A quick visit to Luck

I took a drive to Luck Tuesday afternoon, saw the most fantastic sunset on the way...no photos, I was driving you know.  Stopped at my friend Bruce's and delivered an item that he had won in an eBay auction.  

Then dropped in on Kyle and family as the Christmas tree was under decoration.  

I had such fun watching the chaos.

It even looks really nice naked

Jack helped Kyle get the lights on the tree.

A tree this tall takes some special tools to put on the lights.

Jack, Gage, Stella and Ruby

Jack, Gage, Stella & Ruby

Ruby and Stella in the bat cave (toy room).

Miss Ruby

Miss Ruby - check out those shoes (2 going on 20?)

Miss Stella - more fabulous shoes

 It is no big deal to drive at night now with snow in the ditches, the deer can't hide anymore.  

I had a good drive home, am listening to a great book on tape and the miles just fly by.  

I made a quick stop in Cumberland to take this picture of a tree made of lights on Main Street.  

Very pretty.

Main Street Cumberland, WI

Iowa

On the way to Iowa, just South of Durand, there is a hillside that I have taken pictures of in the past, and on Tuesday, the leaves were hanging on and very pretty, even in the rain.

Highway 25, South of Durand, WI

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Wednesday, the wind was crazy in Iowa.  The blue spruce in the courtyard of Dad & Ev's apartment really got a work out.  Here's a short video:

Blue Spruce in Iowa Wind

I have no idea how the leaves were staying on the tree in the background.

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Dad & Ev and I took a drive to Clarion on Thursday.  It was chilly but I got them to sit for a quick picture.

Dad & Ev

They will be headed to Texas soon, the temps in Rockport have been in the '80s, they won't need their heavy jackets.

The only kind of mouse that I like

Recently, our feeder has been visited by a tufted titmouse a few times, this morning we have been enjoying 6 or 8 of these little cuties eating at our buffet.

He is quite shy.

But I caught him checking me out.

He does not dilly dally when he gets into the feeder.

Grabs a seed and heads off to crack it on a branch.

The girls were studying him, maybe they realize he's new to our buffet too.

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Yesterday, on the way home from the Sandcastle, I saw this guy lurking in the median on Hwy 53 near Sarona.  At first I couldn't tell if it was a wolf, dog, or what.  But I guess it was a very healthy, and quite nice looking, coyote.  I pulled over in time to catch a few far off photos of him.

Driving, I spot him...whoa! Whipped the red sled over and started snapping.

It is probably pretty good hunting out in the median for little animals, or road kill, or whatever.

Dog? Wolf? Coyote?

He wasn't crazy about me parking there (and the other drivers were kind of annoyed as well)

He was keeping an eye on the traffic and probably some unsuspecting little critter too.

I think he could hear the camera lens clicking away.

Profile view

Yep, coyote

 Note to drivers in my range of travel, I am cautious about pulling over, but I do brake for photo ops.

Chetek Osprey

The DNR put an Osprey nest platform just North of the Chetek exit on Hwy 53.  As I was driving to Durand on Monday, I noticed the adult was on the nest and I had a chance to pull over and take a few photos.

Even with my zoom, hard to get a good shot, this thing is really high.

It wasn't too long before it flew.

Away it flew

Off to the trees