It was an amazing weekend for landings!
There was a successful splashdown for the Artemis II… and yes, I watched the entire thing until I saw all four astronauts exit the capsule. The images of the final parachute deployment was stunning… those three billowy parachutes slowly the capsule and gently placing them into the ocean. It is a very good thing to be back in space in this unique way… back to the moon where it all began. And then on Saturday, I wholeheartedly committed to get on the Joy Train!
NASA’s Orion spacecraft with Artemis II crewmembers NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman, commander; Victor Glover, pilot; Christina Koch, mission specialist; and CSA (Canadian Space Agency) astronaut Jeremy Hansen, mission specialist aboard is seen as it lands in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of California, Friday, April 10, 2026. NASA’s Artemis II mission took Wiseman, Glover, Koch, and Hansen on a 10-day journey around the Moon and back to Earth. Following a splashdown at , NASA, U.S. Navy, and U.S. Air Force teams are working to bring the crewmembers and Orion spacecraft aboard USS John P. Murtha. Photo Credit: (NASA/Bill Ingalls)
AND!!!
The Pileated has landed!!
Friday morning, I got the massive suet feeder up and on Saturday morning while I was in the kitchen puttering… I heard that distinctive call and looked up and there was the Pileated Woodpecker back on the telephone pole and within seconds it was soaring in to land on the suet!! I was so awestruck, I did not even think of trying to snap a photo! I have remained vigilant to watching for them… and was rewarded with multiple visits! A brave female is the visitor thus far… she has no red patches on her cheeks.
I have named her Christina… of course! Huzzah to brave females everywhere!
Dear friends, I love birdwatching so much and my absolute favorite of all the birds are the Picidae (woodpecker,) and especially those in the Dryocopus (Pileated Woodpecker) family. To say I am elated is an understatement… and couple this with the splashdown… well, it was A Weekend for the ages!!
Oh… and my seat on the Joy Train is quite comfortable! Happy Monday everyone!
I am so jealous of your woodpecker sighting!! I’ve seen them up close when I lived in UP of Michigan many decades ago but not in PA. I can still dream 🙂
Wow! Artemis landing was really interesting to watch, and I agree that the parachutes were beautiful. But your pileated woodpecker is also beautiful! I’m so glad she came back for your suet and I hope she continues to hang around. This is a pretty good Monday!
We watched the return of Artemis II with our Fireside Friday group and it was so terrific to have everyone in my living room together, chatting and snacking and watching with awe and joy. I love that you have your very own pileated woodpecker! They are in MA but are pretty rare in my area and the only time I ever saw one was in Gettysburg, PA.
what a beautiful shot of the woodpecker! And I’ve been loving the Artemis joy. Kate Bowler and Sharon Mcmahan did a interview on joy last week that I think you’d appreciate. It’s a video but I’ll admit to listening while I cooked https://katebowler.substack.com/p/live-with-kate-bowler-and-sharon
Oh gosh! I’m so envious of your pileated woodpecker!!! When with Iris, we often tap on different things (table, couch, leg, etc.) as a woodpecker would.
Three cheers for all this joy! You’ve given your woodpecker friend a most appropriate name, and I hope she continues to visit you.
Want some more joy? Here’s Christina Koch’s dog’s reaction to her homecoming: https://www.instagram.com/p/DXE6FsvgDqo/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==
I love pileated woodpeckers, too. I hope they stay interested in just your suet . . . because they can do a lot of damage to trees . . . and wood structures of all types. I like them best in the wild in the woods! I’m so glad your’re finding so much joy from the birds — and I’m hoping the Artemis II joy lasts a while for all of us. Because it was WONDERFUL.
I would love to see a pileated woodpecker up close – maybe on a trip to the north woods of Minnesota. My daughter told me she saw an article that discussed the number of women scientists involved in the work that went on before Artemis could launch. Another reason, in my book, for joy. I also loved their moment of silence.