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Tuesday, May 29, 2012

Creekstompin' & Fishin'

Its hot.
So we did water activities for the holiday.

A little crawdad hunting

A little digging in the sand

Some splashing

 Lots of wading

And creekstomping

And discovering new things.

 Then ending the day drowning a few worms

Ahhhh, summer......




Sunday, May 27, 2012

Memorial Day Sentiment

The spirit of this day has not changed.
It remains a day to honor those who died defending our freedom and democracy.

Saturday, May 26, 2012

Time for a Parade

Today I volunteered as an equestrian escort for 
a horse unit in the 500 Festival Parade.
There were 3 equestrian units in the parade,

the Wells Fargo Stagecoach,

the Indianapolis Mounted Police, 
and

the Mounted Color Guard
Caisson Platoon.

Lots prep goes on behind the scenes
to get theses steeds ready for the parade.

 The Wells Fargo hitch arrived in a huge semi trailer.


These horses are pros and have done lots of parades.
There are actually 20 of these hitches that travel all over the country.

The stagecoach

The mounted police didn't really need an escort. 
This was just another day at the office for these horses.
Then there were the Caisson horses, 
four 17-hand Percherons & a black Quarter horse.
The Caisson Platoon participates in military funerals,
with the draft horses pulling a caisson carrying the casket,
and the smaller riderless Quarter horse saddled 
with empty boots facing backwards in the stirrups,
 representing the fallen soldier.

Today the Caisson Platoon was the color guard,
carrying the nation's flag & the Indiana flag, flanked by guards.

The guard horses carry sabres.
 I walked with the Caisson unit.
What an honor to meet these special horses!

Its a hot job, 
but somebody's got to do it!






Friday, May 25, 2012

Bugs

Been seeing lots of bugs.
Here's what I've been able to capture.

Great Southern White Butterfly

Spider & web

Black Winged Damselfly
(male)

Black Winged Damselfly
(female)


Unknown fly with yellow spot


Saturday, May 19, 2012

Sightings This Week

The deer are sporting their bronze summer coats.

 Mallards in the creek

 Firepinks are blooming

Red tailed Hawk soaring

Thursday, May 17, 2012

Just Floatin' Along


I went kayaking today with a friend.
 Prefect weather, 72°, sunny & calm.
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  Spooked a few herons

 Saw iris blooming at the water's edge.

Saw a purple martin occupying a wood duck house.

And we found a box turtle, as well as seeing 
painted turtles, water snakes and carp spawning.

Serenity...