Cardinal Flower

Three weeks ago, I became very excited when I found two cardinal flowers blooming in my yard. Since then, I have found almost 60 on my property or along the edge of the creek. While many people would not want to have wetland soils on their property, I've been very happy with the plant life and wildlife it brings to area. I remain a bit soggy and happy!

Owls around Home

The past week or two has been a time of increasing owl calls. Last night as I was drifting off to sleep, a screech owl was sounding off from the front yard. I've been hearing screech owls mostly after 10:30 PM and before 1AM, but two nights ago on a short evening walk at sunset, I heard one to the east of the house. There is nothing quite like the whinny call of a screech owl.

While screech owls have been heard most frequently, I have heard one barred owl to the west of the house and Monday morning, August 25th, I had a great horned owl hooting to the east. The calls of owls really bring out the wild side of the night. May they hoot and whinny forevermore!

August 3rd - Sounds from the Porch

This is really the first relaxing night I've had in weeks. Work on teacher institute presentations have consumed my life since early July. I'm on my porch working on finishing some university work and I've been here since my daughter went to bed at 9:30PM. The annual cicadas were first replaced by katydids. A high pitched chatter occurred on the north side of my house and something went under the porch (under my feet) to the south side of my house. I watched a shooting star briefly appear in the southwestern sky. A screech owl was heard around 10:30 to my north. Later, what might have been raccoons were heard vocalizing (fighting maybe?) to my northeast. Around 11:30PM, I heard my first ever pair of coyotes vocalizing, one almost due south and another probably a quartermile away southeast of the house. They were followed by a barred owl southeast of the house. Green frogs have barked, a bullfrog has sounded, and I can only remember one car going by in the last two hours.

It's good to be home and recharging, even if only for an evening. Tomorrow, another chapter in work begins. Tomorrow night, I'll be back on the porch letting nature rebuild me.