Spring in the Air.

The weather has been wonderful. Very springlike. Not that we aren't going to have a few more snow storms but I'm excited. Today we even sat on the deck with just sweaters on. Mind you there is still snow on the ground but the deck is cleared. Chickens are out, up on the deck, laying about in the sun.

We went to Gander early this morning, our monthly trip for groceries, bird seed, kitty litter, etc. The highway was like summer, dry as a bone. We bought a new coffee maker as the one we have has been giving us trouble. I also bought two packs of peat pellets for starting seeds. The stores are getting all their gardening stuff out now and I had to shut my eyes so I wouldn't come home with the car loaded down.

Some good news, my brother is coming to St. John's for a week in April. I expect I'll go in for a few days to see him. My parents are so excited to have all their children (two of us) under one roof. When my brother was there last fall and I went in, it was wonderful. Just the four of us and I hadn't laughed so much in a long time. What fun we had.

Later in March a friend, an actor, is doing a one man show at the Heritage Centre here in Eastport. He'll be staying with us at that time.

I only just found out about a gym opened here. All kinds of machines apparently. Costs $35.00 a month. A friend is going to check it out. Maybe I'll join up, don't know yet.

That's about it, nothing much going on at present. A few pictures taken recently.

Sunrise yesterday morning.


Blue Jay

Sunday....

Friday the garage called saying that the part that was ordered for the car had come in from the mainland and would be put in the car that afternoon. Roger was waffling back and forth....should he walk up and get the car later that day or wait until Saturday. A couple of hours later he got another phone call from the garage telling him the part that arrived was the wrong one for the car and it would be Tuesday before they could get another. You don't realize how much you need a car until you don't have one. There is no bus or taxi service for us in this community so if you don't have a car, you walk.

I'm feeling that need to start planting. It always happens this time of year. I say every spring that I'm not buying any more seeds to start as it's too much of a hassle. Our summers are very short with the last frost being the middle of June, consequently if I start seeds it means bringing them in and out of doors every day. Now, after saying all of this, the last time we went shopping outside of the community I ended up buying eight packs of seeds. I just can't seem to resist, it's madness. Several of the packs are sunflower seeds. Several years ago I grew a few sunflowers in the large bed in the front amongst the perennials, fall came and I just left the seed heads on the plants for the birds. Spring comes along and I see all these plants coming up that I recognize as sunflowers. How they survived the winter I'll never know. I ended up with loads of sunflowers and they put on such a display that I had people coming to the gate asking if they could come in and see them. It was a lovely sight so I'm going to try to grow them again.

Last week we had a lovely snow storm that went on for almost two days. I have to admit that when a storm is swirling the trees and snow around and you can hear the sound of the wind, it's such a lovely feeling of comfort somehow to be inside the house "the cave", looking out at nature in all it's glory. There are moments of feeling part of it all. They say there's another storm coming up the Eastern Seaboard. Winter has arrived!!!

I did get a few pictures in the early morning when it was all over.

The wheel barrow before.


And after.



Outside front door.

Waxwings

A friend here in Eastport took these beautiful pictures of Waxwings that were in his garden recently. I simply had to show them off. Click on images to enlarge.

Snow...Lots of Snow!

It started snowing this morning and by noon we had already gotten the 10 cm. predicted. It's still snowing and by all accounts suppose to go on all night. I must admit it's very pretty outside, like a winter wonderland and will probably look even better by morning.

Some good news, I hope. This morning I brought in wood, up on the ladder I cleaned off the roof of chickens greenhouse, cleared off feeders and replenished with food, shoveled the deck, came inside and said to himself that something strange was going on, I hadn't gotten out of breath and no faintness. So, he took my pulse, heart rate was up and a steady beat. Could this mean that the beta blockers have kicked in?? I'm hoping that it's not just a "one day" deal, lol. I just cleared the chicken roof again and filled feeders and still no shortness of breath or faintness. Will have to see what tomorrow brings.

A friends birthday on Friday so I've invited a few people in for supper. I think I'm going to have New England Pot Pie, Spicy Rice and salad. I'll make a cake as well. As long as the weather co-operates, it should be a nice evening.

I took a few pictures this morning through the door window. Lots of birds around today.

What was seen through the storm.








Stanley was helping me do the wash.

Tuesday

We went to the hospital yesterday so I could get the necessary tests done. As the car is at the garage, a friend was kind enough to drive us there. The highway was pretty good considering the few snow falls we've had lately. I got the tests all over pretty quickly and we were back home again in time for lunch.

The weather report on the news last night said we could get 30 cm. and maybe even 40cm. tonight but then again they said it might just veer off and miss us. If indeed it does hit, it will be the heaviest snowfall of the season. This morning is overcast and quiet, feels like the calm before the storm.

I was in the driveway a few early evenings ago when about half a dozen Cedar Waxwings landed on the vines going over the fence eating the berries. I couldn't believe it and they were only a few feet away acting as if I wasn't there at all. Didn't get a picture as I figured by the time I got in the house for the camera they would be gone. They are such beautiful birds. Then yesterday afternoon I saw the hawk once again fly up into a tree. I should have known something was up as there were no other birds about and it was dead silent outside. Again, went for the camera and quietly walked up to my knees in snow over to the woods but no sign of him.

A few pictures of the snow we already have.

Looking to the West.

Looking to the South.


Wheel barrow.


