Bad Teacher/Bad Movie

First movie I have walked out on for at least 35 years. Bad Teacher was a waste of my time and money. Doesn't even begin to be funny!


At least the pop corn (small) was tasty.  I sat there and waited to be entertained and I could see no reason to stay.  David Letterman kept saying it was funny.  I wonder how much they paid him to say that.  It dragged.  The humor that was sophomoric and the acting was really poor.  


I was more entertained at Physical Therapy (and my arm was hurting) and had a better time there.


Roger Ebert's Review here.


Jon's comment,  "I hate to say it, but what do you expect from Cameron Diaz.?"

Leech Lake Memory

In Minnesota there is a lake.  On the west side of the lake is a town called Walker and stretching North from the town is Walker Bay.  On the west side of the bay was a resort called Lake View Resort. The first time I went there I rode up with my grandparents.  I can still see my grandmother (in my mind) as she sat by the lake. 

For about 30 years we would go to Minnesota for my mother's summer vacation. There is something magical and restorative about this lake.  Just sitting there for those weeks would make the rest of the year much better.  We would swim, go for drives, boat rides.  I would fish with my uncle.  In the evening we would go up to the Lodge and socialize and play cards.  We made friends with the others who were there and all of us made plans to come back the next year at the same time.  My mother's sister Fran and her husband were the ones who first discovered the lake (I think) and two of her other sisters and their husbands got property there.  My Aunt Jo still has her cabin on the lake and is hoping to be able to go up this summer.  She is having some health problems and needs to be here to "doctor." -  

Hopefully they will find out what is going on with her and she will get over the dizziness and be able to go to the lake again.  (Anybody who wants to send her some good thoughts is welcome to do so.)


The land behind the cabins and all around the area was deep forest and beautiful.  


I miss going there.  My sister misses going there. I guess that memories will have to do.   What is the point of all of this post.  Well days and nights have been mixed up because of the medicine I am on and this morning about 11:00 am. I took a nap and I had my warm blanket over me and I was dreaming that I was at the lake and I could see the bay stretched out before me and I jumped off the hill into the lake (you could not do that) and floated on my back.  I could see my sister floating over on an inner tube with a paper plate with a couple of hot dogs on it.  I yelled something to her and she said something about them being a Korn King Hot Dog and there were more in the fridge if I wanted one.   


So I woke up from the nice floating sensation and went to the kitchen and fixed myself a cheddar bratwurst from Lew Wright Meats (just try em).  Then I went on about my business.   I suppose that I was thinking about Leech because Randy and Fay are going to the Cabin for the week-end. 


Thanks for stopping by,  Hugs.


The photos are stolen from the Web.  All of my pictures are either in slides or in photos and are stored in the basement.  Perhaps someday I will be able to digitize them and share them. And yes, there are leeches in the lake but they attach to fishes and not people or at least in 30+ years of swimming in the lake I never had one on me.

Scenes from Benton County, Iowa - Photos and Text by Bob Kelly

Wednesday I passed through Vinton, Iowa on my way from Marion back to Ames.  The stately Benton County Courthouse was calling for a portrait, as was the antique but punctual clock in front of a bank.  The large mural depicts a scene that might have occurred on a lake in Minne Estema Park, in 1908. The Iowa towns are RICH with history and nostalgia!

Quote of the Day/Something new

To call Michelle Bachmann a flake is an insult to the fine folks at Kelloggs. 

 David Letterman

I am trying out a Samsung Tab.  Which I could get with my upgrade.  It only costs $1 a day after the initial purchase and it is really cool.  All of my iphoto pictures have been transferred to it and also to my phone and I don't know how it happened but it is neat to have them there and I can customize the wallpaper and so one of my pictures of the trees and the green carpeted forest is now the background on my Tab and Bailey is on the phone. 

I like what they can do and it is so much easier to text.  In fact I do not really have to type as I can just speak into it and it converts my voice to text.  If I want to type it there are words suggested as I type.  Amazing.  I have access to both of my e-mail accounts and Facebook and it has a Kindle App so I can download books from Amazon.  Funny I just said I would never get a Kindle but I did download a free book onto the Tab.  I decided on The Prince by Machiavelli.  So we will see how it works.  But in the meantime I have several real books lined up to read.

  I just got a new one called King's Gold by Michael Jecks.  It is the thirtieth Knights Templar Mystery and I will read it next.  Goes to the front of the line. 

In the meantime my need for sleep is catching up with me so I am off to sleep.  Thanks for stopping by. Hugs,  j

Little Boy and His Dog

Go watch this.

