Chinese Food and a Swamp

Today's plan was to work in the gardens but plans are made to be changed.

Chris called to invite me to join him, Tisha and Evan for a meal at Bao Ju, a Mandarin restaurant in Neenah. (baojuneenahcom) with excellent food and service. I never turn down an ethnic meal.

I ate cashew chicken and watched as six year old Evan wolf down almond chicken. We discussed pea pods and why they didn't allow the peas to get bigger.  We talked about his friends, Chris and Tisha's work, and my trip.  I think the real point is to let Evan have time with his Grandma before she goes off on another harebrained trip and gets eaten by bears.

I came home early with the plan to go back to work on the gardens but they were wet.  I took a nap to let them dry a bit.

When I woke up, Gary had another idea and off we went to the marsh at Van Patten Road near Shiocton.  We hadn't been there since the spring migrations of April.   We walked along the dikes that hold in the welcoming water for waterfowl. Dan Jach, Seymour handyman and birder, told us there would be pelicans there, and sure enough, we counted 65 of them.

In addition we saw the following species (in no order):
Killdeer
Black Crowned Night Herons
Redhead Duck
Black Terns
American Bittern
Yellow Headed Blackbirds
Red-winged Blackbirds
Coots
Blue Winged Teal
Marsh Wrens
Sandhill Cranes
Mallards with many ducklings
Canada Geese with many goslings
Red-Tailed Hawks
Ruddy Duck
Barn Swallows

Plus a garter snake and muskrats.

We ate sandwiches as we looked over the marsh with binoculars.  I think Gary wants to spend some quality time with me before I go off on another trip and get eaten by bears.

No one ever tries to talk me out of anything though.  I appreciate that.