Day 7 - 7th January 2016 - Ice, Frost and a Woodpecker

Stars are all out and the lake is singing this morning. Not sure if you call it singing - it's more "woop" "woop" "crack". It always makes strange noises as it's freezing.  Rather haunting. Looks like a fine day ahead and suppose to warm up. I've got some computer work to do in the next couple of days, time to back it up and clean it up, grant applications to start and research to do. Also want to get back to my own photo project. 
Temperature started off at -11 yesterday morning when we left for town but by noon had warmed up a lot. Still was pretty chilly by the time we got home though. I really dislike coming home to a cold house. Larry got the fire going and I heated up the soup - it was better the second day. Blood work is done...finally.  Not a bad day in town all in all.

The grasses along the shore are now frozen.

The ice is settling in the lake - not enough yet for skating.

Frost trims the road side.

A Female Downy Woodpecker finds breakfast.











Enjoy your day!

Day 6 - 6th January 2016 - Red-Winged Blackbird, Song Sparrow and Blue Jays

Wednesday and my town day once again. Been nice not going in these last few weeks.  Stars are all out but is darn chilly, suppose to warm up though. Going to be a bit of a cranky day, I'm heading for blood work first thing. No coffee, since I've been up for a while, I'm taking a chance with a 1/4 cup of weak black tea in hopes it will keep the headache at bay until I've had it done. I know you aren't suppose to have anything but it is what it is!
It remained pretty cold all day, Tuesday. Red-winged Blackbird appeared at the feeders a couple of times. The Juncos and the Song Sparrow seem to have settled in for the winter. The rest come and go. It was a day for hot soup instead of the roast leftovers I had in the fridge. And it was hot soup - Italian Sausage, Tomatoes and other goodies topped with nachos, shredded cheese and sour cream. I even made biscuits. Cathy stopped for coffee on her way home from work, so I made her play guinea pig and test it.

You can just see a bit of red on his wing.

The Song Sparrow isn't as shy as he used to be.













The Blue Jays come in droves.

Frost tickles the weeds.








Enjoy your day!

Day 5 - 5th January 2016 - Deck Chairs, Pine Siskin and Purple Finches

Brrr....it's cold out there today. Few snow flurries in the air but the sky is dark and starless. Back to photos, some hemming and a few other things around the house today. Expecting the feeders will be busy with this cold snap.
So I didn't do too bad yesterday - got in my morning walk, and a couple with Lexi throughout the day.  She likes the woods where I can let her off leash and we have to jump over windfalls, etc. It's a great workout! Spent a good portion of the morning in the kitchen doing up stuff for Larry's lunch box so I'd have a few meals ahead in the freezer for those times I'm busy. Caught up on laundry, pulled out some of the photograph collection (that's a bit overwhelming) and researched a new genealogy program which I order since today was the last day it was on sale. And it was back to exercise class last evening - have to work off those boxes of chocolates some how! The feeders were busy with Juncos, a single Song Sparrow (who has taken possession of the Christmas Tree), Chickadees, Goldfinches, Purple Finches, Mourning Doves, Blue Jays and my first Pine Siskin of the season.

 Not a morning to enjoy a deck chair by the lake.

 Ice has gathered.

Female Purple Finch.

First Pine Siskin - on the right. Goldfinch - left, Purple Finch in the back.






Enjoy your day!

Day 4 - 4th January 2016 - Fences, Chickadee and Ice

It's a little chilly out there this morning, stars and moon are all in the sky shining brightly. The holidays are over and for those that weren't off it's back to work. Now to decide which of the projects I've been rolling around in the back of my mind to get started on today. I've got several huge photograph collections that need to be sorted out and organized. One involves family photos that have been passed down through several generations another is from Bonnycastle Dale Sr. & Jr.- it includes both negatives and prints and covers British Columbia to Newfoundland. Mostly wildlife, some people and landscapes. It's a daunting project but I'm going to tackle it this winter and make some headway especially on days that aren't fit to go far.
I had forgotten it was Sunday yesterday until mid morning, then realized I had to do the weekly lunch box prep - muffins, salads, etc. Found a couple of entrees in the freezer - time to start making a few new ones this week sometime I guess to get ahead again. Birthday party in the afternoon, nothing like a 3 year old to getting things rolling!

