We did get a couple of spring days...woke up to light snow falling this morning but it has cleared now and the sun is shinning. Temperatures are going down to -17 C to -22 C tonight. We went to Gander yesterday as I needed to load up on bird seed etc. and "the man" needed to renew his passport so had to get passport photos taken. After shopping we went to get his photos taken. He was wearing a plaid shirt with a vest over it. The photographer said that he had to remove the vest. He says "I'm not taking off my vest" and sits down on the stool. The photographer says "Sir, I'm not taking the pictures until you remove your vest". So, in a snit while still on the stool, he takes the vest off, knocking over all the equipment, knocking plugs out of the wall as well. Honestly!!!! I simply had to walk away. I looked back and the lady was trying desperately to get everything set up again. Then, said man, realized he had left his money at home. Ha! Anyway, I loaned him the money. MEN!!!

Now, on to the carpet on the steps going from the living room to the kitchen. I've put down three different lots of carpeting to date. Why....because the cats shred it and the last lot was so shredded it was embarrassing. So, yesterday I bought another nice roll of the stuff, hauled off the old piece this morning and nailed down the new one. The next order of business was to sit all the cats down and tell them that the first one to put their claws in this was going to be in real trouble, I mean REAL TROUBLE!!! Do you think they cared! I was vacuuming and when I shut it off I heard this horrible noise coming from the other end of the living room. Looked over and ....well, I'm sure you know what was going on. Claw sharpening, yes on the new carpeting.

So what else am I doing today.....dreaming of summer, lol.

We went for a walk once again yesterday morning. Hardly any wind and spring like. Took a few pictures but they are rather moody as it was overcast and the sun was trying hard to break through. We saw a rabbit on the way back. Still had his white winter coat. He was running along just off the side of the road and going at top speed. It's amazing how fast they can go. Again, didn't see any birds and the only sounds were squirrels chattering in the woods. This past few years there have been a pair of Bald Eagles nesting near the beach so hoping to get lucky and get some pictures. Other than that it was an uneventful day.

Spring Day!

Yep, lovely sunny spring like day. Water dripping off the roof from the ice and bit of snow that's on it. Snow is shrinking down, but still a lot to go yet. There wasn't a breath of wind outside this morning so we decided to go for an hours walk. It was quite early in the morning and only about -7C at that time so bundled up and started off. Got out on the road and the flippin wind hit us. I said, "Erm, I don't want to go." I was convinced otherwise!! Spent most of the walk with my hood up trying to keep the wind out of my eyes, no luck there. So, most of the walk my eyes were watering and consequently, my nose running, continually hauling tissues out of my pocket cleaning myself up. We went along the beach for a good part of the walk and there were icy patches under light snow so had to walk with trepidation over the first part of our little journey. I took the camera with me but there was nary a bird nor a beastie to be seen. Lots of rabbit tracks though. Thankfully, on the way back the wind was at our back so it was more enjoyable. To be honest, when we arrived home again I was glad I went as I felt good. Maybe, just maybe, I might try it again tomorrow as I believe it's suppose to be another lovely day.

The temperature got up to +14 C. Friends dropped by for coffee just after we got back and we were talking about how anxious we are to get seeds started. Way too early yet though but it's days like this when you start chomping at the bit. We will no doubt have March snow storms as always.

Took a few pictures, though nothing of great interest.

Boreal Chickadee

I finally managed to get a shot of the Boreal Chickadee. It's been coming to the feeders with the Black Caps.

Can it really be

Thursday, AGAIN! Now this is good that time is moving along so fast, if one was anxious for spring. However, one is also on the fast track to aging. lol. We've had two lovely spring like days and it's been heaven. It gives me such joy to see the chickens out around and watch them picking at seeds that have fallen out of the bird feeders and all stretched out on the deck enjoying the warm sun on their bodies. Doesn't take much to make me happy now, does it!

Had a Birthday dinner for a friend last night and to be honest, with so much food and wine, my head is not quite straight this morning. Had a good time though, lots of talking about all kinds of things. I think we had the world straightened out by the end of the night.

So....saw a bird walking across the snow yesterday afternoon so got the "Hoppers" out. That's what my grandfather called binoculars. Wonder where that word came from? I saw it was another Grouse or possibly one of the same ones thats been here before. I think it's a female but I'm not really sure.

Walking towards me.



About ten feet from me.



Wandering off again.

Cold, cold, cold!

Company came by unexpectedly last night, a friend from St. John's and a friend from here. We were up very late, consequently slept in this morning. Got up at 6:30, late for me. The fire had gone out and my fingers are frozen here as I type. Anyway, got the fire in now so hopefully it will warm up soon. Another bloody cold night! We're invited to a party tonight but I'm hoping it won't be a late night. Wednesday I'm having a birthday dinner for a friend so the diet will have gone to hell the next few days. Have to get back on track again.

