Wednesday, May 30, 2007

Chicks to fly soon...

Everyone is watching and ready to "pick up chicks" if necessary.

Our four "little" wonders are due to fledge out soon and there is concern about them landing in and around the monument circle and the street below.

I really don't know what I will do when they are gone. (sigh)

Check the links below for updated information and the "live-time" camera shots.

Tuesday, May 22, 2007

Falcon Chicks: Yesterday Was Banding Day!


Check out this video (with sound!): Falcon Chick Banding Video. The Department of Natural Resources came out to check and band the four falcon chicks that are presently nested over Monument Circle. It was determined that we have two males and two females.

All the bands we refer to are the black over green bands on the left leg of each chick. The names selected for each of the birds were determined as follows:

Kinney band is W over 53 (male) – submitted by Debbie Garcia from Indianapolis, IN. We felt there was no better way to honor the patriarch of the Indianapolis baby peregrines over the last 13 years – and on his way to becoming the most productive tiercel in the Midwest - than naming one after him. As Debbie said in her submission “…should be named after his dad…because his dad has done such a fine job being the ‘proud’ dad from the beginning when he had his turn sitting on the eggs. I will never forget the night he put the eggs in a row to lay on them. Kinney is ‘super dad’.” We couldn’t agree more Debbie – if there was such a thing as agreeing 500%, then I’m there. We will call him Junior during the fledging season in order to differentiate between him and his dad when calling out a name, but for the record books, he will be documented as Kinney. Now, if he turns out to be half the falcon his dad is…wow!

Poston band is W over 54 (male) – submitted by the entire Poston Road Elementary School, Principal Betty Maxwell, Martinsville, IN. The Poston Road Tigers caught falcon fever the day the first chick hatched because they were enthusiastically celebrating an Arbor Day celebration when word came baby number 1 had arrived. As their entry stated, “…the school, the staff and the entire community feel that Poston is very special and will soon soar high just as we aspire and inspire our students to do….Our entire school has embraced the Peregrine Falcons”. You inspire us with your passion you Poston Road Tigers and I hope falcon Poston continues to inspire you and falconheads of every age, everywhere!

Lieber band is R over 10 (female) – submitted by Alison Brown, Ansfelden, Austria and Carmel IN. This name has a two-fold meaning. Lieber means “beloved” in German – well, doesn’t that sum it up for many of us and how we feel about these birds? Lieber also happens to be the name of Colonel Richard Lieber and as Alison documented about him “…was crucial to the development of the Indiana State Park system and a pioneer in the protection of wildlife in our state.” Everyone, particularly Hoosiers, should be proud and thankful for the work of Colonel Lieber – if you have time, google his name and read a very impressive record of his life and the impact on natural resources conservation he had nationally and locally. We’ve come a long way in protecting the wildlife and lands that surround us humans thanks to pioneers like Colonel Lieber and honestly, what could be more wild and beloved than one of our baby falcons?

Hokie band is R over 11 (female) (my apologies for the original misspelling of the name - it was in no way intentional - thanks and sorry but thanks to everyone for noticing) – submitted by Gayle Doucey, Greenwood, IN. As Gayle so succinctly and eloquently put it: “In the memory of Virginia Tech. Let their spirits continue to soar on the wings of a falcon.” The name Hokie has the same first two letters of a word I believe sums up what the world still has, even with all the events we see unfold before us on an everyday basis: hope. So we hope that Hokie will have a long and fruitful falcon life and contribute to the continued recovery of this remarkable species known as the peregrine falcon.

We will continue to watch them over the next couple of weeks to see when they will fly.

Click here to see the live-time Falcon Cam of the nest: Falcon Nest Falcon Nest

Click here to see the live-time Falcon Cam of the ledge overlooking the circle: Falcon LedgeFalcon Ledge

I'll be sorry when they leave and it is over for the season.

Friday, May 11, 2007

Two Days AND ITS DONE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Wow. Sunday is the day. It still hasn't quite sunk in.

I first went to Indiana University straight out of high school in 1977. During my tme there, I was frustrated in that I could not decide "what I wanted to do when I grew up" and, thus, could not decide upon a major. I decided to seek my fortune one-and-a-half years later and left school. Over the next two decades, I evolved into the occupation of travel consultant and meeting planner - an occupation that wasn't officially acknowledged by the Department of Labor until 1989!

In that time, I also realized that I needed the "paper" to be able to perform at the level for which I was qualified. In 1999, I drew in a deep breath and called Indiana University located in downtown Indianapolis to inquire about their new Bachelor of Science degree program for Tourism, Conventions and Event Management. I spoke with a true angel in the name of Dr. Linda Brothers. She informed me about the development of the program and encouraged me to enroll which I eventually did and I began classes in 2000.

Over the past seven years, I have attended classes on a part-time basis while also working a full-time job. There were many times that I thought I would never reach the end but my beloved Ed and my friends kept cheering me on. Now, in just two days, I will switch the tassel on the floor of the RCA Dome in downtown Indianapolis and accept my Bachelor of Science degree from the Dean of our school.

