Baby, Blizzards, and Bluebirds...

Massachusetts has seen more than its fair share of snow these past few weeks,

with yet another 12" or so due on Monday.

Even Baby doesn't know what to make of it.

In other news, the bluebirds are daily visitors...

... with the main draw being both the meal worms...

... and the heated birdbath.

(yes, the heated birdbath really is there, mid-blizzard, with enough of a warm water oasis 

that the birds were able to drink to their hearts' content).

I love these 'in-flight' photos.

It seems like someone is always coming or going.

And I've found the bluebirds to be very curious...

...  and not the least bit fearful when they see me in the window.

As a matter of fact, when I sprinkle the meal worm on the screen feeder

and do my little clucking sound for them,

... they start landing on the feeder before I've even completely shut the window.

 Their second favorite food source is suet. You can see a bluebird perched on the

 shepherd's hook that one of our suet baskets hang from.

The cardinals, not nearly as trusting as the bluebirds, are very wary of me in the window, so capturing this handsome fellow on the feeder with one of the bluebirds was quite a treat. Until last year, I'd never even seen a bluebird, and now we are graced with flocks of them visiting the feeders of the house we've lived in for over 33 years! 

They certainly add to the view outside our dining room window!

I'll be joining Cindy at My Romantic Home for Show & Tell Friday this week.

Till next time, stay safe and warm, everyone!

Donna

Room with a view...

...if you're looking for a view of snow that is!

We were supposed to get about another 6" of snow today.

Wrong!

I think we got more like a foot on top of what we already have (which is a lot!).

A sweet mourning dove on the screen feeder outside the window. 

I continuously brushed snow off  the feeder all day. One time alone it had about 6" on it.

The little side window of the bay window looks out on the garden gate and arbor, always a favorite place for the birds to hang out as it's in close proximity to the screen feeder. I can't wait to see how the honeysuckle I planted beside the arbor does. I know the clematis will come back strong, as it always does, but hopefully I'll be able to watch hummers at the new vine come May or June!

Mr. Cardinal braved the snow to feed several times today...

... as did Mrs. Cardinal, whose body is twisted here. She did, indeed, have tail feathers!

Almost every time I looked out... 

...there was someone waiting to hop on over to the feeder.

I think these little darlings will be even more happy than I will be to see spring.

What a brutal winter it has been for those who live out in the elements.

Lucky for Baby, she is an indoor kitty.

On cold days like this, she loves to lay in front of the living room bay window on top of the apothecary chest. The heating vents are on the floor right by chest so she gets a regular stream of toasty warm air on her furry little feet.

Today's storm lasted from morning to this evening...

...  and we're due to get a couple of more inches of snow tomorrow.

This winter is a throwback to the kind of snowstorms we had when I was a kid growing up in New England. I left for a few years in the late 70's, but when I returned to New England in the very early 80's we had tons of snow every winter. (I missed out on the Blizzard of '78, the snowstorm to end all snowstorms!)

Then in the mid 80's and for many years afterwards, we had pretty wimpy winters by New England standards... more fog and rain than snow it seemed. So this year has been more like the winters I remember from years gone by.  And while I love the nostalgia of these storms and the memories they bring back, I am soooooo ready for spring!

Stay safe and warm wherever you are!

Donna

No explanation necessary...

Just photos taken of the storm that started yesterday afternoon and lasted into the night. Every single snowflake was captured by using the flash on my camera. Truly a beautiful evening, no matter how tired I am of this winter's snow accumulation.

Stay warm, everyone!!

Donna

They're heeeeere..... (again!!!)

The snowflakes have arrived. They say everything comes in threes. This is the third weekend in a row that we've had a snowstorm.

  It's also the third time in just about a month that our poor 11-year old van with almost 150,000 miles on it has broken down
 (First the alternator, two days later the starter, and now God only knows what)...

But let's get back to the beauty of the snowfall...
This is the view outside my studio window a couple of minutes ago.

It's also the view that Baby has when she lays in front of the TV in my studio. She was hanging out with me, watching the storm outside, while I did some work.

So happy I had my camera handy because I got some great photos of her looking "not quite so beautiful" as she normally does while in the midst of a 'licking her lips' episode! haha

So if you're not as sick of snow as I am at this point, you can check out the following short videos of our THIRD snowstorm in so many weeks... And of course Baby followed me around from window to window, so you'll see more of her Highness as well!

The start of the storm....

Baby joins me....

The snow starting to come down heavily - and Baby joins me at this window as well!

You also get to see the mossy green on the north side of the shed - boy, am I going to have to scrub that down this spring!!!

Enjoy your Sunday, everyone!

Donna

Snowstorm Deja Vu x 2

 Baby's look pretty much sums up how I'm feeling right about now....

 "What the what??????"

These photos were taken over the weekend during yet ANOTHER snowstorm.

We're both looking toward the heavens, praying "No more snow, please!!!!"

Enough is enough!

No matter which way we look ...

Through snow covered dining room windows...

... or out living room windows...

...or my studio/office window...

There is nothing but white, white, and more white!

Even the birds agree with me as they're also growing weary of this cold, harsh winter...

(taking turns at the suet feeder)

We're so looking forward to the scent of blooming lilacs drifting about, carried on warm spring breezes.. and the bountiful harvest of insects that spring brings. 

(I'm the one into lilacs, they're the ones into insects, in case that wasn't clear.)

But until then, Baby is on the lookout for the first sign of spring. 

She assures me she will let me know as soon as she sees it on the horizon.

But since they're predicting yet ANOTHER 8-12" of snow for us this weekend, 

I think she's in for a mighty long wait....

Stay warm, everyone!!!

Donna