Day 91 - 31st March 2012 - Robins, Hail and Sunsets

It's colder this morning, the temperature is -3.8. It's the last day of the month, I can believe we are through 3 months of 2012 already. It is suppose to be a nicer day today, so lets hope so. After all it is the weekend and that demands some fine weather! Tomorrow the temperatures look even better, although it's the first day of fishing season so chances are I won't be the one going for a Sunday drive to take photos. I'm expecting a friend of Larry's on the phone today to see if he wants to go trouting tomorrow - in my mind it's not that warm, but boys will be boys.
Yesterday was not a bad day, I felt better than the day before but not 100%, that will come soon. Did shopping, errands, paid bills, all the end of the month fun stuff. Cleaned out a room and boxed up some stuff to get rid of - purging is the best form of medicine! Especially if it is stuff that's not yours to start with. I may have a big house but it's not a storage unit. Anyway, my sewing/photo room will now have more space for things I want to do. On to more freedom!
I made a couple of stabs at walking yesterday and taking photos but each time I got caught in a hail/snow storm, of course it only lasted the duration of my time outside. By the time I came in the sun sprung back out from behind the clouds again. Nothing really stayed on the ground but it was a weird and wonderful day in the weather department. Larry and Lexi spent a lot of time outside cleaning up around the yard.

I did catch this Robin on the side of the road. I'm thinking he looks a little thin and raggedy but....

The clouds in the sky changed frequently yesterday.

This is one of Larry's photos he took last week - sunset over McKay's Lake.

I'm not sure what this woodpecker has in mind, there surely can't be anything to eat in a power pole, perhaps he's building a nest!

Ah, Lexi's got Larry's hat again......



I'm sure the mayflowers will open up today or tomorrow with the promise of more sun, can't wait to see them. Enjoy your day!

Day 90 - 30th March 2012 - Snow, Mayflowers and Ducks

Temperature is -1.8 this morning, similiar to yesterday but I don't think we have any fresh snowfall this morning so that's a good thing as Martha Stewart would say. Most of the snow had melted yesterday by supper time. Thank goodness.
Yesterday was a complete write off for me, I spent most of the day in bed feeling lousy. Usually I just think suck it up princess and keep going but yesterday I couldn't, I just crawled back in bed. I do feel a bit better this morning or so far anyway [early to tell yet]. When you miss a day it just means you have twice as much stuff to do the next day. I hate playing catch up. It's the end of the month or at least the last business day of the month, have to run to town this morning, do banking for the Hall, pay bills, groceries,etc. and am hoping I can get this all done and be back around lunch time. If my feet are still on the ground will get some work done around here this afternoon.
I did take a short walk yesterday, wasn't really in a photo mood but managed to get a few anyway.

This is what we saw yesterday morning. I know you are tired of snow photos but I have to take what I see! I promise no more til next winter unless we get a big storm or something weird and wonderful in the upcoming months.

I've been watching these mayflower buds for days. This little one is starting almost open, even though the cold snow of winter is falling on it. Such strenght and stamina for one so small.

Patches of snow hug the lichen on the side of the trees through the woods.

The ducks didn't seem to be bothered by the weather yesterday.

And snow showers continued but the ducks are rather oblivious to it.

As they say today is a new day, have had my second cup of coffeee and feel more like facing the world. It's Friday, you've made it to another weekend which looks to be more promising weather wise. Guess I am ready to take on today's battles, soon I will have some stuff off my shoulders and life will be better.  Enjoy your day!

Day 89 - 29th March 2012 - Buoys,Chickadees and Snow!

Much milder than it has been this week, the temperature is -0.3. However, when I came down the stairs this morning at 3am (yes, another sleepless night), and looked out the front window, lit up just enough from the street light I could see snow on the ground. I'm sure there's not a lot, and not entirely unexpected but I am tired of the white stuff kissing us. I've been watching mayflowers preparing to open for days now, one bud is just about there, but now it is slapped with the cold touch of winter once again.
Not a bad day in town, yesterday. It was cold in the morning but did warm up somewhat throughout the day. At least not as bad as the day before, but I think that was because the wind was not blowing. Walked down along dock street to get my tea at The Bean Dock the harbour was calm, tide was low.

