Day 9 Oct 7 2014 Exploring the Prairie ecosystem

   We did get out to enjoy the totally sunny day , driving some 45 miles to the Neal Smith National Wildlife Reserve southeast of DesMoines IA. This is a Reserve dedicated entirely to reinstating, if you will, the tall grass and short grass prairie that once covered the entire mid America from Alberta  to Louisiana and contained not only the million head of buffalo and the passenger pigeon, but millions and millions? of other animals and who knows how many subterranean creatures.  It was a veritable storehouse of life.

   Then …settlers started to plow the land and Mr. Deere came along woth his new invention, the steel plow (The soil got sticky in the plains and the steel plow was just the thing to over come this stickiness.) and the rest is history, I one generation the prairie as it was known, was gone. Today only .01 % of the total that originally existed is left . But, through the efforts of projects like we see at the Neal Smith NWR, there is hope that some of that can be restored in the years to come.

   The Visitor Center at Neil Smith is primarily an education center and has wonderful areas for teaching, demonstrating, and researching ways to best show what this prairie is all about. A school busload of High School Juniors was there today gathering specimens to learn about what lives there. I learned that prairie grasses are MORE VALUABLe to keeping carbon gases out of the atmosphere than trees. Now that was real revelation to me. As a former forester of sorts, I always thought that the trees were the best way to clean the air. But the grasses roots go so deep into the soil (6-8 feet inmost cases), that the return of the elenents to the soil is guaranteed. Even when they burn the grasses, for rejuvenation  like was done naturally centuries ago,  the carbon released to the air is 1/10th that of burning trees. Maybe we should all plant prairie grasses where we can?

         The roots of the prairie grasses go into the soil from 6-8 feet shown in the cut away view.

   This NWR,  has two herds of native animals. They were native to the plains as well. THIS IS  ANOTHER NEW BIT OF LEARNING FOR ME. (ELK)  We did see some of the Buffalo, but as it was the middle of the day, the Elk were in shade I am sure. (Temp was 70 F) but it was very windy at 25-30 mph.
   The rolling hills with the prairie grasses are what one might picture in days gone by, that was here for the Native American Indians to use and live with.

The Buffalo herd of 83 animals , though enclosed , has about 1,000 acres to roam and eat grasses.

The natives of the area used everything that nature could provide in their lives. 

The Oiway tribe lived here in the middle of the prairie. 

   All in all the day was a learning one, and when completely surrounded by the prairie and hearing (on an audio CD about the history and progress), it sinks it quickly.  I will end today with a few more pictures of the prairie site for visual effects. I will post others on my  Face Book site.

This a picture of one of the Oak Savannah Prairie that is being reestablished. It was a farmland forest, and all the non-prairie species were removed leaving it in "pre prairies" state. It is reboundig slowly but surely. One thing about the prairie species, in time, they will force out the non native plants  from the habitat.

 We saw 14 bird species today including White Pelican, Bluebirds, Horned Lark,  a Franklin's Gull and 4 Pheasant.

   Tomorrow we will visit Red Rock Lake (Again SE of Des Moines)  and I believe will see more shore and water birds than we have.   It s a 23 mile long reservoir of the Des Moines River that is used for recreation, wildlife and conservation.  See ya!

Day 8 October 6, 2014 Moving from Shelby IA, to Waukee IA near Des Moines

   Yep. I said this will be short and it is.

A beautiful morning as I caught the sun coming up and the cloud reflection in a few pictures

                  Here was the sunrise out the door as we got up and around this morning. Very fine.

We hooked up the vehicles  and got everything ship shape by 9:15 and were on the road .There is only a  95 mile trip to Waukee, IA  from Shelby, directly on I-80 , so a short ride. Still many trucks moving this morning so had to be alert. We will visit many wildlife areas during that stop.

