Tag Archives: snow

Birds in snowy trees.

.

Sadly our snow is all gone, but here are a few pretty pics from our last storm.

.

IMG_3816

.

We have a few cardinals visit our feeders now and then…

.

IMG_3791

.

But it always surprises me that they show up en masses during a blizzard.

.

IMG_3806

.

Perfect winter scenes if ever I saw one.

.

IMG_3818

.

They spend most of their time huddled in the small apple tree.

.

IMG_3819

.

But every once in a while make a dash for the seed.

.

IMG_3828

.

With light fluffy snow? It doesn’t always end well.

🤣

.

She doesn’t give up.

.

Neither snow nor rain… nor frigid temperatures will stop the red squirrel from Hell.

.

IMG_8168

.

She was scurrying over the roof and across the deck railing…

.

IMG_8172

.

Trying to make her way to the seed buffet.

.

IMG_3845

.

But this snow was light, fluffy and thick and every time she tried to walk across it?

.

IMG_3839

.

She fell through.

.

IMG_3829

.

And yes, I laughed my rapidly expanding, thank you Covid 19 ass off.

.

IMG_3841

.

But she had the last laugh.

.

.

Because the bitch has learned to tunnel.

.

IMG_3835

.

She tunneled for over an hour.

.

IMG_3842

.

Back and forth.

.

IMG_3847

.

Building an entire red squirrel subway line.

.

IMG_3834

.

This doesn’t bode well for my dream of her dying of starvation over the winter.

.

IMG_3843

.

Or the safety of our home’s foundation for that matter.

.

IMG_3848

.

If I wake up next month with her sitting at the kitchen table nibbling my Krispy Kreme’s? Things are going to get real.

.

Random winter scenes.

.

One of these things is not like the others.

.

.

Which makes me wonder what that poor bird did to be ostracized.

.

.

And speaking of wild turkeys, did you know they make excellent snow shovelers?

.

.

We cleared the path but they’re enlarging the dining room.

And speaking of paths…

.

.

Now that the man cave is being readied, more shoveling is required after every storm.

.

.

Welcome… one and all.

.

.

Aside from the wreaths on our home’s windows, this was the extent of my lackluster Christmas decorating this year.

.

.

Snowflakes lights in the Barn Mahal. Battery powered and on a timer.

Ho! Ho! Hum…

.

.

And while Christmas will feel a lot different this year, there are some things to look forward to.

.

.

Beer run!

.

Are we the only people who wait for a wind driven snow to make an hour long trip to the nearest military exchange to buy beer?

Probably.

.

.

But look! They sell beer soap too.

.

.

As well as this evil spirit I discovered when we lived down south.

.

.

Purple Passion was my neighbor’s favorite and when I drank 5 or 6 of them because they tasted like Kool Aid? I was sorry.

Very, very sorry.

.

.

Beer shopping with my husband sometimes gets out of hand.

7 six packs and a case of hard cider later?

He came home with a little something extra for the barn.

.

.

*Gulp*

.

Well… time told.

.

And I don’t like what it had to say.

.

.

Not one damn bit.

Sadly after all the roofing repairs my husband and his friends did the other day… nothing changed.

It’s still leaking.

.

.

So we went back up in the attic and realized the wood and shingles they replaced the other day probably weren’t high enough up on the roof.

.

.

So now our ceiling looks even worse.

.

.

And though he thinks he knows where to make the next repair?

.

.

It was on the day our first N’or Easter started blowing in… so I doubt it will be anytime soon.

.

.

A day most fowl… as well as foul.

 

It started out well enough, with a sighting of a beloved yet rarely seen visitor.

 

IMG_1822

 

This time he was across the street, walking along the edge of our neighbor’s farm.

 

IMG_1828

 

He’s a beautiful ring necked pheasant we named Phineas.

 

IMG_1827

 

They’re not native to Maine and can’t survive the winters, but a man up the road raises them and occasionally one or two will break free. Last year, Phineas brought his woman to our backyard. She was looking for a nesting site… but we never did see any chicks.

Later on in the day….

Saturday, May frickin‘ 9th?

 

IMG_1892

 

We had ducks.

And snow.

 

 

This is the first time we’ve ever had mallards.

 

IMG_1893

 

Sadly….it isn’t the first time we’ve had snow in May.

 

IMG_1895

 

The ducks stayed quite a while, raiding the droppings from the bird feeders and the leftover deer grain.

 

IMG_1904

 

And then a friend joined them.

 

IMG_1905

 

A fowl day for sure.

 

 

Well, you can’t blame him.

 

Our resident chucker was a bit ticked off the other day.

 

IMG_1683

 

He was out back in the sun, enjoying a few apples…

 

IMG_1684

 

Happily posing for pictures….

And an hour later?

Bam!

 

IMG_1686

 

One cold woodchuck.

 

IMG_1698

 

We had a squall move in from out of nowhere.

 

IMG_1694

 

And I’m sure he was rethinking the decision to come out of hibernation.

 

IMG_1700

 

No, he wasn’t happy.

 

IMG_1693

 

With the snow…. or me.

I bet you didn’t know…..

 

There’s a political party of beer lovers in Poland.

The PPPP…  Polska Partia Przyjaciol Piwa. They won 16 parliament seats before breaking up into smaller factions. The Big Beer Party and the Little Beer Party.

 

wXiKsgX

 

You didn’t know that.

But I did, because….

 

GUEST_093223f4-e3c8-4e44-a847-a9c0c2030952

 

I bet you didn’t know….

The unofficial mascot of Delta State University if the Fighting Okra.

 

0416okra1

 

But it’s true.

I once went 4 rounds with some fried okra… but I’m sure no one wants to hear about that.

 

I bet you didn’t know…

Snow angels originated from medieval Jewish mystics who practiced rolling in the snow to rid themselves of evil urges.

Maybe I need to try that the next time I want pie and ice cream.

 

1gmzo8

 

I bet you didn’t know…

Horseshoe crabs are bled for medical science.

 

images (1)

 

Horseshoe crabs use hemocyanin to carry oxygen through their blood. Because of the copper present in hemocyanin, their blood is blue. … Amebocytes from the blood of L. polyphemus are used to make Limulus amebocyte lysate (LAL), which is used for the detection of bacterial endotoxins in medical applications.

 

Run crab….

Run!

 

I bet you didn’t know…

In Athens, Greece a driver’s license can be taken away if the driver is deemed “unbathed” or “poorly dressed”.

 

Disturbing-Fashion-of-the-‘70s-9

 

Good thing this trend never caught on.

 

I bet you didn’t know…

F.Scott Fitzgerald’s novel This Side of Paradise was the first time the word ‘daiquiri’ ever appeared.

Rum… Paradise…

Makes sense to me.

 

 

download

 

 

 

 

It’s snow good.

 

Ah, spring!

In Maine? We tend to do it differently.

 

 

Like last Thursday, when one of our woodchucks came out of hibernation and said wtf?

 

 

The deer weren’t too happy either.

And before we knew it, what was supposed to be a light flurry…..

 

 

Turned into a full blown storm.

 

 

Complete with heavy wet snow weighing down the trees..

 

 

And turning everything into a winter wonderland.

 

 

Spring.

 

 

It isn’t always green.