Snapping turtle egg laying season is upon us!

 Above - yesterday's  egg site restored.

 Above and below - another snapping turtle laying her eggs along the bike trail.  Third snapping turtle in two days, and 6th egg site found!  Spring is a busy time!

17 mile ride today, including finding a whole new section of bike trail to use.

More good nature on the bike trail!

 A female snapping turtle digs a hole under the edge of the asphalt bike path to lay her eggs!

 Vacant abandoned hole nearby shown below. 

There were three additional recently dug and re-covered holes within 20 feet of this one.  Gestation is 3-4 months depending on temperatures, etc, so being there when  they hatch will be pretty much impossible, but I'll keep an eye out in September for signs they have emerged!  I suspect that the warmth of the asphalt may hasten their development if it doesn't actually cook  them?

Here is a link to a short video  I took of her digging.. she was in no big rush, and alternated left and right feet.

A day that gives me a good story is a good day!

A great ride on the bike today, and two great stories.  At an intersection in a local park, I noticed a young couple in a bright red pick-up truck.  Look exchanged with the driver as I rode by, and then about a half mile further on, the red pick-up stops as I pass by, and the young man says "Would you take our picture?"  Of course I reply, and they pull up a few yards down the rode, and as they get out, they don leather jackets, and motorcycle helmets!  My response -"Where's the motorcycle?  Are you going to photoshop it in later?"  Their response - "Well, the bike is in the shop.  See that long groove in the grass?  That is where we wiped out on this curve earlier in the week, and we thought it would be nice to have some pictures of us at the site of the accident!"  That is them above - sans helmets - at the far end of  the groove in the grass.  You can see them more clearly if you click on the picture.
Another story on my return home.  The 4 year old neighbor boy comes running over ..... "How far did you go today?"  I tell him 14.8 miles, and he says "WOW!  That almost all the way to St. Louis!"

New designs - Business Card Holders

 We have made business card holders for years, using our signature no glue assembly with spring pins to hold the parts  together.  The decorative elements are of course glued in place.

 These new ones incorporate three of our dance figures as part of the back panel.  The figures are the size of our wooden pins - about 3" tall.

 Below is a detail picture of Don's special spring pin that holds  the card holding section together.

Basic card holders are $20, and pins are also $20, 

We'll try out these new combination pieces at $30

Remember that as always, we can customize these pieces for your organization, business, church, dance school, or whatever!

I'm back on the spring bike rides!

Moments like this make the bike rides special!

Did 12 miles today.... up  to 87 miles so far this spring.

The new metal and plastic hip seems to be working fine!

Current show at Genesee Co-op Federal Credit Union - Part 2

 Some more pictures from our show at the Credit Union.

395 Gregory St. Rochester, NY 14620-1327

Pig Squeak - Bergenia

 This plant grows in my parents front yard.  Some research revealed that the common name is "Pig Squeak".

Naming a plant for the noise it makes seems rather unusual?

I grew up on a farm, so the sound is quite familiar.

Listen to the video/audio below.

Current show at Genesee Co-op Federal Credit Union - Part 1

Sankofa

Nice to have some of our pieces hanging in our neighborhood!

395 Gregory St. Rochester, NY 14620-1327

The ultimate license plate holder

 Cheryl called me from our neighborhood diner to let me know that the Wienermobile was parked outside!

 Even though it was a rainy morning, I went out immediately to grab some pictures!

 Yes - I know I'm a vegetarian, but this thing even has personalized safety cones!

The neighbor kid drove it around for the summer a few years back!

Sort of the ultimate marketing internship!

License Plate teaser!

Just the plate for now on my latest addition to my license plate picture collection. 

 Will reveal more info on this tomorrow or the next day?  

Guesses welcomed as to what may be revealed?

Some more figures in the hall

Outside the paint room.

The guys ready to join them!

Some of the fellows lined up in the hall ready to join the ladies at the show!

Ladies ready to go out!

Some of our figures standing in the hall outside the paint room, waiting to head out to a show!

License Plates again!

 I'm sort of a Dr. Who fan, so enjoyed  this Tardis plate.  Especially when located on one of those boxy Scion cars!  Also my pleasure was enhanced by the Ray Gun decal on the window with it's design take off on the Christian Fish symbol --- below.  I also love the unintended self portrait!

 On a sort of science fiction related theme, the Solar EV plate below - on a Chevy Volt!

 And - below - unrelated, but still fun!

More to come.

Spring!

Spelling Police

Really?

Paper Ladies

We make and sell a lot of 3" tall paper ladies.
Those who ask what they are for usually don't buy any!

I just really liked these two pictures. Top - a few that didn't quite fall out after the laser went by. Bottom - a pile of paper ladies in the bottom of the laser box.

Top Spinning on the Titanic

Don't know if this GIF animation of a boy spinning a top on the deck of the Titanic will work or not?

I guess not!

66 years!

Today is the 66th anniversary of my parents first wedding - April 8th 1945 ----- April 8th 2012!

To shorten the story, there were a few hard years along the way, and they separated for a while, and led different lives, married other people, and did good things. Somehow, when their separate lives each independently changed direction, they found each other again, and in November of 1972, they were married again!

Long and interesting lives that I have been blessed to be a part of!

Today, with any luck, I will be getting Mom and Dad together to celebrate quietly. Mom is living in Kirkhaven nursing home because Dad can't handle caring for her at home any more. Dad is in re-hab at different local nursing home recovering from another bout of his congestive heart failure. I'm looking forward to the day! The later afternoon will be spent with our son and daughter-in-law and grandchildren and other extended family.
Life is good.
Life is an adventure.
Life is a learning experience.

A day at Genesee Country Village and Museum

A step back in time! Come join us for some battery free games in the Thompson Barn. Meet Topman Don Olney, and learn to spin a top. Also lots of other games with Beth, Kevin, and Judy and some maple syrupy goodness across town!To be truthful, I had to crop out a speed limit sign on the one above because I didn't get my camera out of the holster fast enough!

Above - Don spins a big Watt's Top to show off. But lots of folks young and old have learned to spin tops over these two weekends. Since I'm posting this Sunday morning, you may still have time to join us at Genesee Country Village and Museum

First Daffodils!

March 18, 2012 - our first three daffodils unfolded today! Strange warm and early spring after an almost non-existent winter... about 1/3 the usual snow! Previous daffodil pictures seem to be mostly from early to mid April! Also, while I did not get any pictures today, Dad and I saw several willows all decked out in their first spring gold. Previous years, my pictures of this annual spring treat were also from mid April. More frost and snow may hit this year, but spring seems to be almost a month early! I even heard spring peepers on my way home last night! A friend posted today that her first spring lettuce has come up in the garden!

Am I feeling blessed or worried?

Another new design

New African Dancer figure!

Available as a pin (simpler figure) as 15" tall figures - as shown, and as 29" tall figures.

I'm not sure why, but pressure - like getting ready for the Kennedy Center show - often brings out new designs. This time we got two... this African Dancer, and our revision of Lena ....
Lena 2012