I'm not sure you guys remember how very young (and uncooperative) babies are at 14 months - I know I had forgotten. They don't really understand holidays and celebrations that much yet (ha!... we treat Emma like every day is a holiday), and they don't understand that many words yet either, so you can forget explaining things to them (as if they'd listen - but by two, they start talking and understanding a 'lot' more). They're like little time bombs (I mean that in a good way though - everything is on a DNA schedule). Now that Emma is walking, I just know that running will come next, and then there's going to be no stopping her. My job will to keep up with her - here's hoping I can do it!
Emma is walking all over the house, (with the exception of getting upstairs which we've gated off), pushing doors open (me worrying about smashed fingers) , opening cupboards..... well, you get the picture: doing a good job of tearing the place apart - and I'm sure it'll get worse before it gets easier. But she's lots of fun, we love her to death, and we're up to the task.
Carol, I'm including a picture of some of the flowers on our property that we were told were fuchsias when we bought the house. Let me know if they're not. As you can see, the foliage is already getting very thick here - Spring got here fast, and everything filled in quickly once it arrived. Our dogwoods (white) are all blooming now too (but they won't last long).
By the way, we had a good Easter down here in Houston. Over ate, enjoyed some beautiful weather and took it easy. Hope everyone else had a great Easter too !
73 comments:
... woke up, couldn't get back to sleep, but now I'm ready. See y'all tomorrow.
ps Mary, if you're around, hope work is going OK.
.... by the way Carol, our AC is still cycling on in the middle of the night - it sure was warm today. You enjoying it?
Great pics Chloe and you got her smiling from ear to ear.
I can hear her saying, in that third pic, "my lambie is bigger than your bunny, Maggie"
And sister girl, how long have you been in the south??? That last pic is your classic azelea. It is fushia colored but it is an azelea.
Hey, my AC has been cycling on and off for a little while now. Yes, yesterday was getting a little up there. I don't know what it topped out at but with the partly cloudy and the breeze, it was tolerable.
I do love that particular azelea, it's may favorite and have it growing in front of my house. I can do those. The Fuchia I can't grow around here, that grows so well up in the PNW is:
Fuchias
Huh, and you thought you had a little "greenie" edge on old Carol.
Chloe,
Really nice pics...looks like Em was pretty happy with her Easter basket...smiles & all....
Agree with Carol completely...looks like azaleas to me....at least another month before
they bloom here...
The AC switched on...here sometimes it gets warm enough this early,(it has reached into the
mid 70s this weekend) but doesn't usually last for more than a couple of days....not happy when that happens so early...hopefully we will have a couple more months til AC is needed....
Well today is my day. My day! My day. I even got to sleep until 6:30. Maybe Iphony is broken?? I won't check.
Hope my SF doesn't find any places between his ear and his gut bothering him today. Didn't mention either one yesterday.
Ivy, the dramatic posters that guy had yesterday. I wish you were here to interpret them for me. He had big sigh acted out in several different ways. If this was really depression making this happen, he wouldn't have the energy to do some of the things he is doing. You were so right, the old codger is playing this for all he is worth. You picked it up from way over there. Can you just imagine how much you could tell me if you were watching him???
Chloe, Beautiful pictures. Wow! I can't believe how much Emma has grown since the last pics you posted. She is smiling all over the place too. Her smile in the first pic is infectious. The last time we saw her, she was an infant. She has surely changed into a toddler. Her hair has grown a lot too. She is such a beautiful little girl - that has not changed. Thanks for posting these.
I agree with Jan. She looks to have grown quite a bit since your last pics. They just don't stop moving upward, do they?
Thanks everyone. Jan and Carol, you are right, she's grown a lot and is eating well (once she got off her formula). However, 9 month size still fits her very well, and her 12 month clothes are usually a a little too big (but she's getting there).
I still do get a lot of comments that she's petite, but I'm sure that could change fast. And as you can see from her pics, she always looks plenty chubby, so I think we're on track.
" Huh, and you thought you had a little "greenie" edge on old Carol"
Ha! Carol, I know better!
Thanks to you and Coreen for id'ing my flowers - told you that I know the name of very few of them - now you know I wasn't kidding! I'm plant ignorant (or maybe I'm just ignorant).
I bet Solar is watching this: "Space shuttle Discovery, 7 astronauts blast off "
.... and glad to see that women are moving 'up' in the world:
"The liftoff, less than an hour before sunrise, helped clinch a record for the most women in space at the same time." http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100405/ap_on_re_us/us_space_shuttle
Coreen, Glad to hear you're having beautiful weather too. Spring is by far my favorite season.
Jan, I read that they could feel that Mexico quake all the way to Arizona. Don't you have relatives there?