We found the new campground with no trouble, Timber Ridge  RV  Park,  and it had a very beautiful  and manicured entrance with a winding drive, big boulders on grass in between Colorado Spruce trees . The manager was not in so we called her on her phone by the door and she came right over and got us checked in. After I made a wrong turn to  to the site, we did a turn around the park to get in the right road  and into our site. Many trees andwe faced a large wooded area where there is good cover. I think we already like this campground.

Set up went well, and by 1:30 after lunch we were out to do the laundry in the town of Adel about 7 miles away which was the nearest laundromat.  Washes were $3.00 a load.  After 3:30 it was time to get groceries for the next week at Hy Vee 's big store a few miles the other way.What a beautiful store.Big , roomy and east to find what you want. This was on US 6. I never heard of it but t is the old road before I-80. Bet you didn't know that?  Gas is still $2,.99 for super unleaded!

Groceries were in the trailer and we took a short break, then supper of prepared goulash, and time to rest and get ready for tomorrow when we will head for Neal Smith NWR on the other side of Des Moines.

I'm rooting for the Royals but they have their work cut out for them against a good Oriole team.

See ya tomorrow with more pictures I suspect.

Day 7 , October 5 2014 Loess Hills Scenic Byway, Iowa and Sioux City , IA

   Somewhere between yesterday and today the Day 7 blog was lost, so this is an attempt to replicate as close as possible that day.

   Sunday October 5th. The day dawned bright and sunny and stayed that way almost all day. We drove north on I 29 all the way to Sioux City  on the Missouri River. This is about 95 miles. From there we took the Loess Byway all the way back along the spine of the Hills. GAs in Sioux City was $2.89/gallon (sic) .

Before we arrived we did make one stop to see a replica of the Keelboat that Lewis and Clark used on their "Journey of Discovery"across the USA in 1803. A fun and short stop.

The keelboat reached Fort Mandan for the men in the winter of '03, and it held 2 1/2 tons of equipment and supplies. It is about 60 feet long and12 feet across and has many storage compartment. In the rear are the sleeping quarters if needed. The men used sail (seldom), oars (some) and a towline (most of the time) when 30 men would pull it walking along the river banks.  This model had just beenbrought out of the water at Lewis and Clark DSatte Park near Owana, IA

But back to Sioux City, the home of the song "Sioux City Sue" ("swap my horse and dog for you") which was published in 1945 and a year later the movie with the same name came out starring Gene Autry the "Singing Cowboy". They play the song  all day long at the City Hall visitor center and I'll bet it drives them insane by the end of each day. We, however, did visit a different visitor center on a riverboat  that was placed there after many years of service.

This is the boat "Charles Floyd", named after the only man to die on the trip west of Lewis and Clark
It is a Visitor Center at this time. Having served  on the MIssouri River since the 1930's it was decommissioned and did a "farewell tour" when 350,000 people visited her up and down the Missouri River.  It is a museum as well and all her paraphenalia are intact (engines, crew quarters, etc). A must see stop if you are in the area.

   Then we headed for the Loess Byway which runs along the spine of the Loess dunes for more than 100 miles. It winds around the farmland, through tiny villages, and past many silos and barns, and for a ways  it skirts the the eastern edge of the Missouri Valley (the flatland formed by the floodplain over centuries.) This was flooded heavily in 2011 and some areas are still recovering with new infrastructure being built.

                   Coming down off the Loess hills, on I-80,  into the Missouri Valley, NE of Omaha NE.
                               The Missouri River is on the far side where the tree line is seen.

A verygoo question!  "What are the Loess Hills' and why are they so important?  A couple of things have contributed to that, But let me add a few statements from the data.

A good look at one of the Loess hills with a cliff that is quite intact. Because the soil came from glacial blow deposited after the glaciers and the westwind blew for millenia to create this, the shape of the grains of sand  forms a network of tight soil that does not erode easily. This is one reason why they have lasted so long (Since just after the ice ages). This view is just below the ridgeline of the hills. The soil is also excellent in nutrients where it is tillable providing a good soil for crops. In some places it is 60  feet thick and more and stretches away form the hills some distance.

