Day 7 - 7th January 2019 - American Tree Sparrow, Male and Female Mallards

Cooler this morning, dusting of snow on the ground, windy and temperatures around - 7. A few stars are twinkling in the sky.  Well it's Monday, the first full week after the holidays and time for me to move into action and start getting things done. I'm waving Knit & Yarn days in front of my face like a carrot - my relaxation and prize for work accomplished! Truthfully I get more done when I have lots to do. First on the list is some summer student grant applications - would like to have this batch out of my hair by mid/late week. So I guess it's going to be a trip to town for a brainstorming session with our Curator this morning and tackle those.  Have some genealogy to work on, Margie, Alice and I need to start researching  the "Little Old School Houses" publications that we want to write. We've had this idea for a while, but because there are so many in the county, we'll break it down, go east to west and do it in sections. So that's just a few of fun things to do during the winter. Yesterday was kind of a lazy one, a little housework, some knitting, quick run to town.

The American Tree Sparrow still hangs out in the yard, I don't remember having one during the winter before.

 Male Mallard, the ones at the head of the harbour are very tame.

One of the light colored female Mallards preening.





Enjoy your day!

Day 6 - 6th January 2019 - Common Eiders, Savannah Sparrow and Brant Goose

Another mild morning, temperature about 0. As is typical of our weather we have options today - a chance of flurries or showers or perhaps nothing at all. Looks like we might be getting some snow on Tuesday though, still a couple of days for that to change.  We took a run out to Cape Sable Island Saturday morning, hit a few wharves and regular spots. Lots of Common Eiders drifting in the waves, some Sparrows, Gulls but we did see a lone Brant Goose. So that was a good find. Needless to say all I've ended up with was a heavily cropped shot due to distance. We stopped in Clark's Harbour to visit friends and by the time we left them the rain had started so that's as far as we got with the birding. A quick and cheap lunch at Subway (coupons came in the mail this week), grocery shopping and then homeward bound. Well we were still a while getting home as we stopped to do some more visiting. No idea what's on the agenda for today, but it's Sunday so who knows maybe we'll go for a drive in the other direction or just stay around home.

Common Eiders

 Savannah Sparrow (I think)

Brant Goose






Enjoy your day!

Day 5 - 5th January 2019 -White Breasted Nuthatch, The Lake and Ice

Mild morning, temperature above 0, rain on the way for later today. Guess I better break down and go do some grocery shopping. Maybe a trip to Barrington and a whip around Cape Sable Island to check out the bird situation. Might just find something interesting around the wharves. It's time to take  Big Bertha  for an outing. No hard work today, well we might get a few things done this afternoon. I've got a couple of summer student grant applications to do for work, but I've been milling them around in my mind and will tackle them on Monday. Yesterday was a blast at "Knit & Yarn". Lots of  laughter from a fun group of women and everyone is helpful when you are stuck on a pattern.  I'm quite happy to have taken up knitting once again after so many years. I think I've been missing out on something. I can remember many years ago my Grandmother R. taking on the task of teaching me to knit - I'm the lefthander in a right handed family. Not an easy task but she remained patient and I learned.  I'm guessing I was between the ages of 8 and 10 at the time and when I pick up my needles it reminds me of her. Well time to get this day on the go........well maybe another cup of coffee first.

White Breasted Nuthatch

A peaceful day on the lake

The ice in the cranberry ditch looks feathery.




Enjoy your day!

Day 4 - 4th January 2019 - White-Throated Sparrow, Junco and Blue Jay

A dark sky this morning, temperature is around -5/-6.   The snow didn't start quite as early as they predicted yesterday morning and we probably got around 5cm or so. I puttered around the house, nothing terribly exciting. I can at least get around now in my multipurpose room (aka sewing/photographs, etc). Now  I have some room to get a winter project or two underway when the urge strikes. If I'm lucky half of it still won't be sitting there unfinished next fall, but I make no promises.  I also located the basket with Grandmother's Journals so will dig a new one out and share bits throughout the year. Did a little genealogy, some computer work and of course ended the day off knitting.  Today is going to be a knitting day, Gina and I are off to Becky's Knit & Yarn Shop to knit all day.  I've really gotten in to this, it's fun, they are a great bunch of ladies that go - lots of laughter which is just what you need this time of year!