Chloe, John's bro and SIL are in Tiajuana - she is part of consulate there and they did feel it there. They are fine. I have a former DIL in Phoenix. I will have to text her and see if she felt anything. We did not feel anything here.
John's bro called just as we got home yesterday afternoon to tell us about the quake. They were on vacation and went home early b/c of the quake.
3 quakes all since Jan. This is a little scary.
Boy am I out of touch. I did not know about the blast off. I need to watch more news.
We have had no need for AC here yet - probably won't before May. Our thermostat is old-fashioned -we have to manually turn it to cool before AC comes on.
Although it has been getting up into 70's yesterday afternoon here, our house temp did not get above 71. We are running AC in car as it heats up fast. We don't turn on house AC until it gets up close to 80. John is cold natured and I just peel off clothes in the house.
Woo hoo! First owl baby spotting. Problem is that the trees branches have grown so much that is makes looking at their owl hole/branch really difficult. Can't watch from my usual perch.
Ha Jan, I didn't know about the blast off until this morning either. Maybe it's good that we don't watch more news. :)
Congrats Carol! I bet it's going to be hard getting a pic of that little baby owl, with everything filling in so fast this year.
I still haven't seen a hummer here, but haven't been watching real closely either.
I didn't even know about that owl family use of the big cypress every year until after the hurricane. It pruned our trees pretty good and removed a lot of our spanish moss. Now with everything back, the critter have some of their privacy back. That's OK by me.
Carol, what a wonderful world you live in with your mallards and owl and other critters. When you talk about your surroundings, like your spanish moss, I always feel some nostalgia for that part of the country. I have such great memories of living there.
Chloe,
Im a proud Uncle Solar: Emma is just beautiful, and full too, full of life...
Carol, looks like that little picnic at the swamp has helped u get back on track.! You r defenity one of those people that like giving to others....not like you SF..so just go with your knowledge about him...and not by the emotions that he is going to try to use on U....
I like your owls....going to adopt one...can just see it now.....whoooooo me, im innocent up here.
My Mom and brother Rick came over and we all over ate, even mom, cos she sneaked in a piece of pie, while I distracted the Warden...Mom was invited to everyone's homes, and she chose to come here....i leave her alone to do what she wants.....I don't make a fuss, she hates when they all do that.....I even ask her to chip in with the cost of the food...I billed her...she turned around and said sure carinio........and then gave Rick the bill....
She always wants to go home early when she visits...Rick told me it is b/c she like her own bath room, and does not like others....I made a big sign on one of me bathrooms and put her name on it...."Ma-Maria's" All others stay out....use the back yard...(we have a 2nd, but she laughed at that)she was a little tired and I did not ask her about the past..and she was hiding her hands a lot...they shake more each time I see her....it was a nice day.....and a nice day her today..a little cool (just like I like it) and sunny, going to work out all of these extra calories from yesterday....later
As the duck world turns...
This morning Mr. and Ms. M were here as usual. Tagging along were the sleak young drakes, both still stalking Ms. M.
Mr. M. continues to keep the other boys away from his hen and he was looking pretty sleak himself earlier but with all the competition, he has been looking pretty rough. His right wing almost drags the ground.
Just a few minutes ago, he came up all by himself. He looks a little dejected. I'm wondering if the young studs stole his girl?
What's up duck?
Solar, You must be your mom's favorite that she chose to come to your house over all others. I understand about your mom wanting to use her own BR. Wish you could work off some of my Xtra calories from yesterday too.
Carol, we passed a lake yesterday with a big duck swimming along and some little ones trailing behind. Another sign of spring. Our weather is beautiful here today.
Chloe,
I love the pictures of Miss Em. She has such a beautiful smile. She sure has her mom's eyes.
I've been off since last Friday morning. This was my long weekend. I go back to work tomorrow nite. So far the worse part has been trying to readjust to sleeping nites when I'm off.
Oh crap people. An owl baby fell out of the tree. Mamma's has been up in the tree all day watching. She's still up there but I'm sure baby can't fly yet. I'm gonna go back and look.
Jan,
Not my moms favorite, but I do leave her alone, and not make her uncomfortable, by talking to her like an old lady, she is 94 but sharp as a tack, and can play politics with every m ove the she makes.
I figure that she chose me to spend Easter with cos she was sending a message to two of my sisters that are catholic, and now shun me cos im not.!
They would shun my brother Rick b/c he is a born again, ( she lives with him) but not one of those that just say that they are....he was offered by some in Hollywood, a church of his own...they knew his work...but he does not like any organized religion, and refused...
Just a wonderful thread, y'all. Thanks so much, Chloe. Your girls are beautiful and I'm sure them apples ain't rolled far from the tree.
