The Glacial Plain "Nessie"

Here is a photo that I took on the Wisconsin River in Portage County, just west of the interstate. I was at a boat landing under the new Hwy. 10 overpass when I saw what I thought was a piece of shredded rubber from a tire. But it just didn't look right so I started walking over to get a better look, the closer I got the funnier it looked. I was not in my "stealthy, sneak up on something" mode so I was just walking normally, when what I thought was rubber began to move.

It all happened very fast, it moved slightly at first and then bolted toward the water. My camera was in my hand so I started snapping pictures. I am guessing that the snake was about 3 ft maybe. At that moment I was not sure what it was. After I got home and cropped the picture It was plain to see that It was a snake. I am still not certain what kind of snake it is. Perhaps the Wisconsin River has it's own "Nessie".

Alrightnowyoutellme 2 (Reveal)

Yes it is an Argiope Aurantia, otherwise known as a Black and Yellow Garden Spider. The females will get up to three times larger than a male. The Black and Yellow Garden Spider is harmless to humans, which is a good thing because if you ever see one it can be a very...AGHHH (that is my scream like a little girl word)...experience. The spider is found all over the country; the picture posted here was taken in Texas. Spiders give me the "creeps", but there is something interesting about them at the same time.

This spider will place its eggs in a sack and they will hatch in the fall, the babies will live in that sack through the winter. In the spring the little ones will make a web string and let the wind carry it off to distant places. Each egg sack that the mother makes will hold up to 1000 baby spiders, the female may make more than one egg sack.

That is a lot of spiders.

For more info check out:
http://www.fcps.edu/islandcreekes/ecology/black_and_yellow_argiope.htm

A New Church

Pastor Ron Schuenke is on the far left.

Ron is a very good friend, and a man with a very strong love for the Lord and his family. Ron is the Pastor of a church in Medford, WI; a small church that is growing. This last weekend we passed out around 900 flyers in a neighboring community about 10 or 12 miles south of Medford, called Abbotsford. Ron wants to start a new church in Abbotsford, WI.

T.J. and Kirsty Heidenriech brought over some of their youth group from Pentecostal Assembly Church in Eau Claire; about and hour west of Abbotsford. A young couple from Kaukanana, Wi, about 3 hours away to the southeast came to help out as well. We all got together to support Pastor Schuenke and pass out the invitations/flyers. It was pretty cold and windy when we started but the sun seemed to warm things up a bit by the time we were done. We finished in about 3 hours; after which we all headed to Pizza Hut.

Ron has a real desire to see lives changed by the power of the Holy Ghost. Being a Christian it seems is becoming a really old fashioned, and a little counter cultural way of living. Being a Christian is the best thing I have ever done. I firmly believe that everyone is looking for Jesus, they just don't know that it is Jesus they are looking for; Ron is trying to help the ones who are searching. Way to go Bro.

Wait For It

I have been a little busy again but I have not given up blogging. I am going to be back with more randomness. More pictures, snakes and birds.

That my story and I'm sticking to it.

The Hope of Our Destination

I was sorting through digital picture files that I had stored on disks and came across a treasure chest of pictures I had forgotten that I had taken. For years now I have been curious about what the art work on memorial stones meant. One of the really common ones a person might come across in an old cemetery is the pointing finger.

The pointing finger represents the hope of heaven, which is why it is pointed up. We have a hope as well. You know if a person loses sight of their goal the endeavor will very likely become a chore and a drudgery. There is always an excitement involved in the beginning of an adventure, and a reward or satisfaction at the completion. But sometimes the middle gets a little mundane and boring. We need to slow down a little, take a break, a deep breath and ask ourselves; why did I get involved in this to begin with?  Have I forgotten where am I going? Am I still on course?

Teenagers are no longer children, and not quite adults so they get into all sorts of "things" trying to figure life out. Mom and Dad set them on a path and they are not sure that it is a path they would have chosen if they were given the option. My wife became a stay at home mom when the kids hit this place in their teens. If ever a person needs direction in their life it is a teenager. The stage of growing; not being a child and not being an adult, can be difficult.


Middle aged people and empty nesters, can lose sight of what their life is all about. This is an important place to stop and ask yourself a few questions. Before, you leave your spouse and sell all of your belongings to live in a condo on the beach. We can lose sight of where we are headed and why we got involved in all of this to begin with. We do have a destination; a reward for staying true to our life's purpose and journey.

When things get a little hazy, call on your Friend and let Him point the way. Jesus said, "I am the Way the Truth, and the Life."

Keep your eyes on the prize.

Sally's Broiled Cheese Hot Dog Sandwich

Well it is time once again to look into the 40 year old Peanuts cookbook; this month let's delve into the culinary expertise of Sally Brown. This months recipe is a must for anyone who has an appreciation for an all American favorite; the hot dog. I am not certain that hot dogs were any more healthy  40 years ago compared to now, but I do like to have a hot dog every once in a while.

The skills that this recipe requires is minimal so have fun. Go crazy with the toppings and make Sally proud. I love catsup, (or is it ketchup or maybe, catch-up) and horseradish and if I have them chopped onions on my hot dog. When I was a kid we always, and I MEAN ALWAYS, ate our hotdogs with a slice of bread wrapped around the dog as far as it would reach; (we were poor I guess because we never bought buns) With the top of the hot dog exposed you could balance all of the toppings on a round hot dog and hope that it would all stay in place until it reached your mouth. Too funny.

