Thankful Thursday ~ Soundtrack of the Prairie

Happy Thankful Thursday, everyone! I hope you're all having a great week! The weekend is just around the corner!

What do you think of my new Thankful Thursday post header?

First off, you may have noticed that my blog looks a little different. I was a little tired of the previous look and so I'm working on tweaking it. You'll probably see a bunch of changes throughout the next little while as I keep working on finding a new look that I like, and adding features. Let me know what you think. I don't really know what I'm doing, so input and advice is greatly appreciated!

Next, a bit about my new Thankful Thursday image. I'm going to start each Thankful Thursday post with that picture because I like it, and for uniformity's sake. It's the inside of a "Mind Jar," which we made at school this past week. We were exploring the Virtue of Peacefulness and this was one of the projects/crafts we made to go along with that. I just think it's so pretty and it makes me think of a lot of the people and things I am thankful for, so I think it's appropriate as a header for Thankful Thursday posts. :)

Everyone's Mind Jar, all in a row. So pretty!

I got my Thursday started off right this morning with an easy three mile run. I don't run with headphones or music when I run outside. When I lived and ran in a town, I never went without music, but since living out here, I've made the change to running with my thoughts and nature as soundtrack. Jeff originally suggested that I go without headphones out here so that I could hear a rattlesnake, if there were one rattling. Sound advice, although, ironically, I have never actually heard or encountered a snake when I have been out for a run! (Jeff HAS...)

At first, it was really difficult for me, mentally, to get used to running without music or podcasts. Music especially was a motivator for me while running, and sometimes a distraction. Over time, however, I've grown accustomed to not running with music. I think I'm more in-tune with how I'm feeling as I'm running. I think I'm mentally tougher because I don't have the distraction. Most of all, however, I've grown to really enjoy listening to my surroundings. As I ran this morning, I had no idea what I'd write about for today's Thankful Thursday post, but as I kept plodding along, Meadowlarks and Mourning Doves cheered me on and made my run even more enjoyable. I realized that I am really thankful and glad to have their songs as the soundtrack to my run!

The Western Meadowlark is actually the State Bird of Montana so that makes it even more special to me that I get to listen to him sing. I feel like the Meadowlark is welcoming me to his State and to the prairie. Jeff was just telling me the other day that the Meadowlark has many songs and spent some time pointing a few of them out to me as we listened. Here's a great video that not only shows the beautiful, bright-colored appearance of the Meadowlark, but also shares several examples of his song:

Carol and Tom also have this really neat ceramic Meadowlark in their garden. Ok, I'm a bit biased because I gave it to them! But it's probably the closest I'll get to photographing a Meadowlark up close!

I've also been hearing a lot of Mourning Doves lately. These birds are common all over the country and I remember seeing and hearing quite a few of them in our backyard growing up in Ames. Some people confuse their cooing with an owl's hoot, but it is a little different:

I also see and hear Pronghorn Antelope frequently on my runs. Did you know that the Antelope is actually the fastest North American land animal? It's second-fastest in the world after the Cheetah. Pretty cool, huh?! We have them in great numbers around here. This time of year, the does are having their fawns. It is a very rare treat to see an antelope fawn in it's infancy-- I've only seen one or two since living here. But recently when I was running, an Antelope doe was acting sort of strange. I came upon her in about mile 2 of my 6 mile run and she ran just a bit ahead of me and then stopped and looked at me. As I approached, she took off another 100 yards or so, then stopped again. This went on for about a mile of my run. Jeff had told me in the past that sometimes if a doe has a fawn, she'll act this way to try to lure predators away from the fawn, who is likely curled up in the grass somewhere. Her pattern of running ahead and sort of baiting me was unmistakable and it really kept me entertained for about 10 minutes of my run that day.

Kind of hard to see, but this is the antelope doe that ran with me a few weeks ago.

