Who can? Peli can!

On this day we took advantage of some spring weather and headed out to Nelson Lake marsh, our favorite bird haunt, to perhaps see some good ducks. And what we saw there made ducks look boring and rather tiny -- we saw American White Pelicans! Just a handful. Even Jason, bird extraordinaire, was surprised to see them, but apparently they make a stop here on their annual migration. We plan to come back again to see more, hopefully. We also got to see some Fox Sparrows thrashing around in the dry leaves.

My pics of the pelicans were from very far away and came out blurry, so I decided to liven up the pic with some picassa magic. You may notice that the colors are slightly acid-trip. This is to denote artistically how we both thought we were tripping when we saw the pelicans, but I can assure you that we were not. Unless you count the time Jason tripped and completely fell butt-backward over when he thought he heard a Fox Sparrow and forgot to keep his eye on the terrain. Or maybe it was a result of the McD food we nabbed on our way over. I think they may put acid in that stuff to make such terrible food taste so good.

V-Day

On this romantic day, the day before our loviversary, Jason surprised me with flowers and candy and presents, and also this groovy little disco frog. I believe he had no idea that this little stuffed toy also came with a voice, and I also believe if he'd known, he would've thought twice before introducing it to me. Sometimes I enjoy playing the frog song next to the phone when we talk at night. I am convinced that Jason boogies on the other end of the phone every time. It's too catchy.

On this special night we also went to Salerno's for dinner in St. Charles. We had a pleasant time but we will never, ever, ever go out for dinner on Valentine's day ever, ever again.

Binary Star System

We’re moving through space and time on a small planet orbiting a medium-sized star, along a spinning galaxy in an expanding universe. A cosmic wind didn’t blow us down and the trees aren’t bent to the ground

So we evolved. We got to stand and think and build and progress. We’re all a part of it…

One star out of billions keeps us warm.

We’re living in a microscopic section of geological time. We don’t see mountains grow or much of evolution show but we have singing birds and blooming flowers after spring storms. I've got grass beneath my feet and a kite in the sky on a breeze

Because I’m alive. I get to play and learn and wonder and grow. I get to love you…

Two stars out of billions keep me warm.

Muddy Shoes and an Owl at Nelson Lake Marsh

We went back to the marsh to find those owls again ... and only one complied. This guy is definitely a Great Horned Owl. He was just hanging out in a tree, watchin for snacks, and he also kept checking over his shoulder to see what we were up to.

Saturday was a gorgeous psyche-out springy day and all the snow and ice was melting. We had to wade through a few spots on the trail, and as we headed back the water had risen a bit.

Also saw -- white-tailed deer (2), red-tailed hawk (1), northern flicker (1), canadian goose (a zillion, mostly overhead)

And we drove up and down the Fox River looking for winter ducks, but all we saw were mallards and those canadian geese.

Snow-Shoein' Nelson Lake Marsh

Today we went for a snowshoe walk around the nature preserve of Jason's childhood. We circumnavigated the entire lake. We saw very few birds, and even fewer people. And we saw owls, which completely rocked. Jason thinks they were long-earred owls since he's seen them there before, but we'll need to go back to confirm it. One was even carrying prey in its talons. The lake was frozen solid and the marsh grasses were smothered under snow. All was beautiful and quiet.

Jason picked me a bouquet of freeze-dried marsh and prairie grasses and forbs, which now adorns my door. Some people would think that it's lame to give a gal a bouquet of dead flowers. Those people are dumb.

Lost in our Food

Lately we've been getting together Wednesday nights to watch Lost. And sometimes we cook. Check out this kick-butt chicken marsala we made from our romantic Cooking for Two cookbook. The best part is drinking the marsala wine while cooking. At 18% alcohol content, whatever you make doesn't even have to taste good at the end. But it did anyway.

Inuit Kiss

A record has been set in our relationship this morning: at minus 21 degrees Fahrenheit, today is the coldest day of our two-year relationship. Luckily, our morning kiss took place indoors!