  The road winds and twists, around hills and through the continued corn and bean fields. In one place the corn was planted so steep on the hill that I did not know how the driver of the machines could have kept from tipping over. They use every available space to plant crops. You may be aware that the bean crops (called 'pulse crops') are filled with nitrogen and return the same to the soil .So they make a great rotation crop with corn and  other grains alternating other years.

   We continued on the main road until we ran into a stoppage at a bridge that was out and in repair. There were no warning so we had to back track like a few others there. A decision as to how to do this as we were in"uncharted  road territory". A guy in a red MG convertible didn't want to take the gravel roads so he headed out on the pavement. I took the first road possible (gravel)  ("Hey, I'm driving a Toyota Tundra") and was about to turn when a stake truck was turning the same way. I stoped the driver and asked him is this road would take us around the bridge. He said yes, he was going there, so just follow it to the "back door of Pisgah" (his words, not mine) That was the next town beyond the bridge. I started out ahead of him and at a "Y" in the road went left and looked in the rear view mirror and saw the truck going through the intersection. I turned around and followed him  which eventually did lead to Pisgah and around the bridge. There were three places where other roads were blocked from the 2011 floods which added to the mystery of the afternoon.

   We did continue on our way with one other stoppage, but enjoyed the difference in the shape of the hills and the way they have grown over all these years. In years past the fires kept the trees at a minimum but since man has moved in, the trees have filled in the empty spots  quite thoroughly and we have controlled the fires.

One of the stoppages on the Loess Byway. Fortunately after a stoplight, we could go on green. 

   It was a fine day and we ended it with a treat at the "Corn Crib" restaurant where "Grandma's Chicken  dinner" was the fare of the day.  (It was Siunday , right?)  We both had the chicken with mashed potatoes and gravy, a veggie, biscuit, and drink for $6.99 .The meat was hot, tender and juicy!   we bought an ice cream treat at the DQ,  and Ruth stored hers in the freezer, I ate mine.

Tomorrow's move to Waukee IA, will be a short one as will be the trip (90 miles).

Day 6 Shelby Iowa Oct. 4, 2014 Back to DeSoto NWR for great birding!

 BIrds! Finally some birds!

   Yes, we really got to the birds this day. Even though the morning temperature was in the low 30’s (F) and sunny, we got started just after the NWR opened at DeSoto. We knew the drill as we had been there before and checked at the Visitor Center to see what birds had been seen. We wanted to find Wood Ducks especially as they are much rarer to find let alone to see. 

   So the day was sunny and it never reached any temperature over 50 F.  The wind, although still blowing at 15-20 mph, seemed much colder with the temps so low. We both had on sweaters and a zippered jacket.  Getting out of the truck in the open chilled the body in a hurry!

                                This is an indication of how secluded the Wood Ducks were . They are a difficult target. 

   In order to give you a good picture of what the Reserve is like I will post the birds and when appropriate describe the habitat they were found . That way you can paint your own mental picture and “ride along with us”. Here we go.


                                                                                Desoto National Wildlfe Refuge 

                              The "oxbow" was part of the Missouri River until it got "cut off",  then the wildlife really used it.

    In the truck, on the road, “if it moves” and we can ID it, it is include in the days count. Today they were:

Canada Geese, in a large green field; Common Grackles in a group of tall dead trees; Starlings (they’re all around getting ready to head south); Tree Swallows  and Barn Swallows, soaring near water but also over the fields of Jerusalem Artichokes looking for insects; American Goldfinches in small shrubs along side the road; Northern Harrier, seen a long ways off but it’s classic soaring and white tail patch is a giveaway; Eastern Meadowlark,  as we turned off into a viewing area it was on the Jerusalen Artichokes eating; Horned Larks, we had a good debate about these but the yellow and black was easily seen as they were feeding on the ground along the side of the road in the gravel; Wood Ducks seen in their usual habitat , a hidden  shallow pond surrounded by trees or brush making them difficult to see, watch for their movement; Shovelers, Pied Billed Grebe, all seen on a shallow pond again with growing grasses and reeds  and it took a while to ID the first two; a Cardinal flying across the road; an Alder Flycatcher flitting among the small trees catching insects and lighting on branches for  few seconds; many Yellow Rumped Warblers moving quickly on the same trees; a Bluebird in a small tree and moving to another; MOTION IS ONE OF THE KEY WAYS TO SPOT A BIRD. A Chipping sparrow, ran under the car when we stopped for a  “potty break”; We took a trail walk to the oxbow and saw the following in the woods…White Breasted Nuthatch, and Downy Woodpecker;  

    A car had parked up ahead and a man had his binoculars on something so we were alerted. We drove slowly and saw a large bird flying from tree to tree, after a final stop we were not able to ID it until it flew, seeing the red tail of the Red Tailed Hawk; a flock of 20 Northern Flickers we saw flying from the roadside to trees for cover; Mourning Dove on a wire; 

                           Four wild Turkeys were cavorting (feeding) as we came out of a side road to the main road.

four Wild Turkeys crossing the road; and as we drove on a gravel side road to the Oxbow slowly, a Great Blue Heron flew up from the water; using the binoculars as we always do in new spots we looked across the oxbow on an old pier post and saw a Double Crested Cormorant; a little further down this river side road we looked out to see a Common Loon, gliding along. It dove and we never saw it again; In a low wet area there were many small willows (6 feet high) and in among them (after many minutes of looking) we ID’d  a number of Green Winged Teals; back at the Visitor Center two days ago we had seen three Killdeer in the front space area, and we saw them again; walking through the Visitor Center into a viewing area in back, there were more of the Dickcissels at the Visitor Center feeders (outdoors) ; and finally on the way home on the road we observed a Rock Dove near a granary and a Kestral on a wire where they usually are seen. This was October in Iowa at 50 F.

                                    This is a blind in front of an oxbow and looking across at an
                                                  American Bald Eagles nest across the water.
                          It is especially used when the mgrating waterfowl come in by the 100,000's

   That’s it!  A rural road on the way home for a change (paved and gravel) gave us some variety and dust!  And, tomorrow we will do the Loess Hills National Scenic Byway Spine  (Road) . Ruth says there are a few “Old Fashion Ice Cream Parlors” on that road. We shall see. (PS I'll put pictures in at Des miones when te internet is more "citified".)

Day 5 Friday October 3, 2014 No birding today, just an inside day.

   I heard that remark…"Jim's a whimp". And, you may very well be partially right, but with the wind whipping at an average of 27 mph and gusting to 40 mph all night, the morning did not present itself as a day to greet the birds.  Besides, if they had any sense they, too would be hunkered down in some bush out of the wind and cold.  It was 47 F and with that wind fet like 35 F I am sure.

   An alternate plan had to be forthcoming, so Ruth and I looked over the possibiitoes and came up with a ride into Omaha (just across the river some 20 miles or so) and take a visit to the IMAX theatre that was showing "Where the Wild Things Live".  In order to get onto the IMAX, a twin ticket for the Omaha Zoo must be included so we will do some of that too.  Now, zoos are not Jim's favorite place to visit although he has been to many, but if it meant seeing movie, then we included it.

   The morning in the trailer did give us a chance to do some sorting of the pictures we have taken, as each day some 150-200 are added to the stock. Sorting, labeling and otherwise organizing them helps later when looking for certain ones. Ruth also has kept track of every bird we have seen on every trip that we have taken for the 21 years we have been married.  She updated that as well.    So after lunch we headed out , this time staying on I-80 into Omaha just across the Missouri River . (Whoops I thought I saw Lewis and Clarks pirogue, for a moment there. No, it was just a barge ). The zoo and IMAX are on the first exit and first street across the bridge .  

