Christmas at Rick's

As official photographer this year, I got to take all the Christmas Pictures of the gathering of the clan on Rick's (Mom's) side of the family.

Rick and Bob - they weren't really posing for a picture, I was just experimenting with whether I needed to use flash or not, but it came out well so I decided to post it. 

Bob, Janice, and Ted - who was surprisingly cooperative about having his picture taken.

Rick, Erin, Janice, Bob, and Renee

Rick and I, 

Grandma and Grandpa - who was surprisingly cooperative about having THIS picture taken.

The Clan
(minus 5, we're missing one family and Aunt Kelli was home with the flu)

Family Thanksgiving #1!

Family Thanksgiving #1!
Even Katie got in on the picture

To celebrate Thanksgiving, we all went to see Cirque Du Soleil: Dralion, which was very cool and set up the Christmas Tree! We had to "puppy proof" the tree this year, so you can't see how bare the bottom is and we didn't put up any glass ornaments in case Katie got ahold of one. 

We had a wonderful weekend!

Ricky R&D Apvion Spotlight!

Ricky is a part of the Research and Development spotlight at his Apvion co-op!  

Here, he is posing in front of his spray dryer.

Photo by Dennis

Halloween at Conversations!

We were encouraged to wear costumes to the dining center today!

The mobster is our manager.

Andrew aka: Clark Kent and I in the dish room

Rosie and Rollo

We get to wear "food service friendly" Halloween costumes at the dining center! YAY! So Fun!

I decided to do Rosie the Riveter and I tried to dress Rollo as a pumpkin but he was super ornery!

This is the only picture where the little fart even half-way cooperated!

And even so he didn't look at the camera. 

Pretty sure he's sitting there contemplating my demise.

Rotten Pumpkin.

anyway...

Happy Halloween!

Lincoln's Sparrows

Rick and I took a trip down to Neal Smith National Wildlife Refuge and found flock after flock of Lincoln's sparrows!

And GOBS of Redwing Blackbirds

And also this furry boulder...

Birdwatching Afternoon: A Groundhog and 2 Barred Owls!

The rare Running Groundhog

Grackle migration is in full swing

Downy Woodpecker preening

Downy Woodpecker

glowing Squirrel - he was pretty hard to miss

The path through Carr Park - I loved the way it faded from yellow into green

A little male Red-bellied Woodpecker stashing an acorn

Lincoln's Sparrow

Lincoln's Sparrow

 A PAIR OF BARRED OWLS!!
I was SO excited! They were AMAZING!!

1st Barred Owl in Tree 1

2nd Barred Owl (he was a little bigger than his mate) 

1st Barred Owl in Tree 2

1st Barred Owl in Tree 3

Birdwatching Morning

Ricky and I headed off to Petersen Pits and McFarland this morning to do some birdwatching!

Yellow Bellied Sapsucker! We only ever see these guys during migration seasons

The grass was so pretty this morning

White Throated Sparrow

Heat rising off the Pits

BUTTER BUTT!!

More pretty grass!

Fluffy White Seeds!

Mushrooms!

Great Blue Heron sunning himself by the Skunk River

SQUIRREL!

Fox Sparrow - photo by Rick

Fox Sparrow - Photo by Rick

House Wren

Flycatcher

House Wren

English Sparrows - Photo by Rick

Red Bellied Woodpecker

Ruby Crowned Kinglet

Hermit Thrush

More Mushrooms!

Bluebird! We were really surprised to see him

Ricky!