Little Boy and His Dog

Monday Night Mutterings

This is a picture of my physical therapist. He is fun to work with.  Lots of movement exercises and I am now able to raise my right arm straight out and there is not much pain.  I had some "popping" when I moved but much less pain.  I am, however, sore tonight even though I iced it. Plus he is good to talk to.  I live alone and the dogs are not great conversationalists.  I used to have some friends to go out to eat with but they have diminished.  So having conversation is good.


I am not sure I know what to do about the camera in the phone. I don't like that it is not sharp.  Perhaps I shall have to learn how to hold it.  Any way you can see by his smile that he is a really nice guy.  I know it is doing some good. We scheduled for a a couple of weeks more.  While doing that I discovered that a week from today is the 4th of July.


I am still coughing and hacking and the steroid I am taking kept me awake all night last night. I could not go to sleep so I read.  I finished my book at 5:00 AM and finally went to sleep and slept until 9:00.  

The book I was reading was Michael Connelly's The Fifth Witness.

I had watched the movie "The Lincoln Lawyer" about defense attorney Mickey Haller who ran his business out of the back seat of his Lincoln Town car the other day so when I saw this one and it said that it had the same character I decided to pick it up and read it.

I read a lot.  I never eat alone, I have the book open in front of me when I eat, which sometimes causes a spot of Ketchup on the page but since it is my book I guess I can.  I also carry my book with me everywhere.

The book was a good read.  You can read a synopsis if you clink on the link above.  I like the way Connelly drew us into the story by making us care about his characters and the story was very timely as it involves the mortgage crises with so many losing their homes. (I can't remember when I have seen so many For Sale signs around as I have lately)  He also brought the movie I had watched into his narrative and that was fun.  Nice twist at the end with a promise of another book with this character.

The book I read just previously to that was David Baldacci's The 6th  Man.  Again this was a good read.  I like Baldacci's books and have been a fan since Absolute Power.


The concept of this book was actually kind of frightening.  I am not a fan of government conspiracy and the way they manipulate people and a lot of people get killed in the book.  But the writing was good and it kept my interest.  I will continue to be a Baldacci fan.  And also a nice twist at the end that I did not see coming.  I like reading books and when I am finished with them I share them.

I also went to the grocery store and bought a nice porterhouse steak for supper and some fruit and a head of lettuce and yogurt and some fruit and some Lean Cuisine.  I threw out a lot of things that were in the refrigerator.  I gave a bag of Doritos to my contractor who came over to help me with a problem I am having with my Insurance Company (another story).  I have decided that I need to stop eating chips, and potatoes and other things which are not good for me. This is all because they made me get weighed at the Doctor's Office and I really did not like the number and I can no longer fit into my suit and I just need to get it under control.  So we shall see if I can do it.  When I first started teaching I got my waist size down to 38 and I was right at 200 ponds.  I had always been heavy.  I liked myself better then. I need to do it again or the ashes that are left won't fit in the coffee can.

Mini rant.. Why do celebrities on a show applaud themselves.  Jimmy Fallon does it (I have stopped watching him) and Shia LaBeouf sat there clapping his hands frantically when the interview was over.  It just turns me off.  And the map on the wall behind Jon Stewart on The Daily Show (the one of Europe and Asia) looks like some sort of giant insect monster. Disconcerting.


He thanks for stopping by.  It feels good to write something again.  Hope you don't mind that I babbled on. Hugs, j

What is a Circumhorizon Arc? Photos and Text by Bob Kelly

I shot this photo on Sunday afternoon, June 26, 2011, north of Boone, Iowa at 2:25 PM.  I was looking to the West when I noticed the rainbow patterns in the sky and took the photo.  I did some searching on Google and Wikipedia and I believe it to be something called a Circumhorizon Arc, which forms when sunlight refracts on the ice crystals in cirrus clouds, like we had today at that time.  It was beautiful, however a few miles down the road, with that particular angle at the time, I could not see it as clearly as the photo shows.

Found Around the Internets

Mother Jones on the outlandish statements of Michelle Bachmann

 "She's a real pain in the ass." Former state senator Dean Johnson, who was the Republican minority leader during Bachmann's stint in St. Paul, has said, "I don't think I ever served with anybody who I mistrusted more, from either side of the aisle."