Bright and colorful bobbing on the water.

There are lots of buoys in the harbour these days, guessing the sailboats will soon be joining them.

A look down the historic district of Shelburne - Dock Street.

The side view of the  town clock atop the old Post Office.

Another chair sits idle, waiting for the warm sun of summer and someone to sit and enjoy it.

After supper I went for a walk, the lake and the sky were pretty and calm last evening.

This little chickadee was just as obliging as could be so I had to take more than one photo.

After awhile he got tired and turned around and ignored me before flying off.

I won't even hazard a guess about what kind of day it will be, at some point I'm sure I'll have to have a nap or endure a miserable headache most of the day; until then I'll get some work done. Some more research today, found some obituaries yesterday that will hopefully fill in some missing information in my report. A walk with my camera sometime late this morning will hopefull relax me enough to sleep and sweep the things from my mind that disturb me, even if only for a short period of time.

Enjoy your day, the weekend is getting closer.

Day 88 - 28th March 2012 - Ice has returned!

Another cold morning, temperature is -4.8. Off to town for the day, can't say I want to but sometimes life just sucks and you have to do things you don't want to anyway. Oh to be a kid again - no responisibility, no housework, just school and play.  Well not like I can go back in time, so might as well just get on with things.
Yesterday was cold, I thought it was January again, well actually I think January was warmer this year. A good meeting in town, hopefully that will work out and become a new project. Just what I need a new project, but some old ones will be done, and hopefully I'll have time to start another and get a helping hand. Worked on research this afternoon, with no new developements and the insurance man showed up - all that meant was hauling out my cheque book. Oh well these things need to be done.
Larry started on the tile for the counter top yesterday. He got all the tiles cut  in the morning, then after supper used the adhesive and put them into place. That has to set up for 24 hours then it's time for the grout. We've decided to use a moulding around the edge rather than trying to tile it.
I did sneak off for a walk in the afternoon, dressed in my down jacket, cap and mittens braced against the wind and cold. The water in the ditches have froze over again. Yuk!

The ice has formed back in the puddles through the woods.

Looking at the shadows the sunlight casts through the path, it's hard to believe it's cold.

The lake is rather low for this time of year, I think he's wadding in the shallow end.

Yes, I took this yesterday and it is ice on a branch at the edge of the lake.

A little further away and another patch of icy twigs.

Foam and bubbles along the shore.

Lighting the way.

It's days at sea are over, it now rests in the country.

I need another cup of coffee before this day gets underway. Remember it is Wednesday, the week is half over and you are on the downslide to the weekend again. Enjoy the day!

Day 87 - 27th March 2012 - Research, Trees and Ducks

We are back to winter temperatures this morning, -4.0, brrrrr chilly! Off to town this morning for a meeting, then back home to get some work done. It breaks up the day, but I'd rather go in during the day than at night. Well there is no snow on the ground, but some very dark clouds circling the sky as daylight arrives.
Yesterday was cool most of the day, wind picked up making the +7 seem like -1 and there were snow flurries in the afternoon. Worked on my research paper, finding a few new facts. I have a group of men on the family tree who went to Massachusetts during the 1900's to fish, well this happened in a lot of families around that time. But of course they never returned and now I am in search of them. I have found a few, some have married, families, they appear in Census records, crew lists of ships, passenger lists going back and forth, and obituaries.  My great grandfather H went to Boston/Gloucester each spring to fish, but the difference was he took my great grandmother who kept house over there for a family, and their two sons - my grampie and his brother. I know this because grampie told me the stories many times of living in the States and going to school there. His big complaint was that they came home in the fall and he had to go to school again here. So I guess this migration for work has been going on for many years. Today families go out West, but I think we are less likely to lose them, with computers, skype, laptops etc. it's so much easier to keep in contact.

Caught this mallard as he was taking off, not sure who startled who.

The chair sits on the beach waiting for warmer days and someone to visit.