So how do you like your hot dog?
Do you ever use bread?

The Eastern Bluebird State Birds (week 8)

I took photo in Missouri

The Bluebird is the state bird for New York, and Missouri. Now that we have that out of the way there are actually a few types of Bluebirds to choose from. The Eastern Bluebird which is most common to this part of the country. The Western Bluebird, and the Mountain Bluebird are found in the Southwestern states and along the Pacific coast; the Mountain Bluebird is also found in the Rocky Mountains of the U.S.A and up into Canada. So with the understanding that neither the Mountain or Western Bluebird is common to New York or Missouri lets talk about the Eastern Bluebird.

The Mountain Bluebird is the state bird for the states of Idaho and Nevada. We can talk about him another day perhaps.

The Eastern Bluebird is Blue (who knew) with a rusty red throat and breast, and a tummy that is white the female is much less colored. It is about 7 inches in length, so a little smaller than the American Robin, and thinner. The Bluebird likes to live in in open areas like farm fields or large yards, with scattered trees and along roadsides. Bluebirds will readily accept a Bluebird nesting box as home for breeding. Bluebirds love bugs like grasshoppers, crickets and beetles. They also love invertebrates (things without a backbone)  like worms, spiders, bugs, and snails. Bluebirds will also eat berries and fruit.

This was taken on our deck, here is a mom and her fledgling

I gotta say right now that a Bluebird is a very crabby looking bird, almost as crabby looking as swallows. Oh well you can't help the way you look. Bluebirds only visit us in the Summer, they winter in the south, around west Texas. And can be found all year long in the south eastern states and in to Mexico.

A Bluebird house is very basic and would be easy to build, you may be surprised and get a Bluebird family; if they come it is very likely that you will have Bluebirds every year. We have had a couple pairs every year for over 15 years.

Check out some extra info;
http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Eastern_Bluebird/id

Here are some nesting box plans if you want to build one:
http://www.nysbs.org/handouts/BluebirdNestingBoxes.pdf

Jillions of Juncos

Alright so maybe there are not "JILLIONS" of Juncos but there are quite a few. Juncos are one of my favorite winter birds and when they move in get ready cooler weather is on the way. We have already seen the Tufted Titmouse, which is another of my favorite birds. Alright here are some pics of some Dark Eyed Juncos.

 

Living Medium

Mom and dad bought a new refrigerator, and the box that it came in was huge. After cutting the metal straps off the top and bottom of the shipping carton they removed the refrigerator from the box. Mom loved the new "fridge" and the kids loved the box that it came in. Dad was not real happy with any of it; it cost too much, it was so heavy that he had to have his brother come over and help him get it in the house, and then grocery shopping had to be done to fill it up. A whole evening was spent getting this refrigerator thing, taken care of; no relaxing for dad. It was time for bed by the time by it was all done, and he was ready for it. Dad worked all day, came home and worked all evening, and now time for sleep, he had to get up early for more work. Sleep was better though, the new fridge simply hummed off and on all night. Nice. The last month or so the old fridge just growled and groaned all night, until last night when it began dripping; it was dead.

In the morning the giant box was still in the garage and the kids decided that they were going to make a fort out of it. Mom said it was alright as long as the neighbor kids stayed outside. This was a great situation for her, she got a new refrigerator, and a whole day of peace and quiet while the kids played outside. The kids gathered as many boxes as they could find and began building a cardboard castle. When they were done they stepped back and basked in the beauty of the mornings efforts.

Well naturally they needed to have rules. What were they going to be? The fort was not anyones in particular, they all contributed some cardboard to the project. So they came up with one rule, and all needed to obey, or else. If anyone breaks the rule they were getting kicked out. The rule?

"No one act big, and no one act small, everyone must act medium."

Nobody was boss, and nobody was slave. Everyone was to take care of the fort, and each other.

I know it is a simple story about getting along, but really is it too much to expect that we just get along? Everyone is different, each with different types of personality, I understand that. Sometimes the very strong manipulate the weaker or more compliant to have their own way. The very best among us was Jesus, and if anyone had a right to call the shots and make up all of the rules it was Him. The Bible refers to Him as a King of Kings, and a Lion. Jesus is the real King of the jungle; yet He chose to serve others. 

The Bible tells us, to regard one another as more important than himself. It also tells us, to serve one another in love. That is exactly the way that Jesus lived, and died. We were so important to Him that he served us. So regardless of the alphabet behind your name; PHD, MD, CPA, XYZ or ABC. Just live medium. You may be really a great person and worthy of great honor, but why not lay aside the pride for awhile and be caring, and honest, with an attitude of service to others. Be real; live medium. 

Alrightnowyoutellme (2)

Well here we go again; there is an old song that says, " I don't like spiders and snakes". Last time it was a snake this time it is a spider. All right now you tell me; what kind of spider this? Also tell me 1 fact about the spider besides it's name.

Need a clue? Be sure you take notice of his (or her) "color", you might be able to find it in a "garden". So if you do a search on colorful spiders from the garden you might find it. Oh by the way this little guy was found out by Eland, not very far from where the Eastern Garter Snake was found.

I will give the answer next week.

Question. If you were going to dropped into a hole and given a choice, what would you want at the bottom? Spiders or snakes...or marshmallows?