Beautiful Boy

One of our lovely boys.

Brrrrrr, Cold!

I think I mentioned early this summer that my black currant "tree", (I have to say tree as it's quite big). Anyway, it was so laden down with berries (a bumper crop this year), that I had to tie some of the branches up off the ground. So...I've finally gotten around to making 24 jars of jam and it's very tasty. A job that I was both dreading and looking forward to. I've never been much of a jam maker.

This week we put up holiday lights around the roof of the house and a tree with lights on the front porch. Also put lights around the archway into the inner garden. It's early I know, but the weather had been so mild that I figured why not get it done now rather than face the cold later. I'm so glad we did it because it has turned quite cold now. Temperatures going down to - 9C tonight. Of course the lights won't be turned on until sometime in December.

The birds have had voracious appetites this past while. I guess they are trying to fill up with food to get through the cold days and nights. I was putting food in one of the feeders the other day when I saw movement over by the woods. I quietly walked over and saw a grouse. You have to look pretty hard to see it in this picture. It's amazing how they blend into their surroundings.


We haven't seen a bear on the property this fall. It's a relief in one way but I would have liked to get some more pictures. I heard that there were a lot in the woods but I daresay the berry crop was good this year so they could fill up on the berries.

Lots of Evening Grosbeaks around now. They are such lovely birds. A couple of pictures I took yesterday.



Well, that's it. I have to mix up some food for the crows now. They'll be flying in for breakfast soon.

Need Bird ID

This bird has been hanging out in a friends garden for a few days. He's never seen one like it at his feeders and he gets quite a variety of birds. This is the best picture he's gotten so far. Can anyone tell us what it is? It's smaller than a crow but bigger than a North American Robin.

Bits and Pieces.

It's been t-shirt weather this past few days. Can hardly believe it as we are in November. Of course it's not going to last but it did give me the opportunity to finish up some things out side. I'll not get the perennials cut back, a job I'm now leaving until spring. I did find this beauty under one of the eaves when outside working around yesterday.


It appears to be abandoned so I'll likely remove it in a day or two.

Some good news. My father has finally gotten a hearing aid. It was so difficult to talk to him especially on the phone. The conversation would go something like this....
Me. "It's raining here today."
Him. "What, you're straining?"
Me. "No, Dad, it's RAINING here today."
Him. "I don't know what you're saying."

Now it's....
Me. "It's raining here today."
Him. "It's raining here too."

lol, what a difference it's made.

Then I have this fellow here. We get up a couple of mornings ago and himself says "I was up three times last night, I thought I heard someone letting the air out of the car tires. I got the big flashlight that lights up things for miles and each time there was no one there. Then I realized it was you breathing." ahahahahaha!

It's raining today but still quite mild. I've been preparing for company coming for a few days on Thursday. Last week I made a fruit cake with brandy. I got the recipe from a fellow blogger, Cicero Sings. I made it last year and it was a hit. I also made a cherry cake. Both now in the freezer until the holidays.

A few pictures taken this past while.