Is this Non Birding Bill or Fredo from the Godfather? It's actually NBB performing at the Minnesota Fringe Benefit.

Non Birding Bill and I are in Ohio to film a segment on a big sit and poor NBB thought it would be fun to do an extra segment and accompany Julie and Bill on a walk in their woods. For an intense bird watcher, this is the time of your life--scrabling over hills, splashing into streams, sliding down in mud--let me tell you, those two like rough in the woods. But for folks who are mildly interested in the outdoors, it's pretty "hillish" as NBB would say. Holy cow, we are pooped--even Chet Baker is tired. Bill of the Birds is now making us some tasty grilled cheesy salami sandwiches.

It was fun to see things they had talked in their blogs like the tree from 1902, the ice cave and general Chet Baker wackiness, but it was work trudging up and down hills and NBB had the video camera and tripod. Julie is a wealth of knowledge in the woods pointing out not only birds but butterflies and wildflowers. NBB was a trooper and did survive, as did the camera. The sun filtered through the naked trees giving the woods a mystical glow. The weather here is absolutely gorgeous, sunny and in the 70s and new spring birds showing around every corner--gnatcatchers, wood thrushes, bluebirds, I'm getting the biggest kick being able to listen to towees and field sparrows from the deck. I told NBB that I probably was not going to come home with him, that we've given it our best shot being married eight years and all but I think I'm going to stay here in southern Ohio for the rest of my life.

The pond right outside the guest room is chock full of toads and we listened to them trill as we fell asleep last night, it's like having a live relaxation tape. That is until the very intense thunderstorm rolled through, the lightening was spectacular. The toads are pretty mellow and I was able to photograph them flirting with each other and few other unmentionable activities. There are now long strings of toad eggs floating near the pond surface.

Okay, not time for a shower and to film another segment.