The brothers.


Woodie.

Saturday, more snow expected.

I think it was Wednesday, although, it could have been Thursday, anyway it was a mild day. I saw some movement out of the corner of my eye on the window. What a surprise I got, it was some kind of moth or flutter. Well...nothing for it but to get the camera and take a macro shot. Oh how I've missed using the macro setting for bugs and it will be a good time yet before I see anything in the garden. I have no idea what this is but it is quite pretty.


Thursday....I had an appointment with the Doctor. So here I am, a person with not so much as an aspirin in the house, okay..I think there's a bottle somewhere in the house. Rarely do I have anything wrong, no headaches, no stomach aches, etc. Well, I do have a bit of arthritis in the hips if I've been digging in the garden for too long, but never take medication for it as it usually passes after a while. As I've mentioned, I found out that I had a thyroid problem last month and am on medication for that. Now, the reason for Thursdays trip to the doctor is that I have been feeling faint and get breathless doing things normal for me ie: bringing in wood, shoveling, etc. It was starting to worry me so I made an appointment at the clinic. I find out that I have an irregular heart beat which is causing the faintness and shortness of breath so I'm on heart medication to regulate it and have to go to the hospital for an ECG. Not only that but he, the doctor, looked in my ears and said I had Meniere's disease, which I knew and it causes dizzyness but I haven't had an attack for a long time. So, he gives me medication for that. Here I am now with bottles of pills in front of me in the morning all lined up for the taking.

So, I come out of the clinic and go to the car where himself is waiting. The car won't start!!! Ah, I said, "I have my cell phone on me, we can call the garage." As I hadn't used the cell phone since I bought it, and had many dollars worth of minutes saved up, I was thinking this would be a great opportunity to use it. Made the phone call and a voice came on saying something to the effect that there were no more minutes left my account was empty. I couldn't believe it! When I got home I phoned the company and they said that I should have put the new minutes in on the 11th. not the 12th. as I thought. I'm dishing the bloody cell phone!!!!!!!!! Anyway, after several tries the car finally started so we headed off to the drug store so I could pick up my prescriptions. That done we got in the car, it wouldn't start once again. After many tries, Roger went back in the store and phoned the garage. The guy said he would try to make it in an hour or so. Fortunately a friend came by, saw us there, stopped, we told him the situation and he brought us back home. The problem with the car...it needs a new alternater. This has to be brought in from the mainland so not knowing how long this may take, we are without a car for a while. It never rains but it pours.

We had a nice fall of snow over night recently so I took this picture of the storm door which I though looked pretty with the snow on it. They say we could get up to 25 cm. by tomorrow.

There have been quite a few birds around. Yesterday morning there were at least four woodpeckers near the back door and loads of pine siskins have been arriving with the evening grosbeaks.






That's it, I'm off to fill the feeders.

Tuesday!

Lovely sunny day but very cold. Looks like we are going through another cold snap. Nothing much happening, guess it's the winter doldrums. Except for the hawk here yesterday, there's been little excitement. So a few pictures of the regulars that I've taken this past couple of days.



Ok, ok, I know I put this little one on a lot but can't help myself, he's just soooo cute!




For you Pete...The Girls

Another Garden Visitor

But not one I particularly want hanging around. I was taking a picture through the window in the door of a couple of jays on one of the feeders. All of a sudden they let out a screech and flew off along with some small birds on the ground. I thought it strange but on taking the camera away from my face, I saw a larger bird on the ground. Thinking it was a grouse I threw my coat and boots on and went out figuring I could get quite close as you can almost pick them up they are so friendly. The chickens were out and fairly close to this bird. I started walking towards it and saw that it was a Hawk. It flew up in a tree as I got closer so I only managed one half way decent shot of the bird. Absolutely gorgeous! It hung around for quite some time so I had to get the chickens into their greenhouse area by coaxing them with treats. It eventually flew off to some trees across the road. I have to say that it was one beautiful flyer. I've looked up my bird books and the best I can come up with is that it's maybe a Sharp Shinned Hawk. If anyone knows for sure, please let me know.

Cold and Busy Day.

Getting up early this morning I expected the worst. The weather report for last night was blizzard conditions and up to 30 cm of snow. It didn't happen, well, we did get about four inches maybe a little more. Put the coffee on, fed cats and then went outside and shoveled the deck and steps. Still dark, I let the chickens out of there main house into their greenhouse area, brought out food and fresh water to them then proceeded to get up on the ladder to brush the snow off the roof of the greenhouse. I could see quite well because the light in the greenhouse was shining through. That done, I figured that I might as well haul the ladder around and get the snow off the bird feeders as I figured they would be here early today. While hauling the ladder around himself inside was yelling out the door, "You're going to break your neck if you don't wait until daylight." "Right" says I and continue on to the highest feeders first. What a glorious time of day....dead silence, no wind, the air so fresh and clean that you just want to sing and the moons light making glittery stars on the freshly fallen snow.

Daylight soon arrived and the plow had been up and down the road a few times. Now was the time to get bundled up again and start clearing the snow out of the driveway. With both of us working at it, it didn't take too long. It was awfully cold though and both of us had very red cheeks. No snow to speak of to come in the next few days, just a few flurries here and there.

Some pictures taken early this morning.



The Tracks....


The culprit.




Juncos.




Jay.



Woodie.

Cleo has the best idea for a day like today.