Showing posts with label snowstorm. Show all posts
Showing posts with label snowstorm. Show all posts

Thursday, February 5, 2015

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



Tuesday, January 27, 2015

The storm before the calm...

The blizzard has arrived...

After Saturday's snowstorm, the whiskey barrel was still visible. Not anymore.

There truly is a table under that mountain of snow...

A brave little junco sits on the railing.

There will be much shoveling to be done, for sure.

The mailboxes are almost completely covered.

So happy I made a ton of roasted vegetables and potatoes last night.
They will taste very good tonight.

I hope you are all staying warm and safe.

Donna

NOTE: To Gina, and anyone else - here's a link to a past post on roasted vegetables. A have to say, though, that I do fiddle around with the temperature a bit, usually between 400 and 450 degrees!
http://anenchantedcottage.blogspot.com/2009/11/roasted-vegetables.html

Tuesday, February 18, 2014

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

Sunday, February 16, 2014

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

Friday, February 14, 2014

Old Man Winter, you have overstayed your welcome...

Spring is going to be sweeter this year for sure!

We have been inundated with cold and snow this winter.
(Don't you love my snowman flag? The artist is my good friend Jeri from Fiddlestix.)

I think Charlotte Bronte must have experienced a winter similar to ours 
when she penned the quotation I used in the above print.

We went out for a late afternoon dinner for Valentine's day. As you can see, the sky was clear and blue today, a nice treat after yesterday's storm.

But I'm afraid it's going to be quite a while before anybody heads out to the deck to enjoy a view of the lake while dining.