Donald Kaul's favorite Fourth of July Speech

"To him ( the American slave), your celebration is a sham; your boasted liberty, an unholy license; your national greatness, swelling vanity; your sounds of rejoicing are empty and heartless; your denunciations of tyrants, brass-fronted impudence; your shouts of liberty and equality, hollow mockery; your prayers and hymn, your sermons and thanksgivings, with all your religious parade and solemnity, are to Him, mere bombast, fraud, deception, impiety, and hypocrisy — a thin veil to cover up crimes which would disgrace a nation of savages.

Mr Reagan's taxes... over at Memo to House Republicans.

it’s not really surprising that the GOP has no idea what went on during Reagan’s term. After all, House Republicans scoffed and rolled their eyes when presented with the fact that taxes were higher under Reagan than they are under Obama.

Week-end thoughts and Miles on Monday

 Well it has been quite a week-end.  I ran out of steam Saturday at the Grand Master' symposium and missed the last third of the day.  But I needed to rest and the Library at the Consistory is a good place to take a nap.  When I got home I was bushed and fell asleep about three times while I was waiting for things to upload.

Jon stopped over to update me on his phone.  For some reason the volume control stopped working. So I sent him down to Sprint to see what could be done.  I had taken out an insurance policy on his phone and fortunately that kicked in.  He called after going to Sprint to tell me that he found out I was eligible for an upgrade if I got it before the end of the month.  So now I haz a new phone..the pictures of Miles were taken with it and with the Samsung Pad which I also got.

 This one was taken with the Pad and the next two with the phone.  Not sure I like it as well as the Palm Prie but I like the phone better.

Poor Bailey.  He is getting more and more confused.  Today he went outside and could not find his way back to the house.  I left him out for quite awhile and finally had to go get him.  He went around and around in circles. Mostly all he does is sleep.  H likes his treats but Miles usually steals half of them while he is eating his. He is due to be 16 on August 25 so he is getting up there.  He is not in any pain but his quality of life isn't what it used to be.  Well, Cassie has decided to sit on my arm so I guess blogging is over for tonight.  Have a great week.

Quote of the Day

Maureen  Dowd on President Obama:


It’s not enough to understand how everybody in the room thinks. You have to decide which ones in the room are right, and stand with them. A leader is not a mediator or an umpire or a convener or a facilitator.


Read the entire article here  Why Is He Bi (Sigh)

The Shennanigans

 Friday Evening was the Festival of St. John at Specialis Procer Lodge #678 in Des Moines.  You may recall that this is the Lodge that we started and it is different because of the emphasis on Education and Festive Boards (Banquets)  Last year we decided to hold a very special Masonic Event in June - A Festival of St. John.  We have a nice meal and a lecture.  This year the Master arranged for Michael Halleran to speak to us. Michael is the author of The Better Angels of Our Nature - Freemasonry in the American Civil War. It was well received and all seemed to enjoy it.

Then today I was back at the Scottish Rite in Des Moines for the Grand Lodge Educational Symposium which had been one of the goals of Grand Master Craig L. Davis.  I really wanted to stay home to fight the Bronchitis which they decided I have but I also did not want to miss this event.  The event has been held two previous years but was very limited as it was held in a smaller venue.  There were almost 200 Master Masons there and we heard many and varied presentations.  As my friend John noted all of us came away from the Symposium with at least one idea and he was including some of us who could be referred to as "older" Masons.  For some reason I cannot embed the slideshow but you can view the photos of the event by clicking on this link
The Symposium began with the Scottish Rite Flag Lecture given by John Clearman

Absent today

I am attending the Grand Lodge Leadership Conference in Des Moines Today. Back later.

Found For Friday

Fair warning - Puns ahead!

John Deere's manure spreader is the only equipment the company won't stand behind.

Did you hear about the raisin who cheated on his wife?

It was in the newspaper, in the currant affairs section.

The local news station was interviewing an 80-year-old lady because she had just gotten married for the fourth time.

The interviewer asked her questions about her life, about what it felt like to be marrying again at 80, and then about her new husband's occupation.  "He's a funeral director," she answered.

"Interesting," the newsman thought.

He then asked her if she wouldn't mind telling him a little about her first three husbands and what they did for a living. 

She paused for a few moments, needing time to reflect on all those years.

After a short time, a smile came to her face and she answered proudly, explaining that she had first married a banker when she was in her early 20's, then a circus ringmaster when in her 40's, and a preacher when in her 60's, and now in her 80's, a funeral director.

The interviewer looked at her, quite astonished, and asked why she had married four men with such diverse careers.

