Happy Easter

Beautiful Full Moon

Andrew took this photo March 28th around 6:50 am.  The sun was rising while the moon was setting. This doesn't happen often and has something to do with the way that light reflects over the earth and serves to magnify the moon.

The Bluebird of Happiness

We were happy that this little guy and a half dozen of his friends were at our feeder today. A couple of them were checking out our butterfly box (above) to see if it was suitable for nesting in.  Hope they come back. I love bluebirds!

House Hunting

A pair of Red Shouldered Hawks, much to our delight, were checking out our red maple tree yesterday as a potential home site.  We first saw a pair of these hawks about 5 years ago in a park near our house. We believe these could be the same pair as they tend to nest in the same territory year after year.  Due to recent storm damage in our neighborhood, and the subsequent removal of mature trees that became hazards, the hawks may have lost their original home. Red Shouldered Hawks have a very distinct call and are beautiful while in flight.   They are a common hawk to our area and their prey is usually mice, frogs and snakes.

Rocky's Odyssey

On February 13^th, after deciding the preceding week to go to Denver for my uncle’s birthday party, I impulsively did a quick web search to see if I could locate any Satin Angora rabbits in the Denver area. I wanted to bring some new bloodlines into my herd as most of what is available around here is east coast stock.  I sent an email inquiry to someone whose name was listed on some website as a breeder in Colorado and she replied that she didn’t have any Satin Angoras but gave me a couple leads.  I contacted one of those sellers who happened to be two hours north of Denver in Laramie, Wyoming and found that she had what I was looking for (west coast stock-dam from Texas, sire from Colorado)  and discussed logistics of getting the rabbit. At that point I thought I was going to bring the rabbit home in a pet approved carry-on bag.  Wrong!  Southwest Airlines only allows cats and small dogs. Don’t ask me why. As I was venting to DH about this rule he reminded me that my aunt and uncle were driving out for the party. At that point I was pretty much resigned that my endeavor was just not going to happen.  I emailed the seller back and apologized that I had not checked the airline situation prior to contacting her but explained that I might possibly be able to arrange other transportation once I got there and that I would let her know if I could work something out.  When I arrived in Denver, much to my delight my aunt and uncle were more than happy to get involved in what I am now calling The Great Rabbit Caper, going as far as setting up the exchange after I had gone back to Ohio.  There was bad weather to contend with and the issue of what they were going to transport the rabbit in (I ended up purchasing carrying cage from the seller) and what day, weather permitting, a secondary party was going to be making the trip to Wyoming and back.  Rabbit arrived here today, just a little over a week from the time he left his former home.  For those of you interested in his odyssey- Marce (seller) sends rabbit from Laramie, Wyoming to Denver with client Eva Marie. Eva Marie meets aunt and uncle at her place of business off 1-70 in Denver.  Rabbit travels 1200 + miles (with an overnight stop-over in Kansas City, Missouri) to Miamisburg, OH.  My mom picks him up from aunt and uncle and cares for him for 4 days and then takes him to my friend and fellow rabbit enthusiast Maureen (who lives close by) whose husband John is John traveling through Central Ohio for a dog agility show this evening.  Mom was going to meet DH the day following the rabbit’s arrival in the “burg” and I just happened to mention to Maureen that he was on his way when she graciously offered to save us a trip since John was coming this way anyhow. Rabbit has been apply named Rocky Mountain Ramblin’ Man.  He was so sweet to all his care givers along the way that I was afraid someone would decide to keep him. Let’s hope Rocky (his dam was BOS at the ARBA National Convention in 2012) and Castanea make some pretty babies this spring. He is a beautiful rabbit with very nice type and wool and will definitely be an asset to my herd development. 

All packed up and ready to leave cousin Angie's house with Aunt Patty and Uncle Henry.

(Film Clip)

Camping out at Grammies for a week.

Last pit-stop in Pickerington, OH

 And home at last

King George

I’ve been a George Strait fan since he came on to the country music scene in 1981 and have seen in him concert a couple times. When the press release came out last fall that George was doing his farewell tour I immediately checked the tour schedule for dates.  I signed up on the arena website and got advance notice and was able to buy tickets a day prior to when they went on sale for the general public in October so we got great seats almost on the floor.  This past Saturday night was the big night and we traveled to Lexington Kentucky to see George and Martina McBride’s The Cowboy Rides Away tour.  I splurged and got a room at the Hyatt which is attached to the arena so that made it extra nice in that we didn’t have to fight traffic before or after the show. Martina sang for an hour and then the stage was reset and George played for just short of three hours including a couple of encores.   It was hands down the best concert I have ever seen. The sound was fantastic and George was, as always spectacular.  Even hubby (the classic rock fan) said George was a great entertainer. The tour runs through June 2013 with more dates to be announced for 2014. If he comes with in a 3 hour radius in 2014 we are going again!!