Yes, I think those are indeed azaleas. Hopefully, the shrub will be in full glory this weekend at the Masters Golf Tournament regardless of whether or not Tiger makes the cut.
Where Are Augusta's Famous Azaleas?
Azaleas are "deer candy" so we don't get to keep them around here.
Carol,
Sounds Mr. Bob is in full possession of his faculties (i.e., no dementia). You do not have to cut him any more slack on his attention-getting tricks. Bless that couple who's helping to look out for him...not letting Bob make them leave before they were ready? That's the right idea. I want what they got! lol
Carol,
Keep us posted on the owl baby. Remember Mother Nature can be harsh, but Mother knows best.
Solar,
Aren't we all "Mom's Favorite" each in our own way?
I'm with you, Jan, about being in a news blackout. I didn't even know about another earthquake. I don't think it's bad to be detached from daily news. The really important stuff gets heard...the rest is probably unnecessary for me to know anyway...all the more brain clutter. I think, like politics, all news is local.
Coreen,
I think it's way early for you to be seeing hummers anyway. Proably don't appear there until May.
I'm ready to say "Bah, hummer-bug!" They should have showed up by now.
Chloe,
You could be seeing the scissor-tailed flycatchers by now...Carol, do you get those too?
Too much drama for "my day". Might as well been at work today.
I was out watering the plants and heard something fluttering down. I looked over toward the sound and it was a baby owl that had fallen from the big tree. It just sat there on the ground. Mama was still up, high on a branch looking unperturbed.
I called one of our secretaries at work, who is married to the head of animal control in town. She gave me a name of a lady who rescues animals and birds. I called her. She told me to find a basket and pull it up in the tree. She said it was better if the mama owl could fledge it. Yeah.
Only basket I could find was a magazine basket. I tied a rope, put baby in basket and threw the rope up in the tree. I tied a large screwdriver on the end of the rope to get it up there... after a dozen tries, I got it over a branch.
Baby in basket..
owl baby in basket
basket in tree
baby climbs out of basket
mama knows
Well, I actually need to get going. Hope to catch a rest after my PT session and before Gals' Night. There are shoulder and arm parts I didn't know existed. I hope that "no pain no gain" saying is right. Otherwise, I'm gaining nada.
Very ingenious, Carol. Super photos. I wonder if there's some bird site you could send them to?
Well, I guess I now have a bird's eye view of the baby owl...
I'm a little stressed over here Ivy. My heart is still pounding.
and I'm afraid "Lil Vertigo" may take another tumble.
Carol, What a great idea that lady gave you about using a basket and pulley - I never would have thought of it.
At this point, there's not much more you can do. You got the baby up off the (dangerous) ground, and now you'll have to settle for hoping for the best.
I've tried to save baby birds many times too, and sometimes I'm successful and often I'm not. The ones you lose are just another one of those painful facts of life. I think you're going to succeed on this one though. That's a nice, big healthy looking baby. Rest easy knowing you have done all you can do.
What kind of tree is that Carol? The trunk is so different than most of mine.
... next time I go to WM, I'm going to find a small basket and rope to keep on hand, for the emergency I hope I don't have.
Ivy, I didn't know that deer are drawn to azaleas. That explains why when I see them (which is less lately) their usually on that corner of the property.
Thanks for the link too, Ivy.
I don't know what kind of tree that is Chloe. It's not the tree the owl was in but it was the only tree I could find that I could throw the screwdriver, with the rope tied to it, up into. It's not far from the owl tree.
I don't know what more you can do Carol. If a neighbor had a tall ladder, you may be able to get the baby in the right tree, but that may spook mama owl.
I know how you feel, because I get very upset when this happens to me - and it's bound to, every spring. You'll have to accept that you've done all you can do, and hope for the best. She's lucky you were home today.
Chloe, that owl nest hole is about 4 stories up in that tree. Only a fire truck with a automatic ladder, and it couldn't get close enough, could get to the hole.
I wrote a post about little Vertigo. I will put it up in the morning. I just hope it's not going to be...in memory of.
Chloe, that basket is good for magazines and couch throws. I got that one at Hobby Lobby. It was part of a set of three.
Little Verigo is back in the basket. I didn't put any nesting material in the basket. I was in too much of a rush.
I think there should be enough room for mama to get in the basket.
Ivy, did you ask your PT about your computer chair? Or find a OT at the same place to ask.
Carol,
Are there any wildlife rehabilitators in your
area, or a wildlife refuge that could help
you? Am sure you are very worried & not sure
what more could be done without assistance...
If the owl is too young to fly, did the person you spoke with suggest how/whether the mother
owl will feed the baby or just abandon it...
Oh, my hummers are very active today. More than one today, easy to see.
Coreen, here is her Wildlife Rehabilitation Center website.