(wait for it)

She smiled and explained, "I married one for the money, two for the show, three to get ready, and four to go."

The best lawyer story of all time . . . bar none.

The United Way realized that it had never received a donation
from the city's most successful lawyer. So a United Way volunteer paid
the lawyer a visit in his lavish office.

The volunteer opened the meeting by saying, 'Our research
shows that even though your annual income is over two million dollars,
you don't give a penny to charity. Wouldn't you like to give something
back to your community through the United Way ?'

The lawyer thinks for a minute and says, 'First, did your
research also show you that my mother is dying after a long, painful illness
and she has huge medical bills that are far beyond her ability to pay?'

Embarrassed, the United Way rep mumbles, 'Uh . . . no, I
didn't know that.'

'Secondly,' says the lawyer, 'did it show that my brother,
a disabled veteran, is blind and confined to a wheelchair and is unable
to support his wife and six children?'

The stricken United Way rep begins to stammer an apology,
but is cut off again.

'Thirdly, did your research also show you that my sister's
husband died in dreadful car accident, leaving her penniless with a mortgage
and three children, one of whom is disabled and another that has learning
disabilities requiring an array of private tutors?'

The humiliated United Way rep, completely beaten, says, 'I'm
so sorry, I had no idea.'

And the lawyer says, 'So . . . if I didn't give any money
to them, what makes you think I'd give any to you?

We are about to enter the BBQ season.

Therefore it is important to refresh your memory on the etiquette of this sublime outdoor cooking activity.

When a man volunteers to do the BBQ the following chain of events are put into motion:
               Routine...
               (1) The woman buys the food.
               (2) The woman makes the salad, prepares the vegetables and makes dessert.
               (3) The woman prepares the meat for cooking, places it on a tray along with the necessary cooking utensils and sauces, and takes it to the man who is lounging beside the grill - drink in hand.
               (4) The woman remains outside the compulsory three meter exclusion zone where the exuberance of testosterone and other manly bonding activities can take place without the interference of the woman.

               Here comes the important part:

               (5) THE MAN PLACES THE MEAT ON THE GRILL

               More routine...
               (6) The woman goes inside to organize the plates and cutlery.
               (7) The woman comes out to tell the man that the meat is looking great. He thanks her and asks if she will bring another drink while he flips the meat.

               Important again:
               (8) THE MAN TAKES THE MEAT OFF THE GRILL AND HANDS IT TO THE WOMAN.

       More routine...
               (9) The woman prepares the plates, salad, bread, utensils, napkins, sauce and brings them to the table.
              (10) After eating, the woman clears the table and does the dishes.

      And most important of all:
              (11) Everyone PRAISES the MAN and THANKS HIM for his cooking efforts. 

              (12) The man asks the woman how she enjoyed her 'night off,' and upon seeing her annoyed reaction, concludes that there's just no pleasing some women. 

A man had a dog called Minton.

One day it ate two shuttlecocks.

When the owner found out, he said "bad Minton!"

There was a really smart sheep in Mexico who knew how to make butter and buttermilk. One night she sneaked across the border and got a job working for a farmer who tried to sell her stuff. Traffic was very heavy and the sight of this sheep making butter and buttermilk was so distracting that there was an accident. The police issued the farmer a citation for attempting to make an illegal ewe churn on a busy highway

Sherlock Holmes turned to Dr Watson and announced: "The murderer lives in the house with the yellow door." "Good grief, Holmes," said Watson. "How on earth did you deduce that?"
"It's a lemon entry, my dear Watson."

After a visit to the Brothel, a man notices green lumps on his willy, so he goes to the doctor.
“That’s serious” says the doctor. “You've heard that some wrestlers get cauliflower ears?”
“Yes” says the man seriously.
“Well” says the doctor “You’ve got brothel sprouts.”

 Two cannibals meet one day. One says, "I just can't seem to get a tender Missionary. I've baked, roasted, stewed and barbecued them. I just can't seem to get them tender." The other asks, "What kind of Missionary do you use?" He says "They wear brown cloaks with rope belts and they're sort of bald with a funny ring of hair on their heads." The other replies "No wonder, those are friars!"

 A panda walks into a deli and orders a sandwich. He eats, pulls out a gun and shoots the waiter dead. As the panda gets up to go, the manager shouts, "Hey! You just shot my waiter and you didn't pay!" The panda yells "Hey man, I'm a PANDA! Look it up!" The manager looks it up and the definition is: "A tree dwelling marsupial of Asian origin with distinct black and white coloring. Eats shoots and leaves."

