Day 51 - 20th February 2015 - Junco, Chickadee, Redpolls and Hairy Woodpecker

Stars are out, blowing, temperature is -7. Big change from last evening when it seemed settled around 0.  More flurries today on the way. A day to do some housework and read another chapter. It's Friday and the end of this week. I think that's a good thing. Not that I want to wish time away but.......
More snow - all day snow again. What more can a person say about that! Yesterday wasn't one of my better days - they've been few and far between lately. Did do some more manuscript reading, laundry and Lexi and I tried roaming. Like I've said before - that's getting more and more difficult to get far. Walking was greasy underfoot on the road and the snowbanks are really to high to jump up on now if there is any traffic. I decided to make a mushroom and cheese omelet for lunch. When I was getting the carton of eggs out of the fridge they went flying out of my hands and landed upside down on the floor. Still in the carton but all nine were smashed. I used 3 eggs for my omelet and made a breakfast bake for Larry with the rest. Hopefully that freezes well. I add a bit of milk, broccoli, corn and shredded cheese and bake it. Cut it in pieces and gives him 4 breakfast servings. His new Doctor is concerned about his sugar levels, wants him to cut out sodium and lose weight. So we are working on changing our diet. Not that I think we ate bad, but I know we ate too much. Now I'm increasing the veggies/fruit and decreasing a lot of other things. He's doing well with little complaining.

One of the Juncos was hunkered down in the Honey suckle bush.

And it snowed and snowed.

A Chickadee thought it was a great place to rest too.

Two of the Redpolls.

The gang has arrived.

Mostly Redpolls, but some Pine Siskins mixed in.

The Hairy Woodpeckers are pretty faithful.






Enjoy your day!

Day 50 - 19th February 2015 - Junco, Blue Jays, Redpolls and Hairy Woodpecker

I overslept or slept in this morning - not sure which, but it felt kind of good for a change. A lot milder, temperature is a balmy -4. Could spring be on it's way or am I speaking too soon?  Probably not, since they are forecasting for some snow later today/this evening. Spring is the 20th March can we hang on that long. Of course no guarantee that winter will instantly stop and the crocus' will pop up and bloom.
Wednesday wasn't a very sunny day, but it did warm up to 0 in the afternoon with no wind - felt great! Lexi ran and jumped through the woods, in most places the snow is too deep for her legs but she had a great time. I think she's getting a little shack wacky too as she spent a lot of the day laying out on the deck on a big snow bank. I'm not sure if she realizes at this point but she could probably jump over the fence if she had the mind too. She lays there and the birds come in and out to the close feeders and run around on the snow close to her where the seeds are. More reading yesterday, making notes etc. Cooked a pork roast for supper - leftovers - rah!

All the usual at the feeders yesterday - Junco.

Redpolls

I think they like having their pictures taken.

Golfinch high in the fir trees.

Blue Jays aka Blue Bandits as I like to call them.

And the Woodpecker.





Enjoy your day!

Day 49 - 18th February 2015 - Snow, Bling, Chickadee, Redpoll and Bald Eagle

It's warmer this morning - temperature is -8, stars were all out and a little snow falling, but it's suppose to be a nice day. The man cold has once again raised it's ugly head in our house, hoping it doesn't last long and I don't catch it too.
Feels like I don't accomplish much these days, but just getting ready to go out for a walk takes 15 mins - snowsuit, boots, hat, 2 pairs of gloves and Big B. then I came back and exchanged her for Lexi since I was dressed anyway. It was a nice day for walking especially later on once it warmed up some. One of those very calm and quiet days. I did put my nose to the grindstone and read some more of the manuscript. Shaping up nicely - we are making headway.
Grandmother's Journal:
18th February 1976: Snow and rain most of day, milder. Bob, Bobbie & Tom to MC, no tracks. Home around 2 o'clock. Catherine and I had bridge to night. Rain and messy under foot. Doris brought us home. 
19th February 1976: High winds this morning, some rain. Snow went fast. Bob, Bobbie & Tom to MC. Nasty walking this morning. Slow in the store. 
20th February 1976: Beautiful this morning when the sun was out. Became overcast and some wind, colder and damp feeling. Very spring like. Walking was terrible this morning early. Got a ride with Joan. Bob, Bobbie & Tom to MC for the day. 

My wreath at the front door will soon be hidden behind the snowbank.

A little morning bling in the woods.

A Chickadee on my walk.

There were lots of Chickadees and a couple of White - breasted Nuthatches.

Redpoll - resting, no wind yesterday to blow him around.

A Bald Eagle we saw in Port Clyde last night.







Enjoy your day!

Day 48 - 17th February 2015 - Hairy Woodpecker, Goldfinches and Redpolls

Stars are all in the sky and the wind has finally died out. Beautiful morning out there - well maybe it's not morning yet. Temperature is  -13, that's our norm lately.  Hoping it warms up a bit this week. The school kids are having another day off - nothing like an extra long weekend. Larry will be off to work this morning so time for me to kick into gear and back to getting some things done - I still have a manuscript to finish reading through and a few other chores to get off my list. This last week I've been wishing I had a pair of snowshoes to tramp through the woods on. Not sure where Lexi and I will get our walks in, but the joy of having a four legged friend - you get exercise whether you want it or not.
Monday wasn't exactly what we all would have liked in a holiday - shoveling, raking the roof and keeping the fire going in the furnace. It was windy all day - nothing new there, some flurries but mostly the snow just blew around. Seems to be what winter is all about. We had a neighbour and his son over for supper - he's such a cute little guy - chatty and inquisitive. They had a hard day shoveling so I thought some hot soup and fresh biscuits would hit the spot along with a blueberry/cranberry muffin for dessert.

