Our Toledo Area Activities for Sat, Mar 8, 2014

We started the morning at the downtown Toledo farmers market where we purchased apples, carrots, eggs, greens, coffee beans, a soft pretzel, and either turnips or parsnips.

Then we briefly visited the downtown Main Library to return books that we took out back in January and to renew two of those books. Obviously, we had to pay a late fee, which totaled $24 for the five late books.

I visited the Phoenix Earth Food Co-op the day before, purchasing milk for our at-home production of yogurt and ricotta cheese, so we did not need to stop at the co-op today.

On our way home, I filled up the car with gasoline at my favorite gas station, located at the corner of Sylvania and the road that leads to Blessed Sacrament. This is actually a gas station and not a convenience store that sells fuel. It's a full-service Sunoco station with a garage for auto work and full-service pumps, including the rubber hose stretched across the ground that dings when driving over it. It's family-owned by one of the auto mechanics. I've had my car worked on there for a couple minor things. The inside customer area is tiny with two vending machines: one sells candy and the other is an old soda machine that dispenses canned soda pop for 50 cents a piece. This where I buy gasoline for my and DD's vehicles.

At home, we unloaded the car and got ready for some birdwatching. We left soon after we arrived home.

For about 90 minutes to 2 hours, we drove the rural roads in southern Michigan, primarily in southeastern Lenawee County and a little in Monroe County, searching for Snowy Owls. We did see one immature Snowy Owl. DD spotted it first. The owl sat on the snow in a corn stubble field. It was fairly close to the road. But as I stopped and backed up, at some point the owl flew further back into the field. We viewed the bird through our binoculars.

The Snowy Owl rested in the a field along the west side of Lipp Rd, about a half mile north of Gust Rd.

During our driving around looking for owls, we saw several dozen, probably hundreds of Horned Larks, scatter from along the road sides where some ground was exposed. They also foraged on the fields that had exposed ground.

Naturally, a lot of blowing snow occurred this winter in the flat, open farm areas. We saw some large drifts along the west sides of some roads.

The weather on Mar 8, 2014 was foggy with some light snow. Visibility was low. Light grey day with the fog, snowfall, and the snow cover.

It was a good thing that the one Snowy Owl that we did see was located close to the road.

In addition to the one Snowy Howl and numerous Horned Larks, we saw to American Kestrels and 35 Sandhill Cranes, which were an unexpected surprise.

All the cranes were flying low. We saw them on or near roads in the area of Mulberry Rd, Weston Rd, and Lipp Rd.

The firs group of cranes contained 28 that flew in a nice V-formation, heading southeast toward Sylvania/Toledo. They did not call.

Then later, we saw one crane, also fly to the southeast. This bird appeared

lennawee county, one snowy owl, 35 sandhill cranes (28 in one flock), dozens of hola, 2 amke.

cranes - mulberry, weston, lipp rd areas.

andersons market in sylvania, beer tasting, shopping, cheese tasting by turkeyfoot creek goats cheese.
i liked the porter and the stout.
Evil Twin Imperial Biscotti Break Natale Pretty Please with a Cherry on Top Imp. Porter
Laughing Dog The DogFather Imperial Stout (Bourbon Barrel Aged).

baked two homemade pizzas, onion, and tomato sauce with dd's homemade canned sauce and turkeyfoot creek goats cheese chevre.

#todo build out text