Skywatch Friday

Some recent images from SE Kansas taken with Skywatch in mind.

For more skywatchers visit here.

Sunny Afternoon along Shoal Creek

I went for a short hike the other day along the shaded banks of Shoal Creek. Some young naturalists were exploring in a shallow section of Silver Creek which runs into Shoal.
There were Minnows and Water Striders in the sunlit water.
A Blue Darter settled silently on a wild grape leaf. The trail wound along under the tall sycamores and oaks. The air was hot, humid and alive with the sounds of June insects and birds.
Wildflowers appeared every once in a while.
The creek was swollen with recent rains. Voices led me down to the bank and I almost missed a couple rowing by in kayaks. They yelled "Hi are you gong to jump in? I smiled and replied maybe".
Purple Cone flowers soaked up the suns rays in a open place among the shadows.
I found benches every quarter mile or so to rest, watch and listen or maybe recall a good poem.

Todays Flowers Daylillies

Our Daylillies are in bloom. This is a variety we purchased a few years back at a garden center.
These are transplanted from out by our road.

For more of Today's Flowers visit here;

Fishing and Solitude

Friday afternoon the sun came out and the humidity broke and the air turned cool. My wife was busy painting in her studio, getting ready for a show next week. So I grabbed my fishing rods and took off for the nearest water. There is a reservoir about nine miles from our place that offers solitude and bass. I decided it was the place to be. I could sit on the bank with the cool breeze blowing off the water and relax. Fishing is like that most times. Other times you cant keep the fish from biting.
I found I was sharing the bank with a Great Blue Heron. After working the shallows he decided that the odds were better fishing off the nearby fish feeder. From time to time he would skillfully set one foot against the edge of the float, lean way back and rest his head on his back. In a flash he would dive out about three feet beak first and slam into the water, never going completely under. His great wings would start to beat and back to the float he would fly with a fresh catch in his beak. Watching him reminded me of Olympic swimmers as they waited to explode into the water at the start of a race. I kept score I was ahead for a while Me 3 fish Heron 1, then me 3 heron 2 then well lets just say I lost.
The bass I caught were all released as they fit nicely into that zone of 15-18 inches which by law saves them from the skillet for another year or two.
Aldo Leopold and others had it right about the value of wilderness and solitude, it is a necessary thing for us folks. This really is no wilderness but there are no jet skis, or crowds and its just far enough out in the country so you cant hear the highway and I think that to be able to sit on the bank and experience afternoons like this proves their point.

Skywatch Friday

Bourbon County
June Skies

Some photos I took earlier in the week with sky watch in mind. The later part of the week found us in tornado shelters three times in one night! Luckily no damage locally.

For more sky watchers visit here.

My World Tuesday Good Ole Days

Every June across Kansas small towns celebrate homecomings, reuinoins and small town festivals.
Fort Scott located in SE Kansas puts on one heck of festival called 'Good Ole Days'. Its family friendly and the families do come. Several thousand folks merge on the old downtown to wander, buy, eat and have fun. Ther are pony rides, old tractor displays and lots more.
There is a multitude of craft booths, and food booths you can sample home made ice cream, barbecue, tortillas, or kettle corn to name just a few.
You can get your picture taken with a monkey,
stock up on your rock collection,
or step into one of the stores that line the 1800's downtown.
There is a show in the Liberty theatre every hour. Local talents keep you entertained while you sip a cold beer or an ice tea.

Behind the scenes the vendors can escape the crowd for a break and some shade.
There is always plenty of parking, I got a kick out of the sign.

In smaller rural towns these early summer festivals bring in revenue for folks and provide an opportunity for communities to to reconnect before the harvest season.

Fort Scott isn't really the smallest of towns, its population is in the 8000 range. We have lived in towns of 600 or so here in Kansas but it does take on the small town feel during Good Ole days. For more on Fort Scott visit here.

For other places visit My World Tuesday!

Camera Critters, Canine Long Jump

While out today I dropped by a unique competition in Fort Scott. These dogs were jumping out into the pool and being measured by an official. This was the most focused one of all, he jumped over 21 feet!
Why wait till it gets in the water!
Nice form!
This Border Collie would not get in the water at first, I could hear him saying to his owner, "Please I am a herder", but once in he wouldn't get out instead he did a politician loop for all the kids at poolside.
The kids at poolside got to get a little wet from the splash.
The foosbury flop being practiced by a young Yellow Lab
A Labradoodle! He went way out there!
They all seemed very focused and also seemed to being enjoying it, I don't blame them it was hot today out there!

For more Camera Critters visit here. http://camera-critters.blogspot.com/.