Our Ducks

There is a Mallard hen that has nested under the bushes in front of the house for two years now.  She had two batches of little ones this year.  The second batch had 12 eggs and 5 of them made it so far.  The following pictures are of mother and little ones.  She brings them up to our bird feeder area a couple times a day and then they all walk back to the river.  Pat got these pictures this morning.

They have just arrived and are all busy eating.  The little ones are a little hard to see against the rocks.

This is my favorite picture.  They are all sitting down and resting after having their meal.

They are on the way back to the river here.  The little ones tip over a lot in the grass trying to keep up with mom.

Patrick

The New Big Red

Back on March 25th of this year, I made a deal for a new 2015 GMC Yukon XL and the dealer ordered it telling me it would only be 8 weeks or so until I got it.  This past Friday July 11th, I was finally able to go pick it up and that was only after the dealer was able to find a vehicle like I ordered that he could get from another dealer in Spearfish South Dakota.  GMC still hasn't started the production of the one the dealer ordered back in March.  There were many excuses by GMC, but it seems it is just a case of poor planning and preparation for the release of a new model year.  This new model has more "bells and whistles" than there is time to go into.  It will take us awhile to learn how to use and operate all of them.  I can say right now that it drives and rides like a dream.  The following pictures show the outside.  It is not as bright as when we got it because we went to the cities yesterday and had to drive through some small rain storms both going and coming home.

 

Drivers side

 

 

From the rear

 

 

 Front and passenger side

 

 

Passenger side

 

 

Patrick

Roses

Early last spring I got a notice from a nursery that I have done business with in the past that they had a special deal of 5 rose bushes for $20.00 with free shipping.  They were a yellow one, a red one, a white one, a pink one and a blue one.  I couldn't pass it up and figured if they didn't live no big loss.  They were planted and 4 of the 5 are making it.  The picture below is of the first three flowers I have harvested.  The red one will have a flower in a couple more days.  I am not sure yet which one didn't make it.

 

Yellow Roses

 

 

Patrick