17 November 2013 - A day along the GSL

 I had a lovely day on the Antelope Island causeway. I went with 10 other people from the Ubird group and not only saw a handful of new-to-me birds, but learned how to identify them too. The purpose of the trip was to look for sea birds and we found them. Here are those added to my life list:

Surf Scoter

Black Scoter

Pintail duck

Long-tailed duck

Northern shrike

Lesser Sandpipers

Bonaparte's Gulls

American Pipits

Rough-legged hawk

Gull is above and Surf Scoters are below. 

 

 It was surreal to be out looking at ducks then realizing you can see hunters out in low boats and hear the shotguns. 

Instead of getting on the freeway to come home, I wandered some of the back roads near the lake while making my way south. Found a few surprises including this metal worker's shop and house. 

 This is the top of his octagonal workshop. 

Below you can see how the sides can roll up and down for ventilation. 

 





The deer in front is not a Christmas decoration covered with lights, but a sculpture made out of metal.

His house was completely metal clad. It looked like the same stuff airstreams are made of, except for the corner that is a fun house mirror.

This will make you laugh--beauty in the eye of--and all that. I thought the flowers were tacky but loved the frog on the roof, the green and yellow sculpture and the metal people. 

But speaking of yard art -- the kind that makes my heart flutter, I was having serious lust over the farm equipment. 





The huge farms that used to surround the lake are rapidly turning into suburbs, but the new homeowners keep pieces of the past as yard ornaments. 

I think I saw 12 or more of these tillers used as decoration in front yards.

Many driveways have post and bar entrances decorated with metal work. I particularly like this one-- the side posts were made from tree trunks with many boles. 















Outfitter ranches often had long strings of pack animals on their bars or fence rails. 

And just in case you thought the romance had disappeared from ranching . . .  or was only still alive in Janet Daily books . . 

the Domar's are here to tell you it is still alive.