Rainy Days and Sunday

This summer will be remembered for rain and flooding. We haven't seen the same type of flooding as Iowa or other areas of the Midwest. But we certainly have had a great deal of rain. This week has been a vacation week and it has rained every afternoon!  During this month of June we have already gotten 5 inches of rain over "normal".  But there is a silver lining to raining days.  They provide an opportunity to "rest" from all of the activity of longer, nicer days. I love being outside. I love being active riding a bicycle, swimming, jogging, walking and motorcycling. I guess I've come to look at rainy days as an opportunity - to rest or clean the garage or read or just be. It is a chance to "pause" and recharge for the next beautiful sunny day.  

The American Crow

A new visitor to my feeder recently is this American crow. When he is present, the other birds seem to stay away. He seems to love the seed brick, spending quite a bit of time pecking away at the food. He doesn't seem shy at all.  To learn more about the American Crow click here.  

Ground Hog Mishap

Ground Hog: (n) a herbivore mammal who ranges from 17.75 to 24 inches in length with a tail of 7 to 9.75 inches. Generally weighs around 13 pounds.

Riddle: Why did the ground hog cross the road? Answer: To take the bicyclist out.

While on a wonderfully, hot day during a flat, what should have been 30 mile ride, I had a close encounter of the very personnel kind with one of these wonderfully, cute animals. However, the results were not so cute. As the roly-poly hog "dashed" into my bicycle path; stopping to gaze at the panic look on my face, he realized he was about to get hit by a bicycle. Never having encountered such before the hog continued on his way to the other side, but too late to save me from entering the ravine from which he just emerged. Let me clarify, reacting upon my momentary thought of contemplating whether it was better to little the big guy or hit the ditch, I attempt to swerve right while he dashed left only to discover that the ravine was much deeper than it appears. Head over heels, which isn't easy when one is clipped into their peddles with wonderfully stiff Speedplay clips, I landed with a thump and yell. I didn't know I could scream. Upon coming to my senses I realized I had a bloody nose that was still red at a faster rate than our government, and a throbbing ankle that couldn't move. Broke or not broke was the first question - lets see, the ankle? not so sure; the nose? definitely not; the left shoulder; no, hurts too much and I can move it. Ok - inventory over - now how do I get home. Just at that thought a car pulled along side the road and as the driver emerged it was clear she was calling 911. Ok - I guess I don't need to worry about getting home from here, but now, how will I get home from the hospital. In minutes a police officer roared to the side of the road, sliding to a stop, emerging before his car was in park. Suddenly, upon seeing me lying in the ditch, left leg resting on my bicycle with my ankle higher than the corn stalks in the field behind me, he burst out laughing. My pride was already hurting more than my ankle. I remarked, sir, I am not finding this as humorous as you. He stopped and barked into his radio. "Back off guys, it is just a bicyclist in the ditch". I can't say that made me feel much better. However, he quickly attended to me to explain that the dispatcher interpreted "biker hurt" as a "motorcyclists injured". He explain he was laughing at the interpretation, not my dilemma. Ok, it was humorous to me now too. The EMS arrived and carted me off, on what was a much faster end to my 30 mile trip (I was 21 miles into it) than I was hoping. My bicycle was carted off to the police station where I retrieved it later after learning that the ankle was fractured, but I was fine otherwise. I would prefer my next encounter with a ground hog to be on Discovery Channel or National Geographic Channel.

Why did the ground hog cross the road?

Ground Hog: (n) a herbivore mammal who ranges from 17.75 to 24 inches in length with a tail of 7 to 9.75 inches. Generally weighs around 13 pounds.

Riddle: Why did the ground hog cross the road? Answer: To take the bicyclist out.

While on a wonderfully, hot day during a flat, what should have been 30 mile ride, I had a close encounter of the very personnel kind with one of these wonderfully, cute animals. However, the results were not so cute. As the roly-poly hog "dashed" into my bicycle path; stopping to gaze at the panic look on my face, he realized he was about to get hit by a bicycle. Never having encountered such before the hog continued on his way to the other side, but too late to save me from entering the ravine from which he just emerged. Let me clarify, reacting upon my momentary thought of contemplating whether it was better to little the big guy or hit the ditch, I attempt to swerve right while he dashed left only to discover that the ravine was much deeper than it appears. Head over heels, which isn't easy when one is clipped into their peddles with wonderfully stiff Speedplay clips, I landed with a thump and yell. I didn't know I could scream. Upon coming to my senses I realized I had a bloody nose that was still red at a faster rate than our government, and a throbbing ankle that couldn't move. Broke or not broke was the first question - lets see, the ankle? not so sure; the nose? definitely not; the left shoulder; no, hurts too much and I can move it. Ok - inventory over - now how do I get home. Just at that thought a car pulled along side the road and as the driver emerged it was clear she was calling 911. Ok - I guess I don't need to worry about getting home from here, but now, how will I get home from the hospital. In minutes a police officer roared to the side of the road, sliding to a stop, emerging before his car was in park. Suddenly, upon seeing me lying in the ditch, left leg resting on my bicycle with my ankle higher than the corn stalks in the field behind me, he burst out laughing. My pride was already hurting more than my ankle. I remarked, sir, I am not finding this as humorous as you. He stopped and barked into his radio. "Back off guys, it is just a bicyclist in the ditch". I can't say that made me feel much better. However, he quickly attended to me to explain that the dispatcher interpreted "biker hurt" as a "motorcyclists injured". He explain he was laughing at the interpretation, not my dilemma. Ok, it was humorous to me now too. The EMS arrived and carted me off, on what was a much faster end to my 30 mile trip (I was 21 miles into it) than I was hoping. My bicycle was carted off to the police station where I retrieved it later after learning that the ankle was fractured, but I was fine otherwise. I would prefer my next encounter with a ground hog to be on Discovery Channel or National Geographic Channel.

Rutherford B. Hayes Presidential Center

When was Rutherford B. Hayes president? I enjoy visiting historical sites and reading about history. I am also interesting in doing more historical research. The problem is time. Trying to fit time to explore my historical research interest in with the research and scholarship for my job, my other interests (bicycling, birdwatching and baseball just to name three) is a challenge. However, this week I had the amazing opportunity to spend the week at the Rutherford B. Hayes Presidential Center to study the 

Gilded Age thanks to the Hayes Presidential Center and the National Endowment for the Arts. During the week I was able to hear lectures given by some of the top historians on Gilded Age. Additionally I was able to learn around some of the amazing literature of the Gilded Age from Mark Twain and Henry George scholars. Now, I was sure you would know when Hayes was president as his election was talked about frequently after the 2000 presidential election when George W. Bush defeated Al Gore. Hayes was president from 1877 to 1881. Known as "His Fraudulency", Hayes finally defeated the Republican Samuel Tilden from New York after the Senate Electoral Commission decided the dispute. The final electoral vote was 185 to 184. President Hayes returned to Spiegel Grove in Fremont, Ohio where he passed away in 1893.

A Day of Great Variety

These two were visitors to the feeder today. Both are very common and regular visitors to the feeder. To the left is the American Tree Sparrow.  To learn more about the American Tree Sparrow click here.  To the left is the House Finch.  From the picture it is hard to tell that the House Finch also has read on his breast.  To learn more about the House Finch click here.  

The White-breasted Nuthatch

This is one of my daily visitors to the bird feeder. She is the first to appear in the morning and a faithful returner at night. She is one of my favorite visitors to watch. Her flight from the nearby oak trees to the feeder is graceful.  Her flight path is up and down rather than a straight, even flight.  Her song is distinct and pretty.  To learn more about the White-breasted Nuthatch click here.