11 March 2018 Deer Creek

I was traveling to Spokane in the morning so we stayed closer to home for an afternoon outing. It was an unusual visit for us to Deer Creek. We're often here in cold weather, but today was blue sky and sunshine with mallards and mergansers.

I'm not sure what this black-bodied duck was.

Bluebirds seemed to be pairing off for nesting at the woodline and the water's edge

10 March 2018 The Wilderness Center

Winter was over... at least for me. Snow was down to little bits on the ground and my work travel would put me in warmer climates for a bit. We decided to visit The Wildness Center for a long walk with the dogs. Blue skies and leafless trees ruled the day. The trees would soon begin budding.

Phineas has become the beagle equivalent of a greybeard. We make a pair on the trail. He has one up on me with his fashionable Fido Fleece.

9 March 2018 Visiting Avon

When I arrived back from Tulsa, there were still a couple hours left of daylight to find a few caches. It had been some time since our last visit to Avon. We eventually had a less than successful geocaching visit at Walker Road Park for one of our last stops. Walker Road Park is a smaller park with a small pond. It is a magnet for ducks. This afternoon was no different with mallards and a few mergansers on the water.

Ah, It's nearly spring and time for male mallards to practice a little dominance on fellow male mallards.

6 March 2018 Visiting Tulsa

I was on a different mission this evening. We had retriecved a travel bug from a Buffalo area cacher. The bug had a mission to visit Route 66. I was lucky enough to have found fun caches placed by the travel bug owner and happy to be able to assist with the goal. After leaving the office, I picked up the traces of 66 and made my way to Tulsa.

It's not easy to find old 66. Redevelopment, time, and decay are taking their toll. This old steel building is of a vintage to have been on the Route when it was still US66.

Sprawl and changing retail patterns have taken their toll. This row of old shops on 66 is empty. It seems the street facade is being maintained to keep the 66 image alive.

My evening's journey brought me to a small railroad display of old rolling stock. The display included the correctly painted 4-8-4 Northern 4500 steam locomotive sporting its correct Meteor paint scheme. This 1942 locomotive was returned to Tulsa for display in 2011. I was glad to be able to see it. Always a rail fan, my dad would have loved it.

My evening ended early. There was a wildfire to the north and the wind was blowing right to bring irritating smoke toward Tulsa. Besides casting a strange glow over the area, it made breathing difficult. I decided for an early return to the hotel. My mission was done, and I saw new sights.

4 March 2018 Bending Trees

The morning snow was beautiful in our woods. It would take a return visit to realize all the damage the heavy, wet snow brought to our trees. For now, it was a place to enjoy.

We stopped at a gamelands on the way home and enjoyed the trail on the last big snow of the season.

Our last stop of the day was a visit to a gamelands near Conneaut Lake, Pennsylvania. This has been a place we could visit each year to spot a bald eagle. This year we came away with no eagle sightings on our visits. We were treated to sightings of ring-necked and bufflehead ducks at the far pond.

3 March 2018 Welcoming March

Lizzie was not going to let fresh snow interrupt her trail fun and neither were we.

We spent a good portion of this winter's trail time in this gamelands. This afternoon was no different.

25 February 2018 A Taste of Spring

We were planning to find our 16,000th geocache this afternoon. The weather was perfect for an afternoon on the trail, but first we walked and enjoyed our property. The stream was running fast with the thaw from last weeek's snow.

The skunk cabbage were visible in our wetlands.

After a fun walk at home, we headed off to a gamelands for a longer walk and our 16,000 find. This woolly bear appeared to be through its last molt with lots of orange showing. Its getting ready to become a moth.

It's porcupine time. We saw multiples on the trail today. They all ran to spots at the woods lines when we were approaching. It must be nesting time.

Our chosen trail had some nice uphill sections.

The PA gamelands are good locations to spot fossils. This rock was rich in ancient shells.

A nice view caps a perfect afternoon.

18 February 2018 Winter Wonderland

The sow which started yesterday afternoon while we were still on the gamelands trail made for a less than pleasant drive home. The snow continued through much of the night and by morning had left a peaceful winter scene at our home.

By the time we stopped at the same gamelands for a walk the following day, the February sun was melting the prior evening's snow and ice as it cast light over a small pool.

17 February 2018 Changing Weather

We stopped at a gamelands to search for a few caches while getting a walk. When we started on the trail, it looked a lot like spring might be near.

Ice Art

We were happy to spot this porcupine before the Phineas and Lizzie.

About ninety minutes into out walk, the weather turned and snow started. By the time we returned to the parking area winter had returned.