Antelope make a funny but distinctive sound, too. It sounds sort of like a cough, or a person clearing their throat. I couldn't find a good video with the sound, but National Geographic has a great fact page on Antelope with an audio button you can click to hear their sound. With that doe on my run the other day, I may not have initially noticed her if she hadn't coughed. Again, when I first moved here, I don't even remember noticing the Antelope sound. Now, I again find that it's a common component of the soundtrack of the prairie.

Sometimes, too, I am serenaded by the "sweet" sounds of coyotes if I run in the mornings or evenings. We're pretty sure there's a den in our pasture, so hearing coyotes is pretty common. Here's a video of a coyote pack howling at night. If you have a dog, you may want to pay attention to it's reaction-- when I played this, Harvey became very interested!

Ok, so "sweet" probably isn't the right word to describe the sound that coyotes make, but it is more and more becoming a sound I associate with my home on the prairie. So, in that sense, it's sweet to me.

I'm thankful that I get to live and run in such a place that has really great nature sounds. There's also the sound of the wind in the grasses and fields, and of course, the sound of the dogs who accompany me on my runs! It makes me happy to hear their feet padding along in the gravel or grass and to hear them panting and breathing next to me. Harvey, Iggy and Abby each come along on runs sometimes. Harvey is definitely my number one running buddy!

Harvey! Harvey is fast and he likes to be first!

Iggy is old, but he still likes to come along and plod at his own pace.
We officially adopted Iggy this spring. He's a Saint Bernard mix.

Abby is Tom and Carol's Golden Retriever. She never stops smiling!
Out of all three dogs, Abby is the one who is closest to my running pace. 

Do you run/walk/hike with headphones or music? Next time, I challenge you to take them off and notice all the sounds that you hear. You might be surprised at the richness of the soundscape!

Today was the last training run before my Governor's Cup 10K race! I am so excited to do this race! I haven't done any "official" races yet this year, only virtual runs, so I'm really pumped to get the racing season started. Jeff and I are leaving tomorrow morning for Helena and I just can't wait to get down there and start taking in the entire event! I am doing the 10K and Jeff is doing the 5K on Saturday morning! In the spirit of today's post, I wonder what the sounds of the race will be? Anyway, wish us luck!

What are you thankful for this week? What are you looking forward to this weekend?

Hunting on the HiLine 2013, Vol. 1

We got off to a late start on hunting season this year. We skipped bow season entirely and started with pheasants a few weeks ago. Jeff drew fewer tags this year and with deer numbers down anyway, that's probably OK.

As per usual, I did not put in for any tags. The animals Jeff shoots on his own are enough meat for two people (more than enough!), and I really don't care to shoot. I've never taken any hunters' safety courses and I'm not super comfortable with weapons. Most of all, I just like to hike and be outdoors, so I'm more than OK with not having any tags to fill. I'll continue to scout with Jeff and help him clean and butcher what he harvests.

This year, we've gone bird hunting with Harvey twice so far. He has really matured into a nice hunting dog in his third year. He listens to our commands much better than he ever has before and he doesn't take off so far ahead of us. He also has learned not to chase after the birds he's flushed for quite such a long distance. We are also learning how to read him better. The way he sniffs and crouches seems to be different if he's on a hun or a grouse than it is if he is scenting a pheasant. We suppose it's because the different birds leave different amounts of scent behind. I am quickly becoming convinced there is no better way to hunt than to work with your dog.

Is he pointing with his back foot raised? Or is he just stalking and I caught him in action?

Harvey brought us a hun Jeff shot. Good Boy!

Another nice point.

 Pheasants have been coming back a little bit this year, but so far we have only shot a handful of huns, or Hungarian Partridge, and one Sharptail Grouse. There are TONS of huns and grouse around.  Every time we go for a walk, it seems, Harvey is on the trail of a group of huns. Bird season lasts into January, so we should still have plenty of time to find a few pheasants. We'll continue to enjoy working with Harvey in between searching for deer. More on deer hunting in a few days as the Hunting on the HiLine 2013 series continues!

