Day 38 - 7th February 2014 - Sunrise, Townsend Solitaire, Shadows, Lexi and Snow Shadows

Brrr - it's a cold one this morning, -14.4 and the house is +14.4, won't take long to warm her up fire is going now. Friday and the end of the work week for most. Suppose to be a few flurries today but not much. I'll be out doing some serious hood stalking and finishing up the housework around here. If the weather stays decent on the weekend, might get out and around somewhere.
It turned out to be a great day yesterday. Had some good news in the morning about an office project, Lexi and I played a lot outside - roamed the hood and I saw a new and semi-rare bird to our area in the afternoon. You just can't get much better than that! Love the day after a storm the way the sun shines on the fresh snow and there is often not a foot print - just clear sparkle of bling bouncing on the snow. Whipped up a bit of pasta for supper, then off to exercise. I stayed pretty pumped all evening about that bird. Umm guess it doesn't take much to excite me or make me happy and I could use that this week.

The sun broke through.

 We had a great run, Lexi loves the snow and we broke trails. Although we had a slow walk home, her feet were filling with snowballs.

 If you stand still for a few minutes in the woods you can just about always find a few Chickadees.

 On top the Christmas tree.

 This was so cool yesterday afternoon - like little rainbows in the clouds. I've never seen it before.

 Great shadows with the bright sun and snow.

 Not sure if the Blue Jay made it or not, saw 3-4 feathers.

 The White Throated Sparrow.

 Love the Chickadees!

My newest lifer - Townsend Solitaire.













Enjoy your day!

Day 37 - 6th February 2014 - Sunrise, Another Storm, Birds at the Feeder and Lexi

Stars are out, temperature is -9.5, colder than we are used to. It's stopped snowing during the night. No school for the kids in our area, must be a clean up day. That's the problem when it snows late into the night. Larry's out shoveling the driveway so he can get to work. Even if it had stopped snowing he was tired last evening. So I guess Lexi and I will break trails through the woods today - that's always a good cardio workout. Tonight is exercise, so between the two I should work that extra piece of pizza I ate and shouldn't have last night.
Well we had our regular Wednesday snow storm, getting kind of tiresome now. Didn't start until about 11 am so Lexi and I got out for a good long jaunt in the hood before hand. It was so quiet and calm you could almost hear your heart beat. Rather an eerie  feeling, you knew something was coming especially after that sunrise. Got laundry and some housework done, did up pizza for supper and just generally puttered around, was kind of a nice feeling. My brain has started to relax and unwind, even started to have a few ideas for fundraising at work.  Started reading my Warbler book yesterday - http://www.thewarblerguide.com/  I got it in hard copy but think I'll download the song and call companion to our tablet.  If anyone in interested in Warblers this is a fabulous book.

Now that's what you call a storm sunrise and it had faded quite a bit by the time I got to the water.

And it was snowing.

 The waited their turn on the fence for the feeders to clear.

 Lexi hanging out in the snow with the birds. The little birds don't mind her sitting on the deck. She spent more time outside in the snow than in the house yesterday!

I took pity on the Blue Jay and let him at the deck feeder. Usually I tap on the window.

A hammock sits empty waiting for warmer weather.

















Enjoy your day!

Day 36 - 5th February 2014 - Clouds, Sky over the Lake and Harbour

Wednesday is here, temperature is -4.9 and yes...we the big red snowfall warning in alert bar up on the weather site. Nothing has started but it will later this morning. Going to work may  not be a problem but I'm guessing Larry will have  a nasty drive home tonight. Have a craving for Pizza for supper tonight, and it didn't help when I was cruising through Facebook this morning that a friend who blogs had posted a recipe for Hawaiin Pizza -http://www.docaitta.com/2014/02/hawaiian-pizza.html  which looks really good but I'm allergic to pineapple. Will have to get out for a good walk before the weather strikes, after that Lexi and I can just roam. Some laundry, fun stuff like that and our day will be good. I know sounds kind of mundane but that's exactly what I'm looking for, for a couple of days. I did promise myself that next snow day I'd start reading the new Warbler Guide I got for Christmas. Got to get ready for Spring!
I decided going to town before the storm was better than after so I hitched a ride in with Nancy yesterday morning. A fair amount accomplished, but somewhat upset and frustrated with some people and what idiots they can be .Well as the saying goes "there's no cure for stupid". These days I feel like I'm on the edge and my patience with stupid is thin. Hoping some of that will start to melt off. Since I was up so early yesterday morning I opted for an early night.

 A touch of pink among the morning clouds.

 Before the sun broke through over the lake.

 It was a lovely morning for walking.

 And it eventually came out.

 The Harbour was still pinkish by the time I got to town.

 The Warehouse Tower.

 Common Mergansers in the Harbour.

Hanging out on the roof top.












Enjoy your day, Drive safe on the way home from work tonight!