Lessons learned? (1) Kids, GET THE PAPER! (2) It IS possible!

Wednesday, May 09, 2007

Can they BE any cuter???

Every day, I check in on the falcon chicks.

I love this photo I captured this morning and wanted to share with you.

Have a wonderful day!

Monday, May 07, 2007

We're Back!!! Where are the palm trees?

What a week last week was!

Ed and I ran away on a four-day cruise to the Bahamas and it was exactly what the doctor ordered.

We visited Nassau, the privately-owned beach of Cocoa Cay Beach (Royal Caribbean), and Key West and South Beach, Florida. We left Monday, the 30th and returned on Saturday, the 5th.
It was perfect.

Friday, April 27, 2007

We have all four chicks!

The fourth and last chick was hatched today! So far, everything is going naturally and are in good condition.

Click here to see the live-time Falcon Cam: Falcon Cam Falcon Cam

The link to the Falcon Blog is: Falcon Blog and Falcon Cam

Thursday, April 26, 2007

We have three falcon chicks with one to go!



Remember our posting (below) about the nesting Falcons overlooking Monument Circle?

Well, the chicks began hatching yesterday and we're watching for one more! Check out these links!

Click here to see the live-time Falcon Cam: Falcon Cam Falcon Cam

The link to the Falcon Blog is: Falcon Blog and Falcon Cam

Enjoy!

Sunday, April 01, 2007

Graduation in one month???!!! - No April Fools!!!


I began college in 1977 and left in 1978 to find out "what I wanted to do when I grew up." I returned to finish my BS degree in 2000 as a part-time student.

Over one year-and-a-half ago, I needed "something" to excite me toward the completion of my bachelor of science degree. SO, I posted sheets of paper on the wall noting each month left before it would be completed. I allowed myself the fun of ripping off one paper each month. This has worked well even when I had to add four months to accommodate a required course.

Now we are on the homestretch... The good news is that I have my last and final exam on April 28 - four weeks from yesterday! The BAD news is that it is in a 300-level statistics course that I am not doing well in at all. I am deathly afraid that I will have to retake the course. If this comes to pass, then I will be able to participate in the ceremony on May 13 BUT will have to retake the course during the first summer session.

Wish me luck!!!

Monday, March 26, 2007

Peregrine Falcons on Indy's Circle! Check it out!

A pair of Peregrine Falcons have nested atop one of Indianapolis' tallest buildings that overlook the downtown Monument Circle.

The Indianapolis Star newspaper is partnering with the Department of Natural Resources in hosting a "Falcon Cam" that features images of the nesting falcons and the ledge overlooking the circle. To-date the pair have four eggs and anticipate hatching to begin around April 24th.

Check out the Falcon Blog and Falcon Cam. Click on the links in the right-hand column to catch the live falcon-cam shots that refresh every 60 seconds.

Wednesday, March 21, 2007

Smoozin for some Cruisin...

Sorry, folks, but we have to escape!!!

I found a VERY nice cruise special that will depart out of Miami to spend a day in Nassau, a day at Royal Carribean's private island, and a day in Key West (I can taste the Key lime pie now). We even included a night at South Beach just to watch the "nightlife." Using some frequent flyer points resulted in two round-trip flights for a total of $15.00. Since Ed is a SENIOR CITIZEN!!!, we qualify for a very decent fare for an oceanview stateroom.

How did we justify this? My birthday is in March and Ed's is in April. PLUS, I will graduate from Indiana University in May. SO, all three of those special events together equal one cruise in the fun and sun. Sheesh, we can't wait!

Wednesday, February 21, 2007

Mystical Sunrise

That "wacky weather" is playing with us again. After having a blizzard and sub-zero degree temperatures, we are now in the mid-40s and the snow is melting fast.

With these warm temperatures and the amount of snow still on the ground, a very thick fog formed with this morning's sunrise. Ed captured this picture from our front porch.

I wanted to share its beauty with you.

Friday, February 16, 2007

Winter Art Show

With a beautiful sunny afternoon available, Ed went into the back yard and captured some amazing photos depicting Old Man Winter's "flair" with an artbrush. Enjoy!


Wednesday, February 14, 2007

Snow DAZE!


Wowie! Have we had fun the past two days!As you are all aware, central Indiana experienced a winter storm that began on Monday night and lasted through the night on Tuesday. We are located in Lebanon, Indiana which is in Boone County situated northwest of Indianapolis. In total, we received 12 to 14 inches with drifts up to four or five feet in some areas.

We're cozy inside with plenty of junk food. We managed to shovel a path out front to the road so that we can get our mail today.

NOW it is supposed to dip into sub-zero degree temperatures and we may receive four+ inches more snow this weekend!


Enjoy the pics! They were taken this morning. As always, simply click twice on each to enlarge.


Thursday, February 08, 2007

Love the Snow!



Tuesday was fun for us as well as many other people throughout the midwest when six+ inches of snow hit the area.