Not much happening with regard to the birds at the feeders. The same ones coming back and forth as usual. The Redpolls are still here every day. So....thought I'd take a couple of "artistic" pictures in the kitchen. The sun was coming through giving highlights to objects. I've been getting a niggling feeling that I should do paintings of them. My daughter has been after me to start painting again. I've been seriously thinking of getting a small studio added onto the house. Have to think about it a bit more though. All my brushes, canvas, and other art supplies are all set up at one end of the living room, waiting in hope that I pick them up and do something with them, lol. The thing is, I need space away from everything else!

FROSTY MORNING!

Feb. 16th., 2008

Time seems to be flying! Here we are into the weekend again. Wednesday we went to Clarenville, just over an hours drive from here. Spent a good part of the day there, shopping mainly. A lovely sunny day although chilly. We saw an upscale second hand clothing store so decided to go in and have a look. The first thing that caught my eye was a coat that looked rather medieval or maybe more Goth like. Anyway, I just couldn't resist it. I didn't try it on of course, don't know where my mind was, so got it home, tried it on and it wouldn't go around me, lol. Ah well, it didn't cost a lot of money and I'm sure I'll figure something to do with it.

Thursday it rained most of the day. Shrunk the snow down a bit. Very windy as well and a leak started in the top of the casement window in the living room. The wind was coming from the south directly onto the window so we figured it was driving the rain in somehow. Got to check that out.

Friday and today it's been spring like. The chickens have been out most of this past two days and loving it. I spent a good part of the morning trying to get a picture of a Boreal Chick a dee that I've noticed coming to the feeder. It has a brown cap instead of the regular black capped ones I get. Unfortunately I had no luck. It was just too fast. However, I'm going to keep trying.
I did get a few more pictures though....

Dark Eyed Junco.


Redpoll.


Woodie
Crows.

Feb. 10th., 2008

Not much going on as usual. My foot is doing fine. Could have been a lot worse. Still favoring it a bit as I don't want to twist it again before it's completely healed. Every time I get up on the ladder to clear the snow off the chickens "greenhouse" area, I think of the bad fall I had last winter, falling from the top of the ladder and hitting the ground. Funnily enough I didn't even get a bruise although I was a bit sore for a day. I was outside bringing in wood this morning and there were a lot of woodpeckers and nuthatches about. I don't know if it's that they are so use to seeing me that they let me get easily within 3 or 4 feet of them. Maybe they are like that everywhere. I have lots of pictures of them but still can't stop myself from taking more, lol.



This picture is for my friends on the other side of the Ocean who are out in T-shirts and cutting their lawn....I'm so jealous!! As you can see, we are still in the deep freeze here. A beautiful blue sky this morning but cold.



And last but not least...a friend gave me an Amarylis bulb at xmas and it is now in bloom.

Feb. 8th., 2008

Funny story I heard on the news this morning. A man in Calgary got a bit of a surprise this morning. Apparently, a passenger plane flying over his area accidentally dumped the waste from the lavatory. The plane being so high up, the waste froze into ice on the way down, went through his roof and landed on the bed. Some things just make you shake your head!

Had to go to the store yesterday and when we returned I was walking up the snow packed path to the house. One foot some how slipped off the packed snow and my foot went down in a twist in a hole. I could just manage to get to the house as the pain was terrible. Anyway, once I got inside, it didn't bother me anymore so thought nothing more of it. However, in the middle of the night I woke up in terrible pain. Which ever way I put my foot I couldn't get the pain to ease off. Couldn't even touch the foot without even more pain. Roger woke up and saw the distress I was in and said "Don't we have prescription pain killers around here somewhere." I said that yes I thought we did, so he went off to look for them. After about 15 mins. he came back with the pills saying they may not work as they were 10 years old, the date being on the pill bottle. lol. So took one and don't really know if it worked as I finally drifted off to sleep. This morning there is just a tiny bit of pain so am walking very cautiously. Hopefully I won't have another night like last night.

Well, they just keep coming and coming. I'm rapidly running out of bird seed. Took these pictures early this morning. This wasn't all of them either. There were more on the ground and in the trees.

Feb. 5th., 2008

I took some pictures off the camera yesterday and put the date on them as August 4th., must be wishful thinking. January has finally ended and it seemed the month was never going to end. Once February is over and we're into March, there is a feeling of hope that spring will truly be on the way soon.

Yesterday was a dreary day so we decided to hop in the car and drive to a nearby community. We went in the shop there to have a poke around and bumped into the dentist we had before he retired and moved out this way. He and his wife invited us to their house for tea, so off we went. Had a lovely visit. They are very nice people, we must have been there for two hours, chatting. They did drop in here before he retired as they wanted to see the gardens, had an enjoyable time then as well.

A lovely sunny day here today. No sign of the grouse this past few days but did look out and saw Redpolls on one of the feeders. Got my gear on and the camera and quietly and slowly walked outside. They are very nervous birds so I figured they would be gone by the time I got the camera ready to shoot. They were some distance away but managed to get a few pictures. It's great to see other birds coming around now.

Feb. 3rd., 2008

One of the Grouse returned today. I saw movement on one of the archways and on closer look saw what it was. It's amazing how they blend in with their surroundings. Stayed for a while eating berries then went off again.