Day 35 - 4th February 2014 - Gulls, Grasses, Clam Shells

Tuesday, temperature is -0.9 so not too bad. I'm sitting here trying to decide if I should go to town before the storm (today) or after (Thursday). I've got a couple hours to decide, I'm leaning towards today if I can finish off a couple things this morning and catch a ride. Seems our live revolves around the weather in the winter time.
Monday was one of those blah days. Sky was grey - neither ran nor snow just blah.  At least it was fairly mild.  Lots of Blue Jays in my yard and I noticed at least two dozen Robins too - all you need is a few patches of grass and they come from all around thinking it's Spring. Lexi and I went for a short jaunt but I didn't get any photos of interest. For me it was a day spent between the kitchen and computer. So much to do. I made some mini turkey pot pies - sort of for last night's supper and some Purple Turkey soup for tonight. I know that woke everyone one - I added purple cabbage and of course some of the left over cranberry sauce for flavour.  Another fabulous workout at exercise class last night - I say that now but will be lucky to be able to walk by Wednesday.

Clams shell washed up on the beach.

 Lobster traps along the dunes.

 Gulls flying by.








Grasses

 Beetle tracks perhaps on this old log.

Come summer it will be covered with garden vines.




















Enjoy your day!

Day 34 - 3rd February 2014 - Waves, Ducks and Geese

Another mild morning, +1.1, back to work for most folks. I'm not a football fan so I skipped that foolishness last night and had an early night with a book. Honestly I find it a bit stupid that grown men  run around and plow into one and are paid more than doctors and professional people that we really need and can use. People are starving and we pay athletes too much money. Just my opinion. So I'm going to have to spend a good portion of the day finishing up some research. Having a bit of problems with one of my software programs, hopefully can sort that out today. Of course weather is looking pretty good so it will be a day of haunting the hood as well.
Sunday was another spring like day - mild, snow and ice are melting. Larry put wood in the basement in the morning, I puttered around with some housework and then we headed for Lockeport around lunch time. He was attending a Tribute at the Fire Hall there for their Fire Chief. It was certainly well attended - Departments from all over the county included a number from neighbouring counties. I of course took the opportunity to roam around in search of photos. Walked down the Boardwalk then back up the Beach. Roamed around the town and then waited in the truck with my book. It was a great day for a walk.

 Nice view down the back harbour from the board walk.

 I walked up that from town then over to the beach and back.

 Lots of waves and gulls at the beach.

 Looking up at the dunes.

Not the best photos but these Scaups were so great to watch riding the waves - like surfers!

 Here comes another one!

 Was a chance to practice on some flight photos with gulls.

 Just a few of the Canada Geese in the back harbour.

Enjoy your day!

Day 33 - 2nd February 2014 - Woodpeckers, River, Merganser

A mild morning, temperature is 0.8, and a chance of rain showers for the day. Doesn't sound bad. Larry's going to Lockeport later today for a Fire Department do, think I'll tag along if it's not a downpour and see what I might find along the beach or some yards. Have no idea besides that what we'll be doing today!
Had a great Saturday! A little housework, a lot of time spent out doors, it was a beautiful day after all. Would have been a good opportunity to go on an excursion but I'm pinching pennies  and we have plans for today.  Gas is just so friggin' expensive! I did my walk in the morning and later in the afternoon we took Lexi and walked into Susan's camp. It was a good day in the woods. As I was giving Larry a lesson in Golden crowned Kinglets hanging out with Chickadees, voila and there was one! He was moving a little fast for photos. Also saw a Pileated Woodpecker flying overhead and heard him. On the way home, we spied the Bald Eagle in Cindy and Ted's lower field. No outing is completed without checking the river - a Common Merganser was on his own there. It was home to hot turkey sandwiches and a lazy evening.

 Sunshine, Snow and Shadows...it was a good day in the woods.

 Always some interesting wood around, keeping my eyes open for Woodpeckers.

 Found one - actually there were a number of them around.

 Finally spotted a White-breasted Nuthatch at Lois' - been a while.

 The River by Susan's was frozen.

 I couldn't sneak up on him, he was watching me.

And he flew off.

Common Merganser in the River.













Enjoy your day!

Day 32 - 1st February 2014 - Sunrise, Icicles and Chickadees

New month folks - bring her one! Yes I slept in, and I always feel guilty when I do that. Then I thought why should it matter, truthfully the last 1/2 hour I've been trying to convince Lexi to let me out of bed. She likes to snuggle in the morning, then barks when I try to get up. Temperature is -2, doesn't look like too bad of a day starting and no major weather on the horizon, so might be a good one. I see some of the snow looks like it's melting in the yard, wonder what became of those bulbs that were breaking through the ground a few weeks ago.
I kept checking the sky yesterday morning and didn't see anything of interest so got my breakfast underway. Just as I'm almost done - I happen to look out and the whole sky is the loveliest shade of pink. Shoveled in the rest of my bagel (switching to oatmeal for a while), threw on my snowsuit over my pj's and headed through the woods to a neighbour's yard and deck along the lake. Unfortunately with the snow on, they know I've been creeping around the property, fortunately most don't really care when they see my little footprints! It was a great sunrise.

 It was indeed a beautiful dawn!

 The sun itself broke through the clouds very slowly.

 Almost like parting pages of a book.

 Temperatures warmed up and the Icicles were dripping from the house.

Love when the Chickadees hang out on fencing.












Enjoy your day!