The chives have bloomed!
Thought the peony was gone, but no!
Hummingbird silhouette looks on
Another rose on the way
Rose has an unknown loiterer, it seems
Some views captured in the yard today
Postcard sent home in 1953 from Italy by sailor on Navy destroyer
In 1953 the U.S.S Bearss, a Navy Destroyer, was on deployment in the Mediterranean. We have this historic postcard for sale on our ebay store .
A sailor named Sonny sent a postcard home from Naples, Italy to his brother(?) in Dayton, Ohio . The postcard was cancelled (postmarked) on the ship with a US Airmail stamp.
Disneyland Forward $1.9 billion multi-decade Disneyland expansion plan approved
Deadline Hollywood reports today: “The Anaheim City Council gave its unanimous approval early Wednesday to Disneyland Forward, the $1.9 billion, multi-decade Disneyland expansion plan. The 7-0 vote came early today after an eight-hour public hearing that started Tuesday night, during which Anaheim residents, Disneyland cast members and officials from nearby cities spoke about the plan’s advantages and problems.”
Walt Disney ‘Partners’ statue at Disneyland AaronP/Bauer-Griffin/GC Images
The $1.9 Billion project will take years to develop. The Anaheim City Council approval removes many zoning restrictions that have severely limited what projects Disney could pursue on its properties. Restrictions removed include allowing uses other than hotels and parking lots. Construction could begin within 30 days, and is projected to create nearly 9000 construction jobs.
Turkey vultures get a bad rap
Some people are afraid of them, most state how ugly they are, many shudder when they think of what turkey vultures eat. Turkey vultures are, regardless of their reputation, wonderful birds that play a very important role in the ecosystem. They consume any dead animal carcasses they find, thus removing any rotting carcasses.
Warming up or drying out
What some think about the Turkey Vulture
Turkey vultures tend to roost at night in large groups. Their body temperatures lower overnight, and the next morning these large birds often spread their wings wide and hold them spread out. This behavior allows them to raise their temperatures. This behavior also is thought to dry wings.
Some more fun facts about Turkey Vultures
- They can soar for hours at a time, rarely flapping wings
- They clean up the carcasses of dead animals, keeping diseases down
- Wing spans reach up to six feet
- They stick their heads in carcasses, so no head feathers
- Buzzard is not the correct name for turkey vultures
- They DO NOT kill dogs, cats, or children
And finally, a group of Turkey Vultures roosting is called a “committee”. When they are soaring in the air on thermals they are a “kettle” and when eating they are a “wake”.
The bold, brash and beautiful Blue Jay
This common, large songbird is familiar to many, as it is a common resident in both forests and suburbs. Blue Jays are easy to spot with their blue, white, and black plumage, and have very noisy calls. Some of these calls mimic predators like hawks and eagles, scaring other birds into dropping their foods, which the Blue Jays gladly take for themselves.
The Blue Jay is an omnivore. Its diet varies according to the time of year and available supply. It is well known that acorns are their favorite food, and are gathered and stored for winter consumption. Forgotten acorns have reseeded forests for millenniums.
Blue Jays mate for life. A mated couple split the work of building their bulky stick nests. The male brings the female food as she sits on the eggs. He continues to feed the chicks for the first few days after they hatch. Blue Jays are fun to watch and exciting to hear. You’re lucky if you have them in your yard.
Large, wonderous and impressive Pileated Woodpeckers
Here are a couple of videos we took and some facts about these eye catching forest birds. Pileated Woodpeckers are crow-sized birds (16 – 19 inches long) with a flame-red crest on top of their head. Their wingspan can be up to 30 inches.
The Pileated Woodpecker’s primary food is carpenter ants, along with other ants, woodboring beetle larvae, termites, and other insects such as flies, spruce budworm, caterpillars, cockroaches, and grasshoppers.
Pileated Woodpeckers stay with the same mate for life. Pairs claim forest territories up to 150 acres or larger. They loudly drum on trees with their beaks all year long to announce the boundaries of their territories.
A mean looking bird’s sinister gaze
This grackle is upset about something. It looks like he is walking towards the camera.
Brownstown Indiana Ewing Depot Restoration
In 2013 Brownstown Township in Jackson County Indiana funded a wonderful project to relocate and restore a portion of the original Ewing Depot. The structure was moved by truck and trailer to a newly prepared site on Front Street near the high school.
Moving the building, photo courtesy Brownstown Township website
The finished project
The building was not open the day we drove by. The depot is in great condition. There is a RR traffic signal installed as part of the display. More information and photos are available at the Brownstown Township website.
Driving on a curvy road in southern Indiana
The on board map tipped us off to a series of curves coming our way north of Freetown, Jackson County.
Seymour Indiana welcome sign and CSX caboose
Intricate sign public art
This dramatic Seymour Welcome sign is located on US 50 just west of I-65. Made of metal on a concrete base, it includes symbols of Seymour’s history. A locomotive, plane propeller, corn, guitar, crown, bell tower and grain bins are just a few of the items on the welcome sign that was completed in 2014.
A bit west of the sign on US 50 is a somewhat faded yellow caboose. Marked with the Chessie System logo and name, it is parked next to an abandoned grain elevator. Seymour has a long and colorful history with railroads, so this caboose is a fitting display for the town.
Roadtirement 