Well, it is cold. Really, really cold. And, do we have snow!
The snow is up to the base of the first story windows! Icicles hang down almost to the tops of the first story windows. This is a good, old fashioned, Maine winter! Temperatures stay in the single digits when they get above 0 F, but the wind certainly makes it feel a lot colder! It does sound like a freight train at times. It comes barreling down the hill behind the house, and slams into the barn. Like many old houses, the barn was built at the back of the house, to shield it from the prevailing winds of winter.
The bird feeder bases (Christmas tree holders) are covered with snow, which is a good thing, as it keeps them from just blowing over.Every morning 8 blue jays and sometimes as many as 40 mourning doves show up for breakfast. Then the wood peckers come, and then the small birds. There are also cardinals, and for some reason, grackles! The jays amuse me. The come off of the trees, and land PLUMP on the feeders or ground. They eat a nut, leave and come back. The doves are just greedy. They eat until the feeders are cleaned of food. While I know they need to eat, they seem piggy, hogging everything.
Last week I was on the phone, walking around the kitchen, talking. When I looked out the window, and there was a bob cat. I could not believe it… short tail, short legs, and his face, when he turned it toward me, was the face of a tiger. This was NOT a cat! He walked down below the house, crossed beneath it, and then went over into the neighboring grave yard. I have never seen one here before. But, the food is scarce with all of the snow cover in the woods.
So, the second camera came, and it still was not right for what we need. So, it went back to the store. But, a new one is on its way… and the third time is a charm! So, still unable to take pictures, I thought I would put on a couple from three years ago. The first is one of my favorite pictures of Spot!
Spot is a snow dog!
He loves the snow, and rolls in it.
When he is running through it he will lean down
and snatch up mouthfuls of it.
The only thing one needs to watch for are his feet.
They are webbed,
and pack up with snow rather quickly.
Then they need to be cleaned out.
He won’t wear boots, so…
The back yard in 2012.
We have more snow than this!
THURSDAY- February 19, 2015
Well, the new camera arrived! Yipee! I really need to look through the manual. How things have changed! There are two CD’s to watch, a tomb to read, etc… a far cry from my old camera, which did its job day in day out!