Saturday’s Critters – 17 January 2026

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I was in the backyard playing fetch with one of our dogs and I saw on our property fence a dog sweater moving along the top of the pickets. I was like uh! I saw then it was a squirrel running with a small dog’s sweater. I ran in the house to get my wife and she come running out and the squirrel had already jumped onto a tree and was trying mightily to get it up to a nest close to the top of the tree. By the time I got my good camera out it looked the sweater was stuck good on the various twigs on the tree.

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I left for a minute and came back out and the squirrel had the sweater unstuck and was stuffing it into the nest. I guess her babies are going to be nice and warm this winter. I have no idea where she go the sweater. Some years they attack our lawn furniture cushioning for nesting material.

And here is our queen B, Lizzie resting. Naps exhaust her so she has get up and rest every now and then.

Tulsa’s amazing Gilcrease Museum was shut down and demolished a few years ago and they built a new museum. The structure is complete but they are not going to open until 2027. They had a public input meeting concerning the landscaping around the immediate vicinity of the museum. They hired the same landscaper, Michael Van Valkengburgh Associates, that designed Tulsa’s Gathering Place and the Master Plan for the Turkey Mountain Urban Wilderness area, and they were giving a presentation for their concept of the gardens at Gilcrease. It’s a treat just listening to these guys talk. They know their stuff and one of the big things they are interested in is getting public input on the concepts. Check their web site at the link above and see some of the projects they have been involved in. (Oops, I diverge).

I got so excited about their plans that I went down into the backwoods are of Gilcrease that has recently reopened to the public to check out some of the sculptures they talked about in the presentation. I had not seen them for years so it was kind of like seeing old friends again.

So the plan is they are taking these sculptures that are scattered in the back woods and bring them up close to the museum so more people can see them. I second that plan. It was a one mile hike to see these and lots of people will not do that, or cannot do that.

I was at the At Home Store and saw these Easter Bunnies for sale. I felt they were a family and couldn’t believe they were breaking the family up for money. I guess that I could have bought them to keep them together forever but I know that wouldn’t go over well at home. So I just took a photo. Photos are still free in most stores. Some stores have signs that say no photos, but that just encourages me.

And then I ran the photo through a filter and posted it on instagram. I post everything on instagram. If you want to join me my tag is @yogiab.

Last week I brought the ebird feeder out from the garage, cleaned it out put it back up again and restocked it with bird food. I’ve had quite a few customers so far. This is a short video.

I also fired up my trailcam in the backyard and got a few stills and videos in this video. It is very short also.

That’s about it. I am linking with Saturday’s Critters.

Hiking the Keystone Ancient Forest’s Falls Trail

Me and a friend of mine have been going hiking together Friday mornings for a few months. Mainly on Turkey Mountain but we have branched out to the Mooser Creek Greenway and Oxley Nature Center. Early this month we decided to tackle the Falls Creek Trail at the Keystone Ancient Forest about 20 miles or so northwest of Tulsa. I have hiked some of the trails there and late last year participated in a trail cleanup day there but have never hiked the Falls Trail which is supposed to be very difficult.

So we got to the visitor center and was perusing the map when one the volunteers came out and we talked about the trail. He said parts of it were really difficult and rough but doable. On the map above the Visitor Center is at the upper right hand corner where the yellow and red trail come together. The Falls Trail is the orange trail that loops off of the red trail. The Falls Trail map is kind of scraggly. My experience is that trails that look scraggly on a map are pretty rough on foot.

So we walked down to the trailhead for the Falls Trail and ran into this warning sign. The guy at the visitor center said that they have quite a few rescue calls from the Falls Trail but that is mainly in the summer. He said people head in without water and not properly prepared and run into trouble.

The first mile or so was just winding through the woods but soon enough we encountered rocks and erosion and unstable footing. Onward we went, slowly. My hiking buddy moved way ahead of me as I was tip toeing through the rocks.

Here is a little overhang we encountered. I took a photo of this, and then I guess that I forgot about because I hit my head on it as I was going slowly watching my feet. It knocked me back and I lost my balance and fell on my back. No harm though, I wasn’t going fast so I didn’t even have a headache. I had a big bruise on my back. So I picked myself up and kept on going.

We went along a couple of ravines with some cool rock formations across the way.

My phone camera doesn’t give a good sense of the depth. There was probably about a 30 foot or so sheer drop off from the trail.

There was some water pooled up at the bottom of the ravine. I think the Falls are sporadic depending on recent rainfall.

This is the main falls. As you can see it is pretty dry. There is a pretty good dropoff on the other direction.

Past the Falls the trail was a lot easier. We took the clockwise direction on the trail. Turns out a friend of mine used to lead hikes at Keystone. He told me that most people take the clounterclockwise route to access the falls and then return the same way rather than complete the loop encountering the rough and rocky trails on the clockwise direction.

