Great day for ducks...

Well, we're getting into the rainy season here in Shelby County. If you've lived any time at all in Ohio, you know how this goes. The skies are overcast pretty much every day for at least a few hours, and the sun above cooks the clouds and ground enough to get storms and rain in the afternoon. After about the third or fourth day of this routine, these afternoon storms get longer and more violent. Along with that, the grass grows like crazy. For those who do the fertilizer/weed control routine in the winter and then again in the spring, the grass is now about 5" tall. As I said in the last article, I'm cutting it about 2-3 times a week right now, especially since there is some sun and quite a bit of rain.

This cycle also keeps the pond up pretty high, which is good. Our two mallard ducks, Bette and Joe (right), that have been frequenting the pond (a.k.a. Bailey's Harbor) seem to like it, although I think they have another body of water they nest in. Maybe ours is like their "get away" pond, because I see them one at a time sometimes too.

We had a new visitor today, an American Coot or a "Mud Hen"(below). Here I thought I was the only coot around here. It took me a while to find something on Google, but when I did, I found the old Coot to be a pretty interesting duck. According to the article, "a Mud Hen (Fulica Americana, a bird of the Family Rallidae) is a marsh bird with short wings and long legs that inhabits swamps or marshes. Such birds have been known as marsh hens, rails, coots, or Mud Hens. Those of you who remember the TV series, M*A*S*H, will recall the frequent references to the Toledo Mud Hens, a minor league baseball franchise of the Detroit Tigers, and Klinger's favorite baseball team. The Toledo baseball club earned its present name in 1896 and has kept it with very few exceptions ever since. In that year the team played at Bay View Park. The surrounding marshland was frequented by these strange birds. The abundance of Mud Hens near the park brought about the nickname and the rest, as they say, is history.

Anyway, this old coot would walk along the bank in the mud and grab some little things to eat as it walked. We had one stop by last year, but today was the first time I got a good look at it. I don't know if they are skittish or not, but it didn't appear to be. Could have been that it couldn't see me for the rain and fog here this morning. Of course, it could have been those superior skills of stealth that I learned in the Army kept me from being discovered! Do you think?

Oh, yeah, we have one more guest around here -- but this one isn't very welcome. My neighbor, Jim, called the other afternoon and told me that the skunk was back in the cemetery behind our houses. YUK! I was up here at the computer at the time and looked out the window and sure enough, there it went down the ditch by Jim's house, heading back to its hole. Must have been up to just extend it's greetings to Jim and Amanda. They were having a little gathering out in the yard -- lots of relatives and friends. Needless to say, it sure knew how to mess up a lawn party.

And finally -- we also have a new bass in the pond. Bob, one of the world's truly great fishermen, got a 20" one this morning and came by to drop it off. I can hardly wait to see the look on some young kid's face (maybe Quinn!) when he or she hooks that one. It really was big. That will be fun to see. Well, that's just about it for now.

The human spirit needs places where nature has not been rearranged by the hand of man. (Anonymous)

Hooah

Early Spring (?) update...

Well, I'm about a week early this year on my spring update on things here on McCartyville Road, but like so many others in Ohio, I'm pretty hungry (maybe even desperate) for spring to get here. I went back to my manual for retirees and looked at what it said about winter. Yep, late winter still pretty much is for the birds ('spose that's why they're in Florida and not here). But the manual was revised to add March in Ohio to that Yuk! time. The only saving grace is that it's only 8 hours to somewhat warmer weather and golf courses in North Carolina.

So enough with the whining. Here's what's going on in the country. I got an early spring application of fertilizer on the yard about three weeks ago. We had a little stretch of warm, dry days and was able to get that done. Then the rains came and the grass turned the nicest shade of green and filled in well. So far, I've cut it three times and the mower is set at 3.5". We were in NY last week to see Doug, Danika and Quinn. It rained most of the week before we left so I didn't get to cut it; then it was sunny and warm while we were gone and it shot up. You're right -- when we got back it rained again for a couple of days and the grass was up to Bailey's belly. I got through it yesterday, had the mower set at 4" and had quite a few clumps. I'm not into raking it though, bad for the shoulders and really bad for the golf swing. I'll cut a few more times this week and get it back under control.

I think this weekend we'll get the patio furniture out of the barn. Can't wait to get the hammock up. I've got a cold beer and a new book waiting to be enjoyed.

Critters around the yard are having a good spring. So far, I have counted 4 big rabbits, but Pam saw a little baby bunny in the front yard this morning so I'm sure there are more around somewhere. "Betty and Joe" (the two ducks that have been hanging around here for the past two years) have been back a lot so far. It wouldn't surprise me if they build a nest over in the reeds on the far side of the pond. It's kinda neat watching them swim around on the edges, eating and just quacking away. I have also found four birds' nests so far, and each of them have eggs in them. I'll get some pictures of the babies when they hatch.

Since coming back from the NC road trip, I've played three 9-hole rounds (42, 43, and 45) and think I should be OK this year. Haven't had the boat out yet and, for that matter, I haven't taken the poles out of the barn yet. Need to do that next week and put some new line on a couple of them. If you've ever fished for catfish, you know how line can get all twisted and stretched and kinky when the end of a season comes around. Probably should change it more often, might catch some more fish -- do you think?

Well, it's almost time to head up to the high school. I help out in the concession stand for spring sports. It's kinda fun and doesn't take too much thinking.

I've got some stories coming from last week's trip to NY. We really have a lot of fun going there and it's so much fun seeing Quinn changing, and taking on his own personality. So, until then...keep your powder dry and keep your stick on the ice.

You can't see Canada across lake Erie, but you know it's there. It's the same with spring. You have to have faith ... especially in McCartyville.

Hooah