A Crummy Commercial

 A couple of years ago about a month before Memorial day I was on my way to check on the maple sap jugs in the woods.  Stepping into the woods from the field I was startled by a fluttering noise and the brief appearance of an animal.  It was a bald eagle !  It's fairly unusual to see eagles here, about a mile from Lake Michigan.  And when I have seen them the eagles have been roosting high in trees not on the ground.  But an eagle actually in the woods on the ground, very strange. Walking back to the house I could see that the eagle was injured and couldn't fly high or far.  I got my camera and put on a telephoto lens.  By the time I got back out near the woods the eagle had flown next door to the "stump dump".  I was able to catch a few shots of the bird from fairly far away (ducking behind an old school bus for cover).  I just couldn't get close enough for a good picture.   it's weird to see an eagle on the ground unless it's feed...

 Sorry Yogi.   Sometimes deer are fairly easy to see, even in the daylight.  Although I only rarely see the bucks, usually the does and fawns.  Usually they are browsing and moving.   On rare occasions they are plunked down, chewing their cud. But once in a while I'll see a doe just standing in the field. she would be running if not for the little ones (three!)   That's the time to grab the camera and get out there because she has probably just given birth and there are newborn fawns to gawk at.  Mom won't like the approach, there may be grunting and stamping of hooves.  But you can get right up to them. this is a new born fawn from a few seasons ago You can indeed observe a lot by watching ! Best Regards, Chuck, WB9KZY http://wb9kzy.com/ham.htm

 Time for asparagus and ramps: green and fresh The asparagus isn't wild, the deer usually get those.  But the ramps just grow in the woods.  I usually just take a green leaf from each shoot.  I was informed it's best to leave the bulb in the ground since it takes something like 7 years before they attain a nice sized bulb.  Also, the ground is rocky and the bulbs are hard to pull without breaking.  Especially when bugs are biting :) Living off the fat of the land ! Best Regards, Chuck, WB9KZY http://wb9kzy.com/ham.htm