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So we had a lot of fun and enjoyed a scenic and challenging trail. So we’ll have to figure out where to go next.

The Keystone Ancient Forest is owned by the Nature Conservancy and administered by the Sand Springs, Oklahoma Parks and Recreation Department. Check their web site before you go because access, although free, is only open for certain hours per day. It’s a popular place on nice weekend days and their parking lot can fill up so plan accordingly. They have other easier trails to hike if you want to do something not quite as challenging as the Falls Trail. They even have an ADA compliant trail designed for wheelchair access and they have a couple of all-terrain track chairs to ensure access for everyone regardless of mobility issues.

I am linking with Skywatch Friday.

Shadow Shot Sunday – Tulsa Edition

This is our Pomeranian, Kodi. He is not in a crate, he is next to a screen keeping him out of the room next door. He found a sunny spot on a cold day.

Went on a bike ride on Tulsa’s Arkansas RiverParks Trails. Stopped to rest up here a little and noticed my big shadowy wheel.

A winter hike on Turkey Mountain. There are no leaves left so the sun cast shadows of the trees across the trail.

I am linking with Shadow Shot Sunday

Saturday’s Critters – American White Pelicans and More

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A few days ago it warmed up enough to go for a bike ride on the Arkansas River Parks Trails here in Tulsa. I took my superzoom camera with me and captured this pod of American White Pelicans in the river. They are a happy sight for me. They do not get very close to people.

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I stopped for a rest and drink and I could hear this Northern Mockingbird singing but I really couldn’t see it against the glare. My cell phone was hopeless but by elderly Nikon superzoom got 85% of it.

A short and unremarkable video of our terrier rescue playing fetch. She lives to play fetch and I do it with her about four times a day or more. She never gets tired of it. She is so enthusiastic though that I don’t mind too much.

I’m linking up with Eileen’s Saturday’s Critters. Check it out, animal lovers from all around post photos of all sorts of critters.

Skywatch Friday – A Busy December

December was hard, we buried my brother in Colorado and that was sad. He was a good guy. But we also got to visit my sister and her husband, and two of my top three nieces were there, one of whom had her husband and daughter with her.

We got to see our greatniece, Miss G, skate. A vivacious young lady who although very young is an accomplished skater and we got to see her perform with her ice skating team. That was a thrill for us because they live a long ways from us and we had never seen her ice skate live before. They competed at an event in a Denver suburb. The emphasis is on the team rather than individuals and I was very impressed with the team. They were great. Miss G is a very smart and a natural born athlete.

Back in Tulsa, we had a nice backyard sunrise one morning.

And a strange sign at one of our local water supply lakes.

Stopped by Oral Roberts University to check out the giant healing hands sculpture. The legend is that it you toss a silver dollar up between the hands, then they clasp shut. That was mean wasn’t it. I still like the legend though.

And our small family visited the Tulsa Botanic Gardens for their annual light show. It was wonderful.

I Love Tulsa

I heart Tulsa as well!

And we started going back to church. We hadn’t been since before Covid. Everything was new. I guess that is the way it is.

And part of our Christmas meal. I smoked chicken quarters and pork ribs. Heather cooked a bunch of sides and we had quite a feast.

We went on a family New Years Eve Hike on Turkey Mountain. This is one of my favorite spots. The Lookout Hub on the very highest point overlooking the Arkansas River and south Tulsa. It is ridiculous that NYE was a shorts and tshirt day.

And I went on a few hikes of my own. I’ve found three improvised cedar Christmas Trees. Most people that put them up show up soon after New Year’s and dismantle them. Those that don’t, I dismantle them. I like to have fun but these things don’t age well. Am I getting grumpy in my old age? Probably.

Here is a bicycle flyover on one of the trails. I’ve never taken a bike on Turkey Mountain and I never will. Gravity at my age is not my friend. Can I get an amen??!!

Beach Scene Jigsaw Puzzle
I don’t own the copyright to this.

I’ve done a couple more jigsaw puzzles on my ipad. I love this beach scene.

Teton sunset jigsaw puzzle
I don’t own the copyright to this.

And I love this scene of the Teton Mountains in Wyoming.

So that closes out 2025. The New Year so far is looking great! More to come.

I am linking with Skywatch Friday.

Saturday’s Critters – White Tailed Deer

A couple of legacy photographs of deer at Tulsa’s Oxley Nature Center.

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A lone deer on one of the water pipeline rights of way that run through the park. Oxley is my go to place for finding deer.

Another legacy photo that I had on the default setting of private that indicates that I have never published this photo before. A group of three deer including one looking at me right in the eye.