Fences along the shore.

Chickadee

Calm morning on the lake.

An ice table top.









Enjoy your day!

Day 3 - 3rd January 2016 - Canada Geese and a Chickadee

Little chilly out there this morning, some rain forecast for today. Birthday party to attend this afternoon for one of my great nephews. Other than that no special plans for the day. It's soon getting to the time when we need to put some more wood in the basement. So far we haven't use as much as most winters, but in a blink of an eye that can change.
A slow start to the day got us in town to do errands later than I expected. After, we took a run towards Lockeport, expecting some ducks or something interesting along the shorelines. East Jordan Breakwater yielded nothing - not even a Loon. The Back Harbour in Lockeport had a number of Canada Geese, some Black Ducks. Hooded Mergansers and Common Golden Eye were too far away for photos. Found some Chickadees and Golden Crowned Kinglets along the West Head Road. Nothing out of the ordinary. We made our way back home, was beginning to chill off and time to build a fire in the furnace.

Lots of Canada Geese at Lockeport.

We watched and watched but couldn't confirm there were anything but the regular ones. Was hoping for a rarity of some kind.

Nothing much left of this Queen Anne's Lace. I'm always amazed at how strong those stems must be to withstand the winds along the shore.

I don't think you can ever have too many Chickadees. The Golden Crowned Kinglets were too shy for photos.









Enjoy your day!

Day 2 - 2nd January 2016 - Ice, Leaves and Twigs - Black and White

Snow is gently falling this morning, it's just started and I don't think will amount to much. Have a few errands in town today including a minimum amount of groceries - just the staples - bread, milk and eggs I hope. I think some birding is in order - not sure what direction we'll take maybe Hemeon's Head or the Lockeport Loop. It's been quite a while since we've been in that direction.
The house is back to normal for another year. Spent yesterday morning packing everything away. It's a long job but I think takes more time to put it out than away. The tree is now by one of the feeders for the birds to use during the upcoming months. It will offer a little extra protection from the weather and our friendly Sharpie. Dinner at Mom and Dad's - very yummy home made Chinese food with a Peach Trifle for dessert. After all the other stuff I've eaten this week maybe I better not visit the scales for a while. The first birds at the feeders yesterday were a Junco and a Song Sparrow. The Sparrow hung around all day, it's been months since I've seen one in the yard. All the regular ones arrived throughout the day - Mourning Doves, Blue Jays, Chickadees, Goldfinches and Purple Finches. The Juncos are now at 2-3 most of the time. No sign of the Evening Grosbeaks in quite a while.

I played around with some black and white photos - ice on a dock.

Crumpled leaf holds it's own against the winter.

Twigs and branches twist and turn.

Unwrapping the log.









Enjoy your day!

Day 1 - 1st January 2016 - Mourning Dove, Goldfinches and a Squirrel

Good Morning 2016. No resolutions for this chick - just a promise to live, love and laugh and take more chances! I've closed the door on 2015 except to remember that what doesn't kill us makes us stronger and those that we lost last year will remain in our memories forever. Hoping to have a good year behind the camera and in bird land. Those are just the hobbies, I'd like to see a better year at work too (thinking positive).  It's pretty mild out there this morning - maybe that's a good sign too. Think it's time to take the tree - from here it goes out near the feeders to provide a little extra shelter for the birds during the rest of the winter. This afternoon we are off to Mom and Dad's for New Year's Dinner. Mom has been cooking all week I'm sure since she's doing Chinese. It will be good and once again we'll come home full.
Grandmother's Journal:  This passage was at the end of her 1976 Journal (I'll dig out a new one for this year)
1976 was a good year. Had two deaths - Aunt Lu Richards, Dad's last sister died in September. She must have been near 80th year. Lee Morton, Dad's only brother died. The last of the Morton family. My mother is the only living Morton of that generation - Morton by marriage. She is 80 years old, very active and good mentally. Drives her car and goes with anyone of the family that asks her.

Mourning Dove - they have an interesting eye ring.













Some days I think we have more squirrels than birds.

 Goldfinches - waiting their turn at the feeder.

Old cast off barrels we ran across on one of our excursions.







Enjoy your day!