Beauty in Liscomb, Iowa - Photo by Bob Kelly

While driving in the Iowa countryside and exploring small Iowa towns, I went through the quiet little town of Liscomb, and was greeted by this colorful welcoming arch of roses in front of this quaint and well kept home.  Iowa's small towns are jewels that are often over looked!  Enjoy!

The President's Sidestep

The above is a great little song when you are thinking about politicians.  They all are great at doing a sidestep.  Mr. Obama in particular.  His "evolving" on marriage equality and saying that it is something that needs to decided by the states is just plain and simple a cop out.  Marriage is not something that can or should be decided by the states or by religious bigots.  There are real benefits for those folks who want to be married including the rights of survivor ship and the ability to be with your loved one as they lay dying.  The horror stories that I have read about people who have been in long term committed relationships and yet were not allowed to be with their partner as they needed them most when they were dying and needed the comfort of the person they loved the most need to be addressed.

Just today I read of a man who's partner had died and he wrote up the obituary for the newspaper.  All reference to him was edited out by the paper.  They had been together in a loving committed relationship for 17  years and the newspaper because of its bigoted attitudes was allowed to stick the knife in the open wound and twist it.

Mr. President you are doing a little sidestep. And it shows when you talk about it on your face. You can't take care of this problem state by state any more than it could be done state by state when blacks and whites were finally allowed to marry.  Some rights are too important to be voted on or to be denied because bigots fight against it.  Most of those against it are against marriage equality because they cannot understand how two people of the same sex can love each other.  Well they can.  My friends here in Ames who married when the Judges of the Iowa Supreme Court unanimously and courageously said it was a constitutional right for them to marry.  They have a right to be married in Iowa and I for one am proud to live in a state that recognizes that.

There are some rights that are just fundamental and right and should not be left up to the states.  Mr. Obama's position is probably due to an "ick" factor within him that was put there when he was a youngster.  He does need to evolve.  He needs to evolve out of a bigoted stance on this issue and recognize that this is a large enough issue that it needs to be a national right not something handed out piecemeal state to state.  Stop the side-stepping and step up to the plate.. But then I guess I knew what kind of a president you would be when you invited Rick Warren to pray at your inauguration.  I will probably vote for you next time but that is because the alternative is too awful to contemplate. But I would switch to someone else with more courage if it were practical (as long as they weren't Republithug)

Raptors have fledged

When I checked the site link this morning there was just an empty branch.  I found this on Facebook


Report from Facebook

~ ~ALL 3 HAVE FLEDGED ~ ~
When Jim from RRP arrived on site this morning, here is what he said: "When I got to the location, one was on the house, one was on the power pole and the third was on the concrete by the tout raceways at the hatchery." Jim also said, "The one on the ground took flight and landed on the house".

Rescue Dogs

Theresa sent me this. I RESCUED A HUMAN TODAY  Her eyes met mine as she walked down the corridor peering apprehensively into the kennels. I felt her need instantly and knew I had to help her. I wagged my tail, not too exuberantly, so she wouldn't be afraid. As she stopped at my kennel I blocked her view from a little accident I had in the back of my cage. I didn't want her to know that I hadn't been walked today. Sometimes the shelter keepers get too busy and I didn't want her to think poorly of them. As she read my kennel card I hoped that she wouldn't feel sad about my past.  I only have the future to look forward to and want to make a difference in someone's life. She got down on her knees and made little kissy sounds at me.  I shoved my shoulder and side of my head up against the bars to comfort her. Gentle fingertips caressed my neck; she was desperate for companionship. A tear fell down her cheek and I raised my paw to assure her that all would be well. Soon my kennel door opened and her smile was so bright that I instantly jumped into her arms. I would promise to keep her safe.  I would promise to always be by her side. I would promise to do everything I could to see that radiant smile and sparkle in her eyes. I was so fortunate that she came down my corridor. So many more are out there who haven't walked the corridors. So many more to be saved.  At least I could save one. I rescued a human today. My friend John sent me this so that credit can be given where credit is due. Click to get your downloadable copy of this post WANT TO USE THIS ARTICLE? You can, as long as you include the following, complete statement and a link back to the original article: http://rescuemedog.org/dog-blog/i-rescued-a-human-today-by-janine-allen/ Written by Janine Allen CPDT, Rescue Me Dog's professional dog trainer. Janine's passion is working with people and their dogs. She provides demonstrations for those who have adopted shelter dogs, lends email support to adopted dog owners that need information beyond our Training Support Pages, and aids shelter staff and volunteers in understanding dog behavior to increase their adoptability. Copyright 2011 Rescue Me Dog; www.rescuemedog.org ShareThis |  Print This Post He also suggests you might like to see it on YouTube here.