The Male Hairy Woodpecker likes to swing as much as the female.

Goldfinches enjoying the seeds I've tossed on the snow.

This little Chickadee is waiting to get into a feeder.

Lots of Redpolls.

Taking a break.








Enjoy your day!

Day 47 - 16th February 2015 - Redpolls, Pine Siskins, Goldfinches, Chickadees and Woodpeckers

Temperature is -13, a few stars out and a maybe a few flurries - or just some blowing snow. It's a holiday - Heritage Day so Larry's home. I'm not sure about the whole idea of a holiday in February. I like a long weekend when you can go somewhere or do something, I only see more shoveling in store for us today. A day off in June would have been nice - weather is good, you can hit the beach or hike in the woods. Oh well - I'm not the "powers that be".
Well we had lots of snow yesterday, thankfully it stopped snowing in the morning, but the wind picked up again in the afternoon creating drifts. It was a great day at the feeders and the yard. There were so many Redpolls, Goldfinches and Pine Siskins I tossed seeds out on the snow to accommodate them. The Redpoll flock has certainly grown, I think there are about 50 now and more Pine Siskins. I started  a big pot of soup first thing in the morning, something warm and hardy to take off the chill and easy to reheat if the power went out. We didn't lose the power which was great and the soup was delicious. Comfort food. When we weren't out shoveling and cleaning it was a lazy day inside. Storms are great for curling up and reading which is mostly what I did - however, not the manuscript I was suppose to.

The flocks began to arrive.

Female Hairy Woodpecker - I love watching her.

There were lots of Pine Siskins.

And one of the two Juncos.

I think this is my favourite Redpoll shot of the day, she looks to be thinking - "is it over yet".

The Chickadees are like little acrobats too.

The Redpoll flock is growing rapidly.

The Goldfinches seem to have divided and there are less of those than a month ago.

This poor Pine Siskin is really wind blown, but has snagged a seed.

There are always a fewer feisty ones.








Enjoy your day!

Day 46- 15th February 2015 - Snow, Grasses and a Redpoll

The big red bars are on the weather site - "winter storm warnings" etc. It's blizzard like conditions out there this morning - snowing hard and wind blowing, temperature is -7 (knew it felt warmer). I guess we'll hunker down and and wait out the storm. Guess after I've had a couple cups of coffee to get myself moving, I'll start a big pot of soup - something that's easy to heat up if the power decides to go off later and good for leftovers tomorrow. It's going to be a lazy day - maybe some more reading on the manuscript and watching for birds from the kitchen window.
I never did get a nap yesterday, seemed the day just kind of flew by. To town in the morning, stopped for tea at my cousins on the way and had chocolate cake too - she makes the best chocolate cake. Larry bought be chocolates for Valentines - true way to my heart. I caught up on a few things around the house, charged up cell phone, kobo and readied a bit for the storm. Caught Lois and Danny out skiing when I went for  a walk in the afternoon. So had tea with her when they finished. I guess it was a tea drinking day!

The trees cast long shadows these days in the snow.

It was a beautiful day - the lake is frozen and covered in snow, the sky was true blue.

Lois and her skis.

Some of her ornamental grasses are still hanging on in the wind and the weather.

This Redpoll found a stash of seeds that the squirrels had knocked out of the feeder.








Enjoy your day - stay safe and warm!

Day 45 - 14th February 2015 - Hairy Woodpecker, Blue Jay and Redpolls

A too early and very chilly morning, temperature is -16 at 4 am. I'm in for a long day, maybe a nap in the afternoon, although not likely. It's something I usually don't do. It's Valentine's Day - hope you remembered something sweet or wonderful for your loved one. Our neighbour stopped over last night with his young son - a Valentine for Larry and I and some cake. His little fellow loves to visit Larry. It's Saturday so a day for groceries and not sure what else. I probably should do a few things around here I didn't get done this week - more from lack of ambition than anything.
Friday continued to be cold, flurries periodically and drippy in the house. If a mild spell would strike, we could get the ice off the roof. Larry managed to get a bit more off last night. Since it was the first day of the Great Backyard Bird Count, I made sure all the feeders and suet were filled and waited in anticipation of something interesting to land in the yard. It was mostly quiet all morning - Blue Jays, Juncos and Chickadees, but by early afternoon I was rewarded (nothing new or rare) with a huge flock of Redpolls, Pine Siskins and Goldfinches. The Woodpeckers didn't disappoint me either and some Mourning Doves. And the Crows in the hood made a bypass overhead. Overall not a bad count.  Hopefully more today.

Female Hairy Woodpecker, they seem to be happy with the feeders.

The Blue Bandits - offer a bit of brightness in an otherwise dull day.

She doesn't share with the bigger birds or squirrels but does't seem to mind the Chickadee.

And the flock began to appear in the trees around the feeders.

I love to watch them as they are coming into the yard. From tree to bush to feeders or ground.

I think they are pacing off for a duel!







Enjoy your day!