One good thing is that with the cold temperatures we have been having, the snow is light and fluffy.

Ed and I are especially happy with how the new paint job on the house looks with the white snow. Double click on the pics to enlarge and enjoy!

Friday, January 26, 2007

Another one bites the dust!



First of all, I'm sorry for not having posted in so long... A LOT has been going on here and this was the first chance I have had.

St. Joseph Catholic Church, which is across the street, purchased the (very cute) house next door to them. This house was a rental and was very well taken care of. We had heard rumors that the church wanted to expand but didn't expect actions to take place so soon.

Earlier this week, we noticed that men were stripping off the aluminum siding and removing any windows of worth. Today they are cleaning the lot - wow, so fast!

We just hope that they will begin construction soon and not leave the lot bare for a long period of time.

I do miss the house. It was really cute.

Sunday, December 10, 2006

A real Dull tree for a bright Christmas!


Yesterday was our day to make our annual "pilgramage" to the Dull's Tree Farm to cut our Christmas tree. I really have to take some space here and brag about this family and their business.

Tom and Kerry Dull moved into this wonderful 1800's farmstead and soon after began using the soil to grow Christmas trees. Since then, they have restored a couple of log cabins to house a gift shop and crafts center as well as a wreath barn. There is a petting zoo. Click here for their website to see and read about their operations: Dull's Tree Farm.

TREES FOR TROOPS
This is another exciting program I must tell you about. The National Christmas Tree Association sponsored a program this year where 11,000 Christmas Trees were donated to U.S. troops and their families. Trees from tree farms across the U.S. donated these trees and Federal Express donated all shipping expenses. Our own Dull family was the Trees For Troops headquarters for the state of Indiana. For more information, go to the website for the National Christmas Tree Association.

In selecting our tree, Ed and I prefer the Fraser Fir. Since this type of tree is the only tree they don't grow, they have some brought in. We couldn't find one at six feet so we opted for the Canaan Fir that looks almost like a Fraser Fir but isn't as fragrant. When it is decorated (tonight or tomorrow?), I will post the final pics for your viewing pleasure.

I hope your holiday season has been bright thus far. If not, why not acquire "A real Dull tree for a bright Christmas?"

Thursday, December 07, 2006

Morning Moonrise

I am very much an early morning person. I love to begin working when it is dark, quiet, and the entire world is asleep but me.

For the past few days, the moon has been full. Each morning I sit at my desk next to the window and can see the moon through my window just before the sunrise takes it away. This morning, I captured this beauty for you.

Enjoy the day. It is full of wonderful things for us to discover!

Also, take a moment to remember Pearl Harbor. Its been 65 years but there are still those (in Indiana) who were there.

Lynn

Friday, November 24, 2006

Ouch! I was TOO thankful!

Like many people, I was hurting yesterday after consuming mass quantities of food.

It was a beautiful day at my parents' house where my brother and his family joined us and my parents. The weather was good and the day was beautiful.

I hope everyone enjoyed themselves as much as we did and had a wonderful Thanksgiving Day.

Wednesday, November 15, 2006

My "Baby" Brother Got Married!!!


Saturday, November 11 was an exciting one for the Allison family as this was the day that my "baby" brother, Richard, married a wonderful woman named Fern.

The wedding was beautiful! It was held at the Woman's Athletic Association located on North Michigan Avenue in Chicago. The building was constructed in 1928 thus the architecture throughout was beautiful. Founded in 1898, this organization was the first athletic club for women in the United States. The building's architecture illustrates the sophisticated urban ambience of North Michigan Avenue, as it was originally planned and developed in the 1920s. The modern French-style classical design, which is reminiscent of continental-style Parisian elegance, is one of the last standing links to the street's formative years.

Preceding the service was Champagne and wine service. The service was beautifully simple and genuine as was followed with hors d’ oeuvres and more Champagne and wine. Then we went to the ballroom located on another floor to enjoy a wonderful dinner of roast duck. A 17-piece band struck up a variety of tunes to include blues, jazz, swing, and traditional tunes.

It was truly a magical evening and one we will fondly remember always. As we are now home, Richard and Fern are enjoying themselves in Portugal, sipping Port from its original monasteries (I hope they bring me some as a souvenir!).

Thursday, November 02, 2006

Halloween on THE HAUNTED PORCH!


Halloween is not only the day when the "dead walk the earth" but it is evidence that, especially on this day, we are not required to grow up!

As is tradition, we ventured to the Lebanon, Indiana porch of our friends Lisa Lord and Kevin Friend. Kevin is a renown D.J. here in town whose alter ego is "Dr. Toast." Their porch is elaborately decorated every Halloween featuring eery lighting and wonderful music, fog, and sound effects.

You see Ed here as the Hippy Hearse Driver and Dr. Toast is featured at the sound controls. The weather was cool, dry, and the moon was wonderful. Easily, we had between 300 and 400 trick or treaters and the number keeps climbing as people learn of THE HAUNTED PORCH IN LEBANON! Come by next year!