Day 334 - 30th November 2014 - Sunrise, Wreath and Birds

Another chilly morning, -1.9,  but I think it's suppose to get milder for a few days. I believe today will be a repeat of yesterday in my life. Walk, bake, laundry. Beginning to feel like the movie Ground Hog Day.  A little dull never hurt anyone. Sometimes it's just what you need to ground you.
The sun broke out by lunch time, but try as it might it still didn't feel very warm. There were a few snow flurries in the morning, the soft, big flakes kind that just drift down. You can almost make out the individual flakes and shapes. Not sure what we will do when the real winter arrives. Lexi and I braved the cold and got out for some good jaunts. I puttered around the house and did some baking. Finished off the first batch of cherries and made cinnamon rolls. Thought it would be brilliant to make biscuits to go with supper - well they were one step up from my normal hockey pucks. Maybe I'll just leave those to Larry in the future he does a much better job! He was late when he got home, so it was supper, the tub and then bed for him.  This will be our routine for a bit. Just the regulars at the feeder, no one new, but I wish that Red-winged Black bird would return.

A bit of pink in the sky.

Which reflected in the water.

A nice welcome.

A dusting of snow.

My door wreath.

It appears we have a Goldfinch with a white spot on his head.

It's great when they share and get along.







Enjoy your day!

Day 333 - 29th November 2014 - Pine Siskin, Goldfinch, Chickadee and Mallards

A chilly morning, -2.5. Larry was up early (2:30 am) and has gone. Going to be a long day for him, he'll be late getting home tonight. I'm back to the norm - housework, baking and walking. Sounds exciting. Oh well, a little dull for a few days won't hurt me and I'll get caught up. I should do a little research if I find time too this weekend. Today - it's cinnamon rolls (with lots of cinnamon). A request from one of the guys with Larry - he remembered from last year.
Friday was nippy, I dug out my cap the comes down around my ears to wear walking and my down filled jacket. Soon it will be my snowsuit! A few milder days at the beginning of next week. Had a couple new visitors at the feeders today along with a multitude of Blue Jays, Mourning Doves, Chickadees and American Goldfinches. Saw a Red-winged Blackbird in the Honeysuckle Bush, but she didn't stay around long. Think the Blue Jays scared her off and then the first Pine Siskin of the season arrived. Molasses cookies for Larry's lunch box and started the first batch of liquored up cherries and cherry balls.

Pine Siskin - maybe today more will arrive.

American Goldfinch.

The Chickadees don't let the big birds drive them out, they are very persistent.

A little snow and ice on the grass. Brrr.

There were about 8 Mallards yesterday afternoon in the cove.






Enjoy your day!

Day 332 - 28th November 2014 - Blue Jays, Water, Rake and Berries

Looks like a nice day on the horizon - mix of sun and clouds should be a welcome change, maybe a few flurries later. First day of lobster season, everyone is up early and on their way to the wharves to go out. Have a safe and prosperous season! Guess it won't be this year I see them leaving the wharves, boats weighted down with traps, Larry's going with his cousin for a bit. Just Lexi and I home, think we can get lots of things done. Today I better make cinnamon rolls or molasses cookies for Larry's lunch box.
Got lots accomplished on Thursday. Laundry, housework, finished the pantry and tackled the kitchen. Sorted through the gifts I've bought and did a few more of my photo cards up. Got for a walk before lunch - the hood is quiet these days, saw a couple of mallards but that was all except water, lots of water. Swamps are up to the private road where I walk and will continue to rise in the next few days. The rain stopped in the morning, but then we had snow flurries all afternoon. Leftovers for supper and a good class at exercise last night. Should be hurting for a day or two.

The gangs all here - Blue Jays. They like to crowd into the smaller feeder for some reason.

More of my dead weeds.

I think this rake should be put away before it snows and it's lost for the winter.

I like black and white photos. The lines of the rake, the texture of the straw and tree  make it  interesting.

The swamps are full, full.

If you look closely at the forest, she can give us a pop of color even in these overcast days.

Enjoy your day!

Day 331 - 27th November 2014 - Fences, Goldfinch, and Barbed Wire

Up a little early this morning. Today - housework, housework, housework!  I will get out for a walk when it clears but I'm going to get a good amount of stuff done inside.  Hoping Larry gets my wreath made today, so I can decorate and hang it out on the door this weekend.  It's getting close to the decorating time - December 1st is early enough for me. I've notice a fair amount of decorations out and trees in windows. I don't put a lot up, a few things inside mostly.  I like the idea of getting everything done, so I can enjoy a few days before Christmas, to just relax.
Managed to get a few errands done, bills paid in the morning before the rain started around noon. Did get a bit soggy going to the bank in the afternoon and Doctor's office, but not too bad. Hair cut in the afternoon - feels good, looks good, now to just figure out how to do again. Larry made meatloaf for supper - so good, been a long time since we've had it. Larry had a Fire Department meeting last night, but I stayed in out of the weather, curled up and watched some TV.

I discovered as well as birds, I had taken a bunch of fence photos the other day.

