Ice Fishing Heron

Today we had a visitor to the pond.  It's a Blue Heron that comes on a regular basis, however, since it has turned cold we haven't seen it around.  The pond has a skim of ice but the weather warmed up a bit and shrunk from around the edges.  It was interesting watching it in action, wondering how it could see through the ice but I saw it strike and a fish dart away after being missed.  The fish looked as if it was maybe 4 to 5 inches.

Anything Will Do For a Brief Stop Over

We've had what appears to be a young Coopers Hawk hanging around for the past week or so.  On Wednesday it decided to not land on our deck or any of the neighbors roofs but instead to use the one of the neighbors cars as a perch.  It then moved lower and closer to the pond by landing on the sign telling everyone that they are not to fish, ice skate or swim in the pond.

I've been busy thus I didn't get to post this before the snow melted and we get the Ohio weather swing of 60+ degrees tomorrow.  These roses caught my eye last weekend, down below the window that morning. 

(click to enlarge)

 It all started with the first dusting of snow on the trees.  A bright and clear but cold day ahead.

Then all of a sudden the clouds moved out and turn to wispy looking clouds that could have been painted with a brush.

A Fall Trip To Get Apples

Not many left at this time of the year.  This is Irons Fruit Farm, a cooperative that sets up in farmers markets throughout this area of Ohio.  At the main farm they also have the corn maze, some animals for the kids and hay rides.

On the way home we took another route and from a distance I could see the top of this barn coming into view.  It was a chance shot because I wasn't driving and we didn't really slow down.  A little more to the left and the wife's face, or at least her nose, would have had to been cropped out.

We are in the first of two 90 deg. turns after passing the barn.

After going through the second of the 90 degree turns we came to a canopy of trees.  There were maybe 4 homes on the left side of the road and a huge corn field on the right.  There is a 45 degree to the left up ahead that leads to Oregonia Road, runs kind of east west, that leads from Lebanon, OH to Oregonia, OH.  It's famous for the Golden Lamb Inn.  Many of presidential hopefuls and winners have stopped here to give a speech.

Ohio's Fall Colors for 2013