thank you for this, rosie.  it almost felt like you were reading my mind and
posting it as a personal favor to me, though you couldn't know . . .

this was one of the very first things i thought about, after being stunned
mute by reading and re-reading rose's and kellyc's posts about the loss of
our dianew.  (whenever i replied to one of her posts, i took delight in
addressing her as "dianew" because to me i was hearing, in my mind's ear,
and she was "diane new".  so many things were new for her and fresh in the
way she saw and shared them.)  who could not recognize diane's passions and
how her spirit was so generous in sharing those passions with us?  she will
be sooo missed.

my heart goes out to wayne and nick.

kate

Repost:

3/23/2002

Hi!  We've had twins here! No, not the human kind.  Baby Sandhill Cranes!
We have a pair of Sandhill Cranes that lives on the golf course behind our
house.  (A Sandhill Crane couple mates for life by the way) Each spring,
they disappear for a while and then return with a baby or two.  Actually,
it's very rare to have two hatch but this pair had two in 2000 and 2002!  I
knew it must have been getting close and had been watching for them every
day.  Finally on Monday afternoon, there they were walking down the fairway
to my yard.  The generally bring them out of the nest when the chicks are
just 24 hours old!  The pictures on the link below progress from day 1 thru
day 6.  I've been feeding them cracked corn for over a year now so the
parents are very comfortable with me and I've been able to sit within feet
of them to get these pictures.  I'm still learning how to use the digital
camera, so I apologize in advance for any lacking in picture quality.

I believe the taller of the chicks was born second because he/she (can't
tell - so I'm going with he) was more wobbly and unsteady on his feet.  He
also started eating and imitating the parents a day or so later that the
other chick.  For the first few days, the parents fed him bugs and worms
they pulled out of the ground.  But now they both are grubbing for food
themselves. The smaller of the two chick's seems to be more dominant.  On
Tuesday, DH and I took the golf cart around the course and found the swampy
area where we think they are nesting.  We live on hole #10 and their nest
appears to be on #13.  There are a total of 22 adult Sand Hill Cranes who
live on this course but we only saw this family out on Tuesday.  I guess the
maybe the other bird's eggs haven't hatched yet or that they aren't breeding
yet.

Anyway, click the link below to see the photos!  I hope you enjoy them as
much as I do.

Cyberhugs,
DianeW

*****************
    The pictures won't load anymore but I remember them; and Diane's caring
for the cranes and delight in them.

Gentle Hugs from Rosie

Oh, I remember them too.  I so enjoyed her description of them growing
up and the pictures she posted.

Ann