I like the way the tree grows and hangs over the lake edge. Soon they will be covered in leaves again.

And I found another pair of ducks further around the lake in another cove.

An old log reflects nicely in the water, but I'm not sure what that yellow spidery looking thing is below it.

A gentle ripple over a rock in the lake.

Not sure if these holes are from a woodpecker or some kind of insect.

A few raindrops left over from the rain last night.

Time for me to get mobile, have had my coffee, need breakfast and to get ready. Enjoy your day.

Day 86 - 26th March 2012 - The Lake in all it's glory

Nice and mild this morning, temperature is +3.6, but it looks like more normal march weather for the rest of the month. Last week might have just been  a dream. It's Monday again, and the work week starts, although this is the last month of March, hard to believe another month is gone. I'll soon have to go back to work.
Yesterday was spent doing housework, well someone has to do it and I didn't see any volunteers or good fairies, so I dug in and got it done. Managed a little spring cleaning in the process. Once summer comes along [yes I know spring just arrived], all I'm doing is enough to maintain the mess to a dull roar.
The lake was beautiful in the morning and I couldn't resist getting a few shots. I was out around 9am, everything was quiet, except for some birds you could hear singing, no wind, just a perfect Sunday morning.

I need to take a pair of clippers to this little branch. There are two good rocks right behind it that are great for sitting on and watching the ducks, but this twig keeps getting in my way.

Nothing moves, total peace and quiet. The sun shining. Of course that didn't last all day, turned out rather overcast, and chilly. By supper time it started to snow, freezing rain then eventually rain. I guess that's why it's nice to capture the moment. No ducks - they've probably gone bumming around the lake to see what they can find for breakfast.

Reflections in the lake.

A lone garden shell.

Since I slept in until 6am, best get moving - another day of paperwork and research. Enjoy your day!

Day 85 - 25th March 2012 - Spring Flowers and Memories

The temperature is -1. 4 this morning. Guess you might call that more "seasonable" weather. This week looks like the one that gets my kitchen finished up - rain, snow, yuk!yuk! Larry has his woodshed all done but shingling the roof, one side of which I think he will get done today, then we'll wait for shingles to go on sale for the other side.
I decided to delve back into my grandmother's journals this morning. She always liked spring and the flowers popping up through the ground. When I was very small and they lived in town I remember that she had beautiful flower beds. Around 1970-1971 they sold their house in town and moved to the country, after that for many years they wintered in town. It was a 20 mile dirt road to travel over and at in the early days there was no electricty only their generator, so this was a compromise. My grandfather of course would never have spent another night in town, but this kept the peace in their household. There were very few days, though he didn't go up to the farm, and for a number of years my parents had sheep there so either he or they had to go.

25th March 1978: Saturday - Bob, Bobbie and Mike to Middle Clyde cleaning up. Big cat. [assuming they went hunting that day as well] Lovely March day. Cold, windy, I walked down town. Mother brough me back. Jimmie made Ice Cream.
26th March 1978: Sunday - Overcast. Bob to M.C. I stayed home. Last week end in town. I baked bread, started to get ready to move. [By the end of March my grandfather was anxious to move back to the country].
25th March 1977: Friday - Still snow over night. Snow or rain flurries most of the day. I played Bridge, SH had a luncheon, Bridge very nice. Kim got her grandfather's and her supper. She's gone to school thing for the evening. Plans to come back for the night. What a mess - the living room. her things books, etc everywhere. Kim here all night. Working on a new blouse.
25th March 1973 - Beautiful spring day. Warm at MC. Roads real good this spring.

I'm glad to have been able to spent so much time with my grandparents, and it's nice to read her journals and bring back memories.

These are some of the new crocus' I planted last fall.

And my Daphne is in full bloom, more or less when it is suppose to be!

I think the Mallards are grazing for food, their heads bob up and down under the water.

A little itch behind the ear?

The pussywillows are almost finished for the season.

And the mayflowers are getting closer to blooming.

The sunrise was beautiful this morning. The temperature is rising. Perhaps we'll get part of a nice day. Enjoy your Sunday!