Heckhaven Wildlife Rehabilitation Center
She is the one who told me what to do. She said it is best if the mama can fledge it. I was so nervous, I told her thanks and jumped into action. I didn't want baby to be vulnerable for too long.
Carol, I have no idea if this is a reputable site, just ran across it (and it's just one persons opinion). But you may want to give it a read, and see what you think.
Best to leave baby great horned owls alone when they wander from nest
... from that page:
"The young owls often leave the nest a few days before they can fly fully.
"As strange as it seems, it's perfectly normal to see the baby birds on the ground almost able to fly, but they're not quite there yet," Walk said."
Carol,
You seem to have done a fantastic job of trying
to protect & reunite the baby...I still have no idea how you managed to throw that rope over a high tree...
The pics of the baby look like it isn't a newborn, which I hope means there is a good chance that your efforts will help. Will the
rehabilitator take the baby if the mother doesn't help in the next day or so?
My instincts tell me that you will be doing
everything you can to get that baby owl back
to where it needs to be...
Chloe, I found the same website owl pages too.
With a story about how someone raised a baby
owl...a bit long but amazing...I am hoping that
Carol's baby owl will be successfully reunited
with mother owl....
Tree Child
Coreen, it's only about 10 to 12 ft up in the tree I hung it in. Baby is small and way too small to fly. It's still fuzzy. It felt like a handfull of cotton.
They usually set up on the branches for weeks before disappearing. I think today was it's first venture out of the nest. I bet baby was trying to watch me, like I used to see them do, when it toppled off it's branch.
Chloe, baby didn't even try to bite me. I had on heavy duty work gloves. It made a little clucking noise. I was more afraid that mama would come after me but I didn't see her around when I did my rescue. I worked faster than 911.
Wow Coreen, an amazing story. I got several pages in, and will have to go back and finish reading it tomorrow.
Undoubtedly, the mother see's what's going on. I think the important thing is that Carol got that baby up off the ground and away from the nocturnal animals that cone out at night. Predators are what always worry me most.
I have a strong hunch that mama owl is going to take care of things.
Carol, I didn't think that the baby would bite you - I know how gentle any species usually is at that age. I was talking about what they said in the article:
"They generally don't need our intervention," Webster said. "Their parents are there. They'll take care of them."
... and that's basically similar advice to what the lady you called said. She had you get the baby up high enough to be safer, and the article said the parents are around and will be back to feed her.
I think what you did was perfect.
Baby is back sitting on the edge of the basket. That worries me. I hope mama doesn't end up knocking it off if she does come to feed it.
From your story I read "When the young leave the nest at about 4 weeks, they are not able to fly, but crawl out of the nest using their beak and talons to sit on branches. These owls are called branchers. They fledge at 35 to 40 days." We have a good way to go here.
Chloe, I asked the rehab lady if the mama could get it back in the tree and she said no. I needed to get it off the ground into that basket and up in a tree. There are preditors out here. And lots of ants.
My little owl is older than the one that lady found and took care of. That is quite a cute story she wrote.
I'll check back in the morning. You did everything just right Carol, now all we can do is hope for the best. Let it go for the night (I know it's not easy), but it's important you try.
Oh, update....Mr. M. did find his Ms. I saw them swimming, wing in wing, this afternoon. Yeesh, the feather drama around this place.
This nature drama goes on all the time, all around us, but we usually don't know about it. Then you decide to live in a tree house, it's up close and personal and you become part of the drama.
Ivy, don't think I've ever seen a scissor tailed flycatcher around here. With that tail, I'd think that I'd remember.
I'm way tired to comment at length and slightly disappointed that Butler lost the championship by a slim margin.
But Carol, here is a link to a range map for you to check where you are if near the scissor-tailed flycatcher. They're actually tiny birds and it IS easy to miss seeing them unless they are pointed out. When I lived in Houston, I was completely blind to their existence for five years until they were shown to me by Bear Woman and her then-husband when they came to visit from Pennsylvania and took me on my first bird trip to Galveston Island. That bird changed my life.
Scissor Tail Map Area
Help! So falling asleep that I caught myself in mid- toss of the computer and keyboard at flocks of mixed marauders of mallards, flycatchers, hummingbirds, owls and flying monkeys...save me!
Just checking in. I have been in the ER Or they now call it ED - since about 5 this afternoon. John was at the YMCA on the eliptical and fainted, fell off and gashed the back of his head. They called the paramedics who took him to ER - YMCA called me at work. He is ok. We just got home. I have him in bed now. He was not drinking enough water. He does now have 8 staples in the back of his head. They ruled out heart attack.
Carol, I love your owl pics and story of your owl. I didn't read all carefully - will do that tomorrow. I am beat.
New blog post.
Post a Comment