Project 365/162-168 and 169-175

I've been on vacation...and, of COURSE forgot to bring my camera!!! Luckily, I shot enough pics ahead to make up for it! Ugh! (I hate that!)

I'm going on vacation again in another week or so for 18 days...and I will BE SURE TO PACK my camera this time!!! (But will be late again in posting...but will post next week...) :)

Here goes...

Day 162: We have a lot of these little finches that frequent our yard. Aren't they colorful?

 When we first moved to town, we were renting - trying to sell our home in Eau Claire. We bought three acres north of town in Houlton, Wisconsin. We planned to build. We still own that land. Maybe someday.... The land is on - you guessed it - 32nd Street and Buck Run!

 Day 164: This particular week, we spent a few days driving back and forth to our land. We have a little berry patch on it. We have no water source on the land, but since it's been so rainy, we've gotten quite a good crop of strawberries this year. :) I think our blackberries and raspberries will be a good crop, too! This will be the first year our crop has actually been good...we planted it two years ago, and it's been rather dry...
This is a picture of our land. Isn't it beautiful. I was able to use the landscape setting on my camera.

 Day 165: I should have used an action setting on this first shot of Bridgette jumping down from the tree, but I wasn't quick enough on the draw...she was climbing trees before we set about our berry picking...

 "Bridgette! Time to get to work!"

 Day 166: Some pretty daisies blooming in the sun...despite the long grass.

 Day 167: This is my favorite spot on Butternut Lake. I fantasize about purchasing this portion of land. It's probably a much nicer fantasy than reality...I'd rather just dream about it, I think...

 Day 168: Angel loves to go fishing with us. She waits for us to pull in a fish, then "kisses" the fish before we plop it into the basket. She jumped overboard once this year so far, going after one we threw back...I don't think she'll do that again...

 Day 169: Even this bug is pretty, when perched on a wildflower!

 Day 170: I love the strawberries that come out of our berry garden! The garden itself is about 8 or 10 miles from our house and there's no water source on it, so we don't get to it very often...so it's pretty neglected. We don't weed it often or water the plants...so "maintenance free" doesn't even begin to describe it! But, the berries are SO SWEET and they are brighter in color than those you get at the market.

 Day 171: You cannot see them very well, but we have these wild trees that grow in our back yard that have purple blossoms - kind of like wild roses - that spread like crazy! (They are right behind the bow target and along the whole back yard there...) In the six years we've been living here, they've crept up about an eighth of an acre or so...but, they're pretty!

 Day 172: This Mallard Duck was floating around on the trout brook along Trout Brook Road - two roads down from mine. He had a Mrs. accompanying him, too!

 Day 173: I loved the way the raindrops cling to this pine branch!

Day 174: This was a fun pic...can you see the chipmunk eating something off Aaron's shoe? (You may have to double click on the pic to enlarge it in order to see it big enough...)

Day 175: This cute pic is Angel looking through our screen in our screen door...she always wants to be next to me, no matter what I'm doing...even taking pictures. 

Well, I'm off to go to a baby shower. Hope you have a great weekend!