                                                                    

                                                                                             We got off at 30th St. (exit 13)

The entry to the Omaha Henry Doorly Zoo and IMAX

   The tickets (seniors) included both venues so the priceas more than just the IMAX.  $17.00 each. I do think, however, that after the day was finished, we did get our money's worth. It appears that the Omaha Henry Doorly Zoo (its official name) has more than 30 individual animal outdoor exhibits, and thirteen buildings holding exhibits indoors. Some, like the Orangutan and Gorilla exhibits, have both indoor and outdoor habitats for the animals. The zoo is open every day but Christmas. It has a train that covers all of the outdoor exhibits, and many ponds with different shows featuring the animals at different times of the day.  As we only spent 4 hours there, we zeroed in on the Ourangatangs and the gorillas. excellent plexiglass? separations kept the charging animals from the predtators as the young animals love see the people shriek and pullback when they come charging at them saying "THIS IS MY TERRITORY"! A few other exhibits centering on night animals were visited.

This guy was just yawning, not screaming!
 
   There was time also for a visit to the Desert Dome, a very large structure with glassed ceiling and many desert environments inside. I was amazed at the endless paths that they could insert inside that dome. It seemed like there was no end to the exhibits of flora and fauna as well. Some wild birds, and animals never see in North America, and a few pictures will give examples.

 
                                                                                                           
                                                                                                    These guys are Kipspringers

   Then before 3:00 we lined up for the IMX movie and were impressed with the story of two  women who in two separate countries (Sumatra and Kenya) each cared for, all of their lives , Orangutans and Elephants, all of whom had been either abandoned in the wild or parents (mother's especially) killed for meat or hides. Each woman has developed a precise way to rehabilitate the animasl so by the time they were adults (as long as six years) they could move back into the wild . The elephants (about 25 of them)  were placed in a "camp" with other older orphaned elephants who took them in as family and cultured them in the wild ways (behind a large protective  secure area, until three years passed and they could join other herds as a normal elephant once again. The Orangutans were treated the same by handlers (each had one handler) who nursed (bottle fed)  them, and slept with them, until they were ready to go out on their own. a beautiful story and a great contribution to rehabilitation of species we, as people of the world are destroying with poor stewardship of the land, and resources in those areas of the world. ( I think we do that here as well.)

                                                            South African Crown Cranes


   All in all it was a fine day and we ended it with a short country tour to get some pictures of the fields of corn and beans. Then  a trip to a new local restaurant just bult, It looks like a barn but inside is both a store and a restaurant, We got  there just in time to beat the Friday evening local "country band" that was to play 1 hour later. They were queing up for that one at 5:00 PM. Seems the members of the band were all in there 70's or so, and they came in carrying their guitars, banjos and assorted instruments.  o to play "country songs"  that many will enjoy during the evening. We ordered our hamburger and pulled pork sandwich (excellent), conversed with two veterans of WW2 who sat with us (family style round tables).  We learned much about an event held in Des Moines last month to honor the Korean Veterans  who served.  They had just dedicated a memorial there that day. I did ask one question of the one Navy man, and that was… was he in on the Invasion of Inchon Harbor ? He said he was on an air craft carrier  down on the engine room and very seldom knew where the ship was.  He was in from 1950-1955

   Time for bed, and tomorrow's activities will depend on the weather as the wind is still blowing. We will visit the  Loess Hills  that run along the Missouri  River the length of the state.  Besides windblown soil of ancient times (glacial age) ,I understand there is an ice cream factory up there somewhere that makes real ice cream sodas!
Catch you tomorrow.

Day 4 Iowa Thursday October 2, 2014 Foggy, Wet, Rainy and then… cold northern wind.

   When it is foggy in the morning and rainy all day, it gets to be difficult to write about things that are happy and joyous. We will, however put together some thoughts about the day as I posted just the squirrel story on Wed).