I’m linking with Saturday’s Critters

Skywatch Friday – Healing on the Trail

On our trip to Colorado Springs last month when we interred my brother Bob. My sister Ellen suggested we go for a short hike at the Fountain Creek Regional Park where she volunteers weekly in their visitor center.

What a great idea that turned out to be. I’ve been escaping to nature my whole life to get rest, comfort, and rejuvenate myself and this was the perfect park for that. What a jewel, El Paso County has in this park. So the five us hiked a one mile or so loop trail.

They pack a lot in that one mile loop to see.

We saw several mule deer. This butt belongs to one of them. Sorry, that was the best photo I could get.

BIL Irv, found this tiny little geocache (called a nanocache). I went ahead and signed the log even though he found it. Please don’t turn me in to the geocaching police.

“A walk in nature, walks the soul back home” – Mary Davis

“Look deep into nature, and then you will understand everything better.” – Albert Einstein

“The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands.” – Psalm 19:1

“Nature itself is the best physician” – Hippocrates

“I go to nature to be soothed, healed and have my senses put in order.” – John Burroughs

“Allow nature’s peace to flow into you as sunshine flows into trees” – John Muir

So one hike isn’t going to bring anyone peace. It’s a process, not an event and I will always miss my brother.

I’m a big fan of Fountain Creek Regional Park now. Hopefully I’ll be back.

I am linking with Skywatch Friday

2025 in Photographs

January 2025, on Turkey Mountain on a cold winter day at the Overlook Hub looking out over the Arkansas River and south Tulsa. I am hiking on Turkey Mountain at least once a week. I love the place.

In February I got a new right knee. Lizzie the cat immediately named herself Nurse Lizzie and stuck with me for months.

And making sure I am doing my exercises right. If nothing else she would crawl up on my knee and purr. Didn’t mind it to tell you the truth.

We got a new family member in March. Sadie we got her on St. Patrick’s Day and I named her. It fits. She is a sweet dog.

Gets along with well with everyone. It looks to me in this photo that Sadie and Heather are plotting something.

This is Heather with our pom Kodi. In addition to being my wonderful wife who took care of me during my hospital stay and recuperation. She also teaches a wide variety of fitness classes at different places and her students love her. (I would know, I take three or four classes of her classes every week). She immediately reads a room and tailors the classes to fit the needs of the students. She’s amazing actually. She teaches a wide range of people, young folks, older folks, people who are fit, people who are new to fitness. She embraces them all and they love her back.

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By the time the daffodils bloomed I was out and about taking photographs. I even helped cut new trail for the Tulsa Botanic Garden.

In May, I went to a minor league baseball game with a friend.

During my recovery I had about two or three rounds of home PT and another four rounds of regular PT, plus daily homework. The day I was able to turn the wheel over on a stationary bike was one of the happiest in my life as that meant I could ride my bike again. I love riding my bike.

We had a nice neighborhood rainbow in June.

Heather, right, and her friend, Debbie, left.

In September, Heather and I, protested on No Kings Day. We were amazed at the turnout in deep red Oklahoma. I think it amazed a lot of people that turned out on a chilly, rainy day. It was a typical genteel Tulsa affair. The cops showed up just to make sure people knew where to park so they wouldn’t get towed. People that drove by that didn’t agree with the protest just drove on through. Others waved and honked their horns. No tear gas, or angry counter protesters. Just people being themselves.

In August we went for a family vacation to our beloved Orange Beach, Alabama.

Thanksgiving 2025

And, son Logan started work with a law firm as a paralegal in August. He had been studying and dreaming about that for a long time and it came to happen. He loves his job. We love that he loves it, and we love that he is out of the house during the week days! He also earned his drivers license!! A twofer!! We are so proud of him.

My sister Ellen came to check on our brother Bob. Next to Ellen is her husband Irv. Irv is the world’s greatest BIL.

In October I had a little relapse with my knee when I slipped and fell on a hike and my right ankle ended up being right by my right hip. I was able to walk back a mile and half to my car and drive myself home and get cleaned up. Heather drove me to the Orthopedic Urgent Care who patched me and set up an appointment with my surgeon’s office. His PA said that I might be sore for a while but I’m okay.

Sadly, our brother Bob passed in November after an illness of six years. We miss him terribly. Ellen and Irv jumped through a bunch of hoops to get Bob a spot and full military honors at the Pikes Peak National Cemetery in Colorado Springs, Colorado.

Brother Bob was a good guy. Physically tough, never complained and a laugh that could fill a room. A history nut, especially about the Presidents. Want to know who was in Abraham Lincoln’s cabinet? Bob was your man on that. Runner of over 50 marathons and over a hundred half marathons. He joined the Navy, saw the world. Decided he didn’t like ships so he switched over to the Seabees which he loved. Ended up his career after his military retirement as a civilian employee for the navy.

So our little family is at the end of 2025 and wishing all of you a great 2026!!