perfect, we have never seen this many people in PP before. We didn't have an answer until partly down La Chua Trail we heard them...

Sand Hill Cranes - thousands of them!Upclose (borrowed from the internet)... In the winter, sandhills migrate from Michigan and Wisconsin to south Georgia and Florida. This is a banner year for sandhills at PP (they estimate 5,000 this year). Why so many? No one has THE answer but lots of speculation including recent drought conditions and unseasonably warm weather.

One of their fave eats is amaranth seeds. Amaranth is an ancient grain, the first to be cultivated as a crop in the New World. Aztecs used amaranth extensively, even in their sacrifice ceremonies.

When the Spanish came along, all things Aztec were forbidden, including growing amaranth. It is making a comeback these days. The grain grows wild on the prairie. This has been a very good year for amaranth; perhaps the sandhill cranes know that and have come to harvest the good stuff. Some sandhills like Paynes Prairie so much they will stay year round but most go back up North.

Perfect place to escape the snow...But be careful of the gators...

Winter Hiking

We spent a fair amount of time this winter hiking in Paynes Prairie and San Felasco. Every time we go we see something new... every time!
This was a particularly relaxing day. The weather was perfect and we were tired so we sat (and snoozed) for awhile under a stand of pine trees.The kids played with sticks and dirt for a long while...These photos are blurry b/c Grant was bent on charging me each time I tried to take a picture. Still, they turned out to be some of my favorite pics of him...Blowing in the wind...On the walk home we tried out our gymnastics skills.

Balance Beam...Somersaults...Cartwheels...For my 40th birthday, Scott and Dara completely surprised me by driving down from Florence, SC and knocking on our door 11:30pm on Friday night. Don and our friend Veronica planned a surprise party for me on Saturday night - complete with friends I hadn't seen in awhile. It was a total surprise and a lot of fun. Too bad I don't have any photos from it!! Guess I was too busy being surprised to think of taking pics.
The next day we went for a quick hike before they headed back north...

Georgia on my mind

We spent the first days of the new year (I know I've become a bit of a pathetic blogger. I moved it down the priority ladder... but I will try harder!) with our most excellent friends Scott and Dara (or Scotty and Dary according to Olivia). They have a beautiful cabin in north Georgia surrounded by even more beautiful scenery. While we only had a short stay, we made the most of it by hiking, even in the rain.Precarious crossing...Pulling up the rear...

It's Snowing!!!!

A single snow cloud blew by and we took full advantage but by the time Grant bundled up, it was over. At least they got to catch some on their tongues. Olivia doesn't need bundling up - she inherited those Wisconsin genes. It didn't even phase her that she was bare foot.

Carolina Raptor Center

We visited the Carolina Raptor Center - an environmental conservation organization that treats injured and orphaned raptors.

My favorite, The Great Horned OwlNote his talons. They are perch and pounce hunters - they dive down with wings folded and snatch prey. Along with eagles, they have the strongest grip strength, rivaling that of four adult men. They mostly eat mammals and other owls including the...

Barn Owl
They typically live only 2-4 years in the wild. This one here is 12 years old.
Learning about wing design and the fringed feathers that allow them to fly silently.Feeding time.What's Up?