   We had planned to travel the 50 miles to the Boyer Chutes NWR even though we were told at DeSoto that it had been damaged by the floods on the Missouri River in 2011. The infrastructure was destroyed so there was no more visitor center or information booth at all.

   The morning was very foggy so we delayed a little while to allow the air to heat some before starting out on the highway with all the trucks. I-80 is still a mainline out here. We packed a lunch so if we did see some things of interest and the weather held, we would be ready. In the National Wildlife Reserves (NWR) there are no fast food places, let alone any kind of food distribution or sales at all.  Thank God for that! But then you might have known that. We always take a lunch unless we plan ahead not to need one.  It is carried in a small but reliable, red,  hard sided cooler that holds one ice pack nicely and enough room for an adequate lunch. Ruth likes a lot of fruit and I love a sandwich and fruit with drinks that works well for the cooler. Hey, last night we had  DQ, as the Dairy Queeen is just at the end of the campground!  But, I digress!

                                                         Boyer Chutes NWR.The "chutes"
                                                         is the channel across the peninsula.

   The fog, by the time we drove down off the Loess Hills* (see later note), had pretty much stretched out to 2 miles or so. When we crossed the Missouri River (Boyer Chutes is in Nebraska)  there was no fog at all. The route to the Reserve was in a circle if you will, as we went west, south, west, north, east and finally south again to get there.  The closer we got to the Reserve  the more we could see that there was a lot of residual water and mud, and at the entry was a big sign that said "No entry on this road". We knew that as the ranger at DeSoto had told us about it and gave us a revised map.

   So, we took the only road to follow which went due south to the Missouri River. It was very quiet, and with the steady rain (not that hard) few birds were out. We did find two deer  in different places on the side of the road and watched them scamper along in front of us. Five  turkeys crossed the road like they owned it. Eventually Ruth spotted a "big bird" in a dead tree spar. She thought it was a Bald eagle, but it was very dark and against the rainy and cloudy sky it looked even darker up there in the top branches of the bare tree. But, after some looking with the binoculars,  we determined that indeed it was a Bald Eagle. We considered that that was worth the morning all by itself, but it wasn't over yet.

                                           Notice how dark this young Bald Eagle is even
                                           without the poorly lighted sky

    We drove to the end of the road where there was a turnaround and headed back to the entrance. Of course we watched that same tree for the Eagle on the way out. Ruth again spotted another "large bird" but smaller than the Eagle. The sky made it  very difficult  to see color on the birds, but we stopped and I carfully opened the driver's door (no cars in the park) and got my binoculars on it.  A distinct white patch along side the eyes and it's shape and size eliminated some species. After some searching and comparing  we determined (and agreed) that it was a Prairie Falcon.  Upon watching it fly the shape and design of the wings confirmed that choice. This was an entrely new species for  us as we had not seen it before .

   So even though the day was wet, cloudy and devoid of the smaller birds we latched onto  some excellent species.  Along with them, we did see some Kestrals, and two large flocks that we believe were migrating birds. The one was in the campground and were 15 Killdeer that used the habitat in the campground for feed. They have been there two days now. The other flock was in the Reserve where we saw the largest flock of Northern Flickers we had ever seen. About 25-30 of them  feeding along side of the road in the Reserve.   What a treat! Hard to see even one of those back home.

                                            Last night's sunset had some color after the rains.

    A Little Blue Heron, a Great Egret,  some Barn Swallows and a Blue Jay added to the total for the day.  Only 14 birds, but some quality sightings for us.

   We returned to the trailer where we spent that afternoon and caught up on mail, picture entries and sorting the picures.  The total of pictures taken today was about 125.  A wonderful supper of red skin potatoes and fried onions with sauerkraut and turkey ended the day. Can't beat that when on the road.

The rain is gone and the north wind doth blow!  Catch you tomorrow when we will return to DeSoto NWR and I will enter a full report about that Reserve.

Day 3 Wednesday October 1, 2014 TRUCK IN TROUBLE.