I Recommend

Excerpt from "The War on Drugs"   Charlotte's latest -

What magazine you reading?” I showed him. He read the cover, “Beyond Prisons: 23 Million People Behind Bars. How To Stop Wasting Lives and Money.” He raised an eyebrow.“You got a prison boyfriend, girl?” he asked in concern.“No!” I said startled.“Good. Because trust me, it never works out.” He nodded wisely. “It never works out.”

You can read the entire essay here.  As always very well written and makes me proud that I had a little bit to do with her education. 

This 'n That

I love the look on Mr. Obama's face as he settles the crying baby down when his wife couldn't do it.

Jon got a chew thing for Miles.  He says it is a horses hoof.  He did not get one for Bailey.  So we had a game of Gimmie going on.  Miles chews for awhile while Bailey barks at it. Then sometimes Bailey steals it and Miles stands over him and barks until he can steal it then Bailey.. well you get the picture.  Makes it hard to concentrate on what you are doing.

The shot helped my arm and I have more comfort. There are other things so I will see my Dr. on Thursday again. I certainly am getting my value from Medicare.  Have a good Wednesday.

Dr.'s Report

Dr. Thomas Greenwald

I was at the Clinic in time for my 8:30 appointment with Dr. Greenwald.  My regular doctor told me I would like him and he was correct.  Professional, friendly, knowledgeable and no bullshit.  My shoulder is arthritic.  The rotator cuff is not the problem. Shoulder replacement is not the solution.  It is not going to get better (or at least not much) and he gave me a shot which puts the anti-inflammatory medicine right on the bone.  Not a fun shot but I can live with it.  Hopefully the pain will diminish somewhat and I will be able to function better.  It is the driving that I want to be able to do more comfortably.  He mentioned something about learning to use my left hand more and he was correct.  I am already using my left hand and arm in driving more than I was.  I hadn't really thought about it until he mentioned it.


He and I also talked about Roosevelt School where his kids went to school and where I taught for several years. He mentioned friends of mine who had taught there.  He told me where he lived and I knew the place as I have driven by it many many times and taken pictures of his (or rather his wife's) beautiful flowers and landscaping.  It was neat that he would tell me that.  Usually Doctors are more private. He actually suggested I could stop by for coffee.  I 'll bet he'd be surprised as hell if I actually took him up on it. 


Anyway that is where we are now. I am having my hairscut, lunch with my sister and going to the grocery store and then I will probably exercise and take a nap.  

Summertime

First day of Summer.  I am off to the Dr.  Enjoy the music. I'll report later

Miles on Monday

 Miles is interested in watching Jon make his game board.  Jon came over Saturday night to work on it and hang out with Miles.

 Of course Miles has to check on me also.

 Jon got him a new toy

 Hopefully it will last longer than most.  You can see the plastic bottles that are his usual toys. They are the only ones that last.

Here is a movie of him playing.  At about three minutes I panned over to show Bailey hiding out behind the stool.  The place is a mess but that is just the way it is. As my grandmother used to say.  They can like it or lump it.  Thanks for stopping by.  Have a great week.

Revisiting the Trumpeter Swans - Photos and Text by Bob Kelly

I was called back to the marsh in Hamilton County today to get some additional and closer photos of the Trumpeter Swans and their cygnet with my larger telephoto lens.  It was a wonderful way to sit in the car and shoot through an open window, and capture hundreds of images.  Most birds and animals are not scared if you stay in your car, for they are not in fear of it, so I just shot away, consuming over 700 frames, most of which I rejected due to the difficulties of holding that big lens steady under those conditions.  I narrowed the files down to these seven images which I liked most.

Normally a pair of Trumpeter Swans have a brood of more than one cygnet, which causes me concern over the fate of this one's brothers and sisters.  There is a good chance they met an unpleasant fate a few weeks ago.  The Trumpeter Swan is the largest native North American bird, weighing 26 pounds with a wingspan of 57 to 64 inches.

The little cygnet has learned from Mom and Dad how to slurp up algae for a tasty treat, and when he is older he can chomp off leaves of the reeds in the marsh, like his parents enjoy doing.  It was fun to capture these images, and I hope you can see some Trumpeter Swans for real someday soon.  Enjoy!