they're baaaack

This morning as I was rushing out the door, camera in hand, I looked out the back door and saw for the first time this year an indigo bunting! Very exciting. I told Olivia today and she was speechless. They're her favorite birds.

I've been getting pressure from a certain Chadd Watkins to put up my hummingbird feeders so that we can have lots of hummers on campus. I made nectar last night and put the feeders up just after noon today. Within 20-30 minutes, there she was!

While stalking the hummers, this little nuthatch was pretty bold about sneaking over to the peanut feeder. It got within 5 feet of me.

The male hummer showed up for a drink too, right before he flew straight above my head to the other feeder. He sat about a foot from me, looked at me, and then flew back to the other feeder.

I also found a new robin's nest, but it doesn't have any eggs yet. I really managed to tick off the soon-to-be parents!

In other birding news, we've had a pileated woodpecker (spell-checker thinks it should be "pleated" woodpecker!) in our back yard, pine siskins at the Watkins' thistle feeders (maybe one in our back yard today), a chuck-will's widow calling last night, and a bob white calling this afternoon!

a-camping we shall go

We met Mary Jane, Randy, Ruthie, Ryan, Jaclyn, and Toby at Meeman Shelby State Park for an Easter weekend camping trip. It was a pretty centralized location for all of us to meet up. After those of us coming from Tennessee dodged the tornadoes, we finally arrived and set up camp.

we love some s'mores!

Jaclyn and I were in charge of the two breakfasts during the weekend. I brought some pancake mix and Jaclyn brought the electric griddle. Along with some Saucettes and fresh strawberries, it was a great breakfast!

I finished making the pancakes and took the opportunity for some creations. This, theoretically, was Mickey Mouse. I also made a dog and a smiley face.

Ryan got the fire going again on Sabbath morning with the help of some coals and a little "kindling." We got the fire hot enough that night to turn the metal grate bright orange!

MJ giving Toby a little scratch. Toby enjoyed the attention from all of us . . . except maybe Randy. Toby liked having several laps to choose from as we sat around the fire.



Toby the leaf monster

The Ryans enjoyed the road for playing tennis and catch.

After breakfast, we took off in the van and car to see the mighty Mississippi river. It's pretty wide where we were, just north of Memphis. It turned out to be a great place to find driftwood to burn. I contemplated cutting up this log we all sat on, but we couldn't have fit it in the van. Ruthie didn't like the idea that there might be snakes on the bank when I brought it up.

Jaclyn, Ryan, and Toby on the big log. Toby loved all the smells down by the water.













Ryan and I with the river behind. It looked very muddy and even though it was really wide, it was very fast-moving.

While we were there, this huge barge started past. The boat said it was from St. Louis. It was 4 barges wide.

a little bridge on our short hike



plants from our hike

Jaclyn spotted this cool beech tree with its exposed roots next to a stream.

Ryan K. getting in a short nap after our haystack lunch. They just got this tent before this camping trip. I hope they get lots of use out of it meeting us to go camping!

a new thing: self-portrait with a dog!

sitting around the fire Sabbath afternoon

Randy reading up on his new camper







Toby loved it when we jumped in the cars again to head over to Poplar Tree Lake to check out the nature center and cabins. This was all well and good until Toby sneezed into the wind while sitting on my lap . . .

a timer shot of the whole group near the lake

Jaclyn took some shots of Ryan and I by the lake. The trees on this peninsula were really pretty. The guys played frisbee for a while and MJ walked Toby around to all the popcorn balls left by an earlier group. I can't believe he didn't throw up!

The guys also thoroughly enjoyed terrorizing the resident great-horned owl that lives in a cage outside of the nature center. Any time any of them approached the cage, it hissed at them. I need to upload the video so you can see.

Jaclyn & Toby

Ryan brings out Toby's best, as you can tell

Sunday morning self-portraits
I'm smiling despite the worst migraine of my life . . .

Sunday morning, Mary Jane and Jaclyn both planned for Easter egg hunts . . . so we had TWO!

Jaclyn and Ryan show their spoils from the second hunt

3rd slide picture

golf shots

I decided to go help out with Highland's annual golf tournament this past Sunday. The weather was great, unlike most years. I put out the sponsor signs at the different holes and helped give out drinks and snacks.

I ran into the Mathis/Welch foursome at this hole where they used Wes's shot to approach the green. I'm not sure if their tree-lifting tactic was legal . . . but it worked.

Aaron Jones reading a putt for his team

We had a total of 8 golfers sponsored by SAU. These are the HA students who played.

The one-eyed turtle I spotted and made our other two student helpers go catch. It was walking across the cart path.

Aaron McNulty played with Holly, Matt, and Roy

Brad Hayes played with Chadd's team. This is his tee shot over the water.

Brad, Chadd, Jason, and John won the tournament with a 57!

the schedule is out!

All games are on Tuesday nights.

4/7 vs. LHBC - Green 8:30/9:30
4/14 vs. Good Shepherd 8:30/9:30
4/21 vs. Northeast 8:30/9:30
4/28 vs. H'ville Church of Christ 8:30/9:30
5/5 vs. First Baptist 8:30/9:30
5/12 vs. Community 8:30/9:30
5/19 vs. LHBC - Blue 8:30/9:30

That gets us through graduation. After the 19th, the league will be divided into the top and bottom groups of 4 teams, who will play more games for a few weeks.