Had to stick one bird in here - Goldfinch.

I really like old fences and posts.

Never sure if I like them best in color or black and white.

This little guy was so cute, going behind his mother.






Enjoy your day!

Day 330 - 26th November 2014 - Canada Geese, Cardinals, Chickadee and Great Blue Heron

I should probably start this off with a warning - it's all birds today! Off to town this morning, sounds like it's going to be a very wet day - lots of rain on the way this afternoon. Finally getting my hair cut today too. Like we really need more. Friday looks good and will be the official dumping day for the Lobster season in this district. They've postponed it several times. Some time I'd like to go and take photos of them leaving the wharves.
We had a great day on Tuesday.  It remained foggy  all morning but that didn't stop us. Went to Yarmouth with the intention of birding and shopping although we spent most of our time hunting for birds. One of our crazy bird friends - Ervin played tour guide, driving us around to all of his hot spots. Of course the bird I was hoping to get was a no show, but I wasn't  disappointed  - got  a lifer just the same and a couple of good Cardinal shots.  We really are a crazy bunch, but it's lots of fun. On the shopping end - a few more gifts purchased and crossed off my list.

 Couple of my favourite things - Graveyards and Canada Geese!

 A stunning Male Cardinal - we must have seen 10-12 cardinals.  I have a hard time finding one in Shelburne.

 Not a fabulous photo but enough for an ID - Yellow-breasted Chat.

 Golden-crowned Kinglet.

 Great Blue Heron taking off.

 And there were lots of Chickadees.

And the Female Cardinal.







Enjoy your day!

Day 329 - 25th November 2014 - Cranberries, Mallards and Fungi

A nice little sleep in this morning. I'll take those when they come along. Think we will head to Yarmouth this morning, do a little birding and a little shopping. Now that I'm on a roll, I'd like to get the my shopping done. There are still some things that I want to get locally but can pick them up later. My aim is not to be out of the county after the next week.
Managed to get a lot done on Monday - maybe it's all in the mind set. Larry finished putting the panels on his greenhouse roof, so that's all set for winter. He and Lexi gathered some brush to do me a wreath (he makes, I'll decorate) and since I've been doing the bulk of the cooking lately - he made supper. I caught up on laundry, got most of the pantry cleaned - amazing how the smallest room has the most stuff. Since I did the pantry I now know what else I need for my Christmas Baking. If I can get the rest of the house to rights by the end of the week, then next week is December 1 and I can start baking and decorating. Exercise class last night, I'm sure I won't be able to move by Wednesday.

A few cranberries in the ditch, but I like that you can see several layers below the berries.

There were a few Mallards hanging out in a cove yesterday morning.

Not sure what kind of fungi is on this tree.

Another of my funky dead weed photos.

A toothless monster?







Enjoy your day!

Day 328 - 24th November 2014 - Sun, Pumpkins, Junco and Goldfinches

Monday morning folks, weekend is over again.  Looks fine out there right now, but I don't see any stars, rain coming later this morning. 1 month from today and it's Christmas Eve. Can you say panic! I'm beginning to, not sure why this year but I'm definitely not on top of things. I don't have the house all cleaned yet, shopping is not done nor is the baking started.  This week and next week I need to play catch up and really buckle down to get things under control.
We left around 7:30 am and got back home at 7:30 pm so it was a long day.  Good day, shopping although I had to prod the girls just a tad at times. I don't like to poke along shopping, my idea is to go scope things out, get what I need and move to the next store. At one point I had been through 6 shops while they were still in Winners. So I slowed down and bit and they sped up and bit and things went great. Of course I didn't get all my shopping done, will have to go through what I have, check my list and go from there.

A little morning sun breaking through the trees.

Snow on the pumpkins.

No leaves left on the Honeysuckle bush, but this Junco still likes to sit there.

The Goldfinches were huddles in an apple tree.

The river water looked so cold the other day.

Enjoy your day!

Day 327 - 23rd November 2014 - Bling, A Deer and Ice

Milder this morning, +5.8 and a little wet. Off  to do some more Christmas shopping today.  I'm hoping to finish off the bulk of mine, not that I really know what I want. I have a list made of things I can't get at home so that's what I'm working on. Not keen on spending too much time in stores once December rolls around, by then I will be in my happy place baking.
We had a rather uneventful Saturday. I went early for my walk, could see the sun rise through the trees, but I didn`t go quite early enough to catch it the way I wanted. It was a nice walk, cold in my pj's and camo jacket. No one much cares what you look like in the hood and most were still in bed, just the odd early bird going to work. Larry cleaned out the furnace, had a fire going and breakfast started when I got back. A day around the house, Larry cleaned up the back porch, I did work around the house, made pizza for supper. Took a drive up the road to check out friends feeders, it appears we all have the same birds right now.

A little morning Bling in the lake.

 The Goldfinches were in residence all afternoon.

 Saw this lovely lady on our afternoon drive.

 Some ice in the river.

 The water was moving fast.

Lots of foam too.








Enjoy your day!