Day 3 October 1, 2014-TRUCK IN TROUBLE

  (I'll add the pictures when I get faster internet.)

   It started at 2:40 PM on Friday September 26, 2014, when I took theToyota Tundra, into the shop to get its regular maintenance of a lubrication and oil change. Ruth and I were heading west to Iowa with the trailer and I wanted to make sure that the truck was in ship shape and ready to go.  Having completed the lub and oil change, I brought the truck home and parked it in the usual place in front of the trailer (in the drive) and partially under a huge and beautiful pine tree.  Now the pine tree does drip sap occasionally  but never does any other damage occur from the tree.

    The truck was there parked, until late Sunday afternoon (that’s 48 hours or so)  when I started to put some things in it as we were to leave on Monday AM at about 9:00 AM. I had put the hitch on and some things I keep in the back of the truck to use for the hitch, the levelers as well as some gloves. Finishing putting the hitch on,  I went into a storage cabinet in the garage to get the rear view mirror extenders, and started putting them in place. I always secure the driver’s side first. I finished that one and was walking around the front of the truck, when I noticed that the hood was not closed tightly. (This is a small event that really turned out LARGE). Of course in order to close the hood securely, I had to open it wide . and when i did , what a surprise there was to see under the hood. In those 48 hours , the squirrels (I assume, as I did not see them!) had made a mess of the interior with pine cones, and grass stuffed in, around and into the cracks and crevices of the entire interior.  (See pictures). I was dumbfounded.

                                                                                         The full engine picture

   Now there is a problem, not only in getting the material out from under the hood, but to get  ALL of it out so that there is no residue left to possibly start a fire somewhere between Grand Rapids and Western Illinois  where we were to be the next night.

   

   So, carefully and manually I started to remove first the mass of grass as it was shoved into the corner of the fender well and was very difficult to remove over, under and around the wiring that was there.  Then came the pine cones as they were tucked and secured under the cover of the engine and over the manifold and engine block. These were the most difficult to remove as they were secured very tightly.  There were pieces of pine cones and seeds and the cones themselves in almost every part of the engine and assembly. 

                                                                There's that "nest" in th ecorner by the fender well

   

   Having satisfied myself that I had gotten most of the debris out, I now tried to think of ways to get the remainder that was stuck between the engine cover and the manifold intake as this is where the heat would combust quite quickly, I thought. At first I used my fingers and a screw driver, and then a long piece of coat hanger, and then Ruth’s hairdryer, but that didn’t seem to be strong enough to get down in those crevices.  I then borrowed my neighbor’s very strong leaf blower and that did get most of it out. But, there were still some chips left “down inside the cracks”.

                                                         
                                                   This was the most difficult area to get them out.They were "stuffed" in there

   

   I stopped that night (it was now almost dark) and decided it was probably good enough. But as I went to sleep that night, it kept gnawing at me and all I could think of were the possibilities if all the debris wasn’t out. 

    So, first thing in the morning I called the shop and asked if I could get someone to blow out the remaining chips and the entire engine area. I told them briefly the story and they put me in line to get the work done. As soon as the mechanic opened the hood he went directly to the air filter (on the passenger side, under the dashboard) and pulled out a completely stuffed air filter that would have never let any air through because it was filled with seeds, grass, pine chips and pieces. It actually was beginning to disintegrate. He then completed the cleaning of the engine and block area and I felt , now, that it was safe to travel with the truck.

   

   Quite a story, but it means that in the fall the squirrels are in a hurry to build a shelter and store food for the months ahead and they don’t really care where, when, or in whose vehicle they store it!.  

   

   We did make it safely to western Illinois and eventually to Western Iowa and all was well.

   

   There is a moral. Be sure to check under your vehicle hood every once in a while as you never know who may have claimed it for a new home. Especially if you park your vehicle outside someplace or, like me, under a great big, old pine tree.

Catch ya, tomorrow.  De Soto National Wildlife Reserve on the Missouri River.