The scenery can't be beat!

Facelift

 

So, remember how we have a Smiley Face barn in our yard?

 

Looks like this:

 

Here's another photo, just in case you needed one...

 



 

Well, our wonderful landlords decided it was time for a facelift. 

 

So now he (she?) looks like this...

And we're smilin' once again!

 

Both our landlords and we ourselves have a family reunion on the near horizon. Ours is this weekend (Bangs side, not Adam) and the Langel Reunion is coming up for the 4th of July. The Bangs are getting together to celebrate a milestone birthday, and the Langels are converging to celebrate the centennial of the farm. What this means in terms of work for the people who live here full time is that all those "rainy day" projects were finally completed! Such as painting the barn. It looks pretty darn good, doesn't it?

 

Just for fun (and because I'm procrastinating making dinner), here's a few more photos!

 

Does anyone know what kind of bird this is?

Seems like we only see them this time of year.

 

 This is the barn of a nearby neighbor of ours who lives in town.

Looks good, doesn't it?

 

Appropriate for the 4th of July, I think.

Cheers to all for a happy Reunion, happy Independence Day, and just a good day overall!

 

PS- I'm trying out a new blog theme. I can't decide if I like it.  It might be a bit trite. Let me know what you think! 

Birds and Farmers

It started with the return migration of the Canada Geese.  Arrows pointed north. We thought surely they are mistaken, and wondered if they themselves might be thinking about a return trip to Arizona or some other such warm, southern locale.  But then shortly thereafter, we spied the first robin of the season, flitting among the caragana rows. Ruby breasted and bringing with him a stronger inkling that warmer weather and longer days would soon be here, too. Then came the songbirds, chirping the news of the long winter to each other as they set at building their nests, their summer homes. Spring has arrived.

With the avian residents return, the Snowbirds came with them.  Over the past two weeks or so they have come home to houses left vacant over the past several months, their own migration that of Christmas to Easter.

Easter seems to be the mark of a return of farmers to their fields this year.  All of a sudden the fields are populated with machinery.  Seed is deposited into the earth with the hope of a return of a high-yielding crop in August or September.  Spirits match the tune of the songbirds-- hope is high and dispositions are cheery.  It is necessary to pass through the gentle calm of winter to appreciate the burgeoning spring and all that it brings.  Birds and farmers both know this is the time to return to work.   This land that has felt so empty over the winter months suddenly is thriving once again.

Hunting on the HiLine, Part II: Harvey and his Hunting Skills

Yesterday, the second day of our Hunting Lodge weekend, I joined Jeff and his friend for some bird hunting, with Harvey.  

Harvey is a Hungarian Vizsla, which is a breed renowned for bird hunting ability.  I have to admit that our training with him has been fairly minimal, but in this, his first hunting season, he is already showing his instinct and skill.  It is really amazing to watch him work.  His nose is constantly on the ground, sniffing out bird trails.  Once he is close to one, he "points" at it-- holds a stiff position with his body and tail.  He points right at the bird, from only a few feet away.  He will hold his point for a few seconds until we tell him to "go get 'em," at which point he will pounce towards the bird, flushing it out of the grass, and thereby allowing the hunter to get off an excellent shot.  

We took Harvey to another farm about twenty five minutes from our house, where we knew there would be pheasants and birds in great numbers.  Harvey did great. He pointed and flushed many birds. Jeff and his friend ended up with three pheasants and one Hungarian Partridge.  I had fun hiking along with them for the three or so hours we were out.  Looking forward to next time! 

Some grouse near a grain bin.  We spotted them while on our drive to the place where we hunted.

Cattails in the morning light. 

Harvey is leading Jeff on the scent of some birds. 

Shortly after the previous photo was taken, Harvey flushed some pheasants and Jeff pulled off this shot.
A beautiful, large rooster. 

Later, we also got a Hun.