Chainsaws rock

Gotta love a nephew who is an ace with a chainsaw.

Ryan offered to do some tree trimming in exchange for a little computer maintenance, and I took him up on the trade.  I got the better deal!

Monday morning it worked out that Ryan could come over with his chainsaw.

We walked around the yard and looked at what I thought needed done and then I let him get to work as I had committed to play cards that afternoon.

When I got back, things were all cleaned up and he was working on loading wood into his pick up.

I told him to leave the brush for me, but he doesn't go for that, clean up is in his DNA.

The lawn mowing guys will be happy, no head knockers, lower branches gone.

Two trunked oak is now a single trunk and has space to grow into a mighty oak.

Trail cam - before photo of the maple clump to the East of the deck.
and a large kitty on the prowl.

The maple clump got a good downsizing and should be less apt to split in the wind.
I can't wait to see it with leaves, I bet it won't be that noticeable.

The trail cam caught Ryan pulling about 10 loads of branches to the brush pile.

Ryan's pickup was full by the end of the loading.
He thought this would heat his house for about a week, so I'm glad for that.

This brush pile will give the little birds cover and I'm betting there will be a few nests built there too.

I hope the weather warms up again as my yard needs more TLC but this was a very good start.

Thanks Ryan!!

My Life as a Wedding Photographer

I survived my one and only gig as a wedding photographer!  Whew!

My good friends, The Rosenows, have been like a second family to me for the past 40+ years.

Yesterday, 04.11.2015, Paul Rosenow married Faye Moseley in Winona, MN 

and I was asked if I would take the photos.

I agreed, even though taking important pictures of people makes me very very nervous and I'm not very good at lighting and all of that other photography stuff.

Other than how badly I perspired, yikes!, it all went fine.

Here are a couple of shots of the happy couple.

The Wedding Party
Aunt Marlene, Faye, Paul and Uncle Dale

Faye and Paul
I'm so happy for them.

It was a fun day (I can say that now) and I'm enjoying editing the photos I took.

It was a short career as Wedding Photographer, 

and I'm very glad to go back to my more casual nature photography hobby.

Little update

Well, the weekend was all about The Badgers and the NCAA Tournament.  As you all know by now, our heroes lost in the championship game versus the Duke Bluedevils.  I've always been a 'duke hater', so the loss stings a little extra for me.  But life goes on, the Badgers players are already announcing their switch to professional status and next year's team is in the build mode I'm sure.

Our NCAA pool was won by great nephew, Jackson, 

this was his first year joining us for the tournament bracket fun.

We don't play for money, but for a picture of a trophy instead.

It's all in fun but make the tournament more interesting.

Nice going Jackson.

***

It's been raining and windy most of the week, good Spring weather.

I'm starting to see a few plants come to life.

The day lilies are up just a bit, chives are really growing and today I see sprouts from the two hops plants I added last year.

Yesterday, in the rain, a flock of purple finches visited the feeders.

It's always easy to confuse the house finch with the purple finch, but with the help of some birders on Facebook, I think I have it right.

Soggy Purple Finch

Today we have lots of sunshine and puffy white clouds.

The suet logs are on their last legs, I keep forgetting to pull them down and toss the remnants.

Today, the Pileated Woodpecker was back, working hard to get a nugget of suet.

This Pileated Woodpecker looks kind of mad about the suet supply.

***

I'm off to Herold this afternoon, in fact I should be packing up.

This weekend is the wedding of my other brother, Paul, in Winona.

I'm heading to the wedding and taking my camera.

Easter 2015

A cool and cloudy day, but a wonderful gathering of family and friends.

My sister-in-law's brother, Larry, & wife, Lois Skow,
kindly included me on their Easter invitations again this year.  

The food was wonderful, I forget how delicious ham can be!  

And Dairy Queen cake for dessert, my very best favorite!

But the big event for the little kids is the Easter egg hunting.

A few photos of the fun.

Ivan, Stella & Jens

Megan

Gage

Ruby

Owen

Owen and Ruby told me that they were working as a team

 Happy Day!

West Denmark

Today I attended the funeral service for one of Dad's friends, Ray.  He was married to Gladys before she died, Gladys was one of Dad's favorites as a young man.  

Raymond was buried at West Denmark, just a little North of Dad & Ev.  

After the service and lunch, Lois and I went back to the cemetery to tidy up around Dad & Ev's bench.  There was a mound of dirt and a couple of pots from the funeral in December.  We also laid Dad's military marker on the ground to see how that should be placed.

Now that we have idea about what we want, I'll call the business that placed the bench 

and ask them to help us place the military bronze marker.

This is not the final location, we hope that the marker can be placed on a cement pad a little smaller than the one under the bench, with about a 2 foot space between.

That bench is such a striking feature in this little cemetery.

I hope many folks will sit a spell with Dad & Ev as they visit the cemetery.