White Throated Sparrow. Not a great shot through the kitchen window, but I notice he's getting a little friendlier and less shy.

 There are at least 5-6 Juncos around the yard.

One of the "herd" of Blue Jays.







Enjoy your day

Day 3 - 3rd January 2019 - Squirrel!

Skies are dark now, last night the stars were all out. No snow yet but probably not far off. They are only giving 5cm, so won't be much. Christmas Trees went outside for the birds to enjoy for the next few months. As I was holding one so Larry could get rope to tie it up, a Chickadee landed in it. Apparently he knew, wouldn't be long and it would have lots of black oil sunflower seeds throughout the branches. Didn't take long after they were up for the birds to all flutter through them, resting and feeding.  It was a bit of a circus yesterday morning, when I was on  the deck a weasel was running around. Didn't quite look like the one (Charlie) that was in the house a month ago. Maybe we have two?? I seriously don't mind when they are outside, I do object when they are in the house, but the best thing with having a weasel - they get rid of the mice. And with this old house that's a good thing. It was a puttering kind of day, getting back to routine. Laundry, dishes etc. Decided it was time to tackle my sewing/craft/photograph room. I can find  little more floor space, but only because things are getting shoved into the storage room next to it. I'll never get that room sorted out, but as long as I can get the door shut - who cares! This might be the year I get some of the huge photograph collections sorted it out that I've been blessed with. Well maybe some of them. It was a marble playing evening, I watched and knit while the others tried to kill one another - always fun and lots of laughs. My internet upload speed has been sluggish this morning making me a tad later than normal!

And we have lots of these guys around the feeders!



Enjoy your day!

Day 2 - 2nd January 2019 - Mallard, Leaves and a White Breasted Nuthatch

 A windy and cold morning, temperature is around -7 but I'm sure the windchill makes it much colder. Stars are all twinkling in the sky and the lake is quiet for a change. All these holidays kind of wipe out what day of the week it is, feels more like a perpetual weekend. I checked the  calendar and it's Wednesday. Yesterday we had our snow, followed directly by rain. Maybe the old timers are right with their wisdom - if the first snow rains off they all will. That seems to hold true most of the time for us. My Grampie H. was a fisherman for most of his life and came from a fishing family, so had all kinds of thoughts/superstitions. Grammie H. was much the same, one thing I always remember on New Year's Day she would make sure a dark haired man was the first to enter the house. If no one arrived she'd called around to the neighbourhood and have some one come over (usually a dark haired lad). It was lucky or rather unlucky if they didn't appear first. A. ll decorations got put away yesterday, today we'll put the trees out where the birds can use them as new feeding stations and a place of protection. Time to get 2019 rolling!

 Female Mallard

 Still holding on

White Breasted Nuthatch







Enjoy your day!

Day 1 - 1st January 2019 - Grasses, Mallard and Rosehips

Good Morning, Happy New Year Everyone! Well here I am, not sure if you'll see me every day or how often but we'll give it a try.  Just woke up at 5am, so hoping that's going to be a good start to 2019 for me and no more of those crazy early mornings......well a girl can hope! Made it through the holiday week, honestly the last few days I've been going a bit bonkers trying to do that relax thing. Tomorrow I'll get back to more of a routine. It's snowing, fine little snow, temperature is right around 0.  Suppose to turn to rain later. Birds have been busy at the feeders this week, herds of Blue Jays and Mourning Doves and lots of the little ones - Chickadees, Sparrows, Nuthatches and Goldfinches. Big B and I have started roaming the hood again, feels good to be out with her, even though there's not a whole lot to see. In retrospect, 2018 wasn't the finest year, although it did have some highlights - travelling to Alberta being one and seeing the lovely mountains. That's the past and the most important thing is to learn from it and move on, here's looking at a great 2019. Peace, Harmony and Wellness to all!

The Grasses around the lake are all brown now, but hold their own in the elements.

Mallard in the cold cold water

Still a few red rose hips around.





Enjoy your day!