bctuck

Ducks, In Trees!!!

These gregarious guys are Black-bellied Whistling-Ducks, Dendrocygna autumnalis. I’ve seen them a few times, and on each occasion, I had to check to see that I wasn’t going nuts. After my internal double takes finished, I came to the conclusion that I was indeed seeing what I thought it was that I was seeing.

Ducks. In trees.

This doesn’t seem like a particularly odd sight until you think about it for a second. So do that. Think of a duck. Now, what did you just think of? Maybe you thought of a flock of floating things swimming all in a row, maybe dipping their heads under the water to get a nibble to eat, maybe you thought of a squat little things huddling on shore, or if you’re a hunter, maybe you thought of a pair of flapping wings hauling tail from lower left to upper right. But did any of you think of a duck, in a tree?

Well, maybe you did. Wood ducks, which are pretty common in North America, also hop around wooded areas, and for a good reason. Would you rather have your babies all exposed on the ground where the nice predators could come eat them the moment you waddle away to go pay a phone bill, or would you rather squirrel them away in a cavity nice and high up in a tree trunk so the salivating mean carnivores would let you run your errands in peace?

If it was me, I’d be up a tree.

I still think it looks weird.

December 17, 2012 0

Up Nort’

Very few places are as unique as the Northwoods of Wisconsin. From the myriads of little lakes that seem to pop up around every turn of the road, to the interesting little year round Christmas shoppes that you drive past but never actually go into, the great north woods offers a lot of adventures for anyone who would care to look. Many people take the summer journey up to the family cabin or the historical family camp site to spend a few days away from their everyday lives. Memories are made by the licking orange waves of the campfires, by the creaking sounds of the trees, by the morning and evening calls of the illusive and haunting loons, by the smell of the wintergreen crushed underfoot, by the tenacious little animals vying for every piece of dropped popcorn, and of course by the friends and family that join you in the “Up Nort'” experience.

Whether your take on camping involves a tent, a camper, a mobile home, or a cabin, every experience is something to cherish. So take a weekend, go Up Nort’, and make some memories already!

August 20, 2012 0

Five At a Time – More Hoppy Things

Turns out, frogs are hard to catch. However, if you can manage to get close enough, they evidently stand nice and still to be captured in the best way I know how.

August 19, 2012 0

Farmers markets are fun. Whether or not you are there to buy your weekly stash of locally grown veggies, to take your kids for a stroll in the wonder that is great outside, or to hunt for that illusive bakery stall that gives you change in the form of a fifty cent piece (and might just have absolutely wonderful apple turn overs…), you’re probably going to see and hear some interesting things. You can see cow shaped cookies, maple candy, spicy cheese bread, and scratch and sniff tomatoes, and hear stories of the crazy middle aged drunken adventures people had the night before, children wondering what makes the peppers hot, and vendors trying to explain just exactly what this new “purslane” plant is.

The big market in Madison, WI is run every Saturday during the summer and spans the four city blocks surrounding the capitol (yes, where those crazy vindictive rich teachers wrecked the lawn and incited so much social unrest last year). Each time I’ve had the opportunity to go to the market on the square I’ve been impressed by the number of vendors, but more so by the number of people walking slowly from booth to booth, weaving between each other to slide into lines for whatever they’re trying to buy. Sunny day or not, and even though the sidewalks are so crowded you can only go counter clockwise around the square and you have to politely scoot your way from the “fast lane” into the “slow lane” to get to the booths, people want to be there.

Say what you will about the trendiness or hipsterness of the local food movement, I say it’s great. Regardless of the reasons people are there, they are being connected to where their food comes from, and to what goes on in those big, rolling farm fields surrounding their city. It also brings friends together, gives parents time to teach their kids, gives the kids time away from computer games, and provides income directly to those who put in time to grow good food. Personally, I’m generally there to get some carrots, maybe a unique yellow melon, and hunt for that illusive apple turnover.

This last time, I also took my camera. Below are some images of the Dane County Farmers Market filtered through the lens of my mind. Enjoy, and then go find the farmers market near you!