Inch Worm

Rainy Day

Scolding Squirrel

Can you see him?

Indigo Bunting

This pretty indigo bunting sings to me every morning.

Start your day with a song!

Little Peapicker

Maggie helps with the garden.

 Helping pick peas

So this is where veggies come from

Thse don't look like peas

Garden bounty

LIttle Snapper

It must be turtle week here at the ranch.

I've found 3 turtles while out walking this past week.

I encountered this little guy this morning.

Looks like this baby snapper just hatched.

He's a little peeved that I interrupted his trek to the creek.

But I made it worth his while,

taking him down to the water.

Supermoon

Green Goddess

Paddling

Oldest granddaughter, Liddy learns to kayak.

She had paddled last year as I waded beside her,

but this year she was ready for a solo float.

 We floated most of the creek along the Blue Rock.

 She did great.

Grandpa walked along shore taking pictures and providing moral support.

 I think she's ready for a river run!

 

Box Turtle

A box turtle on the trail.
Turtle #2 this week.

Sharing the Trail

This morning, I found this turtle ambling down the trail.

He was a little shy.

So we passed on by and left him alone.

Turkey Buzzard

Keep moving or this guy will find you!

Morning Treat

Hope your day is as happy as a bird with a peanut!

Onery Dad

In honor of Father's Day, 

I'm posting these pictures of hubby terrorizing the horses with his quad-copter.

Happy Father's Day to all the dads out there that make their kids face their fears!

He shows up innocently enough and piques Rocky's interest.

What the heck is that?

Rocky's hiding under the apple tree.

  Watch out Tag!

Standing his ground!

We're outta here!

America's Oldest Art Glass Factory

Summer is here and we were looking for something to do with the granddaughters.

Voted "Best Factory Tour in Indiana", the 

Kokomo Opalescent Glass Company is just 1/2 hour from home.

We had to check it out.

The tour was very interesting.

 KOG makes glass just like they did 125 years ago.  

 This is the furnace they use to make rolled glass, 

the colored sheets of glass used in stained glass.

 Workers scoop out molten glass from the furnace.

Each guy is scooping a different color of glass.

 He carries the 2600° glass glob to the mixing station.

 And plops it down.

 Another worker mixes the two colored glass blobs together,

 creating the colorful swirls in the finished glass.

He then pushes it between two large rollers which roll it out in sheets, 

like pie dough.

The sheets slowly cool as they ride down an enclosed oven.

KOP also makes blown glass objects.

 A blob of glass, called a gather, is heated in a furnace on the end of a blow pipe.

Once removed from the furnace the glass blower rolls and shapes the glob

by rolling it on a table,

 Or spinning it while it is balanced on the two boards and torching it.

 HOT!

Here one worker is blowing into the end of the pipe 

while the other spins the glob and keeps it the correct size.

It goes in & out of the furnace as the workers shape the glass.

Although it was very hot in the factory, the process was fascinating.

Some finished pieces.

Fire Pinks

Fire Pinks are blooming right on schedule,

first week of June.

June Daisies

Here's Looking at You

A barred owl watched me walk through the woods.