Jungle

The deciduous trees (not the conifers) seem to have largely recovered from the deer infestation over the winter.

There's plenty of lost browse on the cedars that shall not regrow - and the small oaks are stressed and trying to recover.

The soft maples are toast.

The northernmost plantation is looking almost jungle-like...

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Do not be fooled.  Most of what you see is undergrowth (not available in the winter) and white spruce (which deer prefer not to eat).

Carpodacus Mexicanus

Sure.  I know.  Sounds like the name of a dinosaur from south of the border.

House finches. 

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They're a delightful bird and so social that they'll let you get really close for a family photo-op on the porch...

Deer With a Complexion Problem

Check this out...

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A deer with a serious complexion problem.  A crevasse along its right jaw line, dark warts on its face and a large knobby growth on its snout.

Did this animal run into a fence?  Get smacked by a car?  Get into a brawl?  Contracted a disease?  I'll let you know what I find out.

Buck

Nice photo of a curious buck checking-out the camera. 

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Haven't seen any fawns lately.

The Turtle Calleth

Chrysemys picta to be exact.

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The painted turtle.  The most common Wisconsin turtle that there is. 

The Frau and I were sitting on the porch the other day enjoying a refreshing adult beverage when this turtle materialized on the driveway.  She was heading north (in the direction of the pond) and most likely finished laying her eggs in a location with a south-facing exposure.  Like my garden.

Will have to keep our eyes peeled for little turtlettes...

The Garden Chronicles

Hot and sweaty day yesterday. 

Basic garden maintenance - pruning, weeding and mounding.  Details over at the other blog...

Sunset Moonrise

From last night.

A spectacular peninsula sunset...

And the Bad Moon Rising....

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It's really not a bad moon.  Just a Super Moon.  Or a full moon.  Bad photography and the naked eye cannot tell the difference anyway...

Chores

The household rule is that the Christmas lights have to come down by the 4th of July.

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Harder to Spot

The cover in the woods is getting lush and thick.

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Deer are a little harder to spot.

The Garden Chronicles

All things are looking good for the garden.

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Peppers, onions, potatoes, broccoli and Brussels sprouts, red cabbage, green beans and much more.

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English peas and twenty five tomato plants.

Yowza!

New Boat

New to me.  It's used and in excellent condition.  Upgrading to a larger boat.

A 17 foot Grumman deep-v capable of fishing on the big pond.

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Came fully-equipped with a big motor, a kicker motor, marine radio, graph, down riggers, eight rods and a large collection of lures.

CertainTeed Fiber Cement WeatherBoard Siding Failure

New siding on the shack!

The CertainTeed Fiber Cement WeatherBoard exterior siding that began to shrink, gap, warp, crack and peel-away five years after it was installed is coming off for replacement. 

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And we're not installing a CertainTeed product. 

Taking pictures as the work proceeds to document mildew and staining on the Tyvek where the elements we able to penetrate the gaps created by the cracking, warping and peeling of the failed fiber cement WeatherBoard siding manufactured by CertainTeed.  

We were treated pretty poorly by their representatives and they're still denying their product is defective.  If anybody asks me about CertainTeed's customer relations and product reliability all I have to do is share with them our experience with the shrinking, gapping, cracking and peeling of the failed fiber cement WeatherBoard exterior siding manufactured by CertainTeed Corporation ( A division of St. Gobain).

Since this experience with shrinking, gapping, cracking and peeling fiber cement WeatherBoard siding isn't confined to us you can learn more about the class action lawsuit here.

Shrine

Came across this shrine while cycling the peninsula.  A faded Green Bay Packer flag, a decorative tree and wind chimes.

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It's at the top of a hill with a terrifically dangerous blind spot.

Someone died here.  I can feel it.  Wonder if it was a car, motorcycle or bicycle....?

Biking the Peninsula

Got some cycling in over the weekend.

Felt good.  The prior week had it's moments and there's nothing like a ride to clear the head.

Except when you get one of these three-quarter mile long hills.

Granny gear time...

Doe

Nice shot of a curious doe...

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Boss Bird

Haven't seen any birds lately.

Either out in the fields or on the cameras.

Finally - a solo gobbler

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Sturgeon Sweater

Spotted in Sturgeon Bay.

A sturgeon sporting a knit sweater.

Sneaking Deer

This profile is called the sneak.



I'm serious.

That's how deer sneak through the woods.

Dog Patch

Snuggling with my sweetie after a morning run.

Dog Patch, USA.

Newby

Brand, spanking, new baby deer on the trail.

The Frau thought it was dead.  Until it blinked, stood-up and ran off...

Curious

Curious deer checking out the trail camera.

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Big Meats

Fish camp this year featured more than just fish.

There were big meats too...

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First Fawn

First image of a newborn fawn...

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Caught!

Theoretically the trail cameras are supposed to be stealthy.

No noise, no visible flash, no nothing.

Why is it sometimes a deer caught on camera looks startled?

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Where's Waldo?

How many whitetails can you find in the picture?

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If you counted three you counted correctly.

Antlers

Some of the deer of the male persuasion that have been caught on the trail camera are beginning to grow their antlers.

These bumps are getting bigger by the week.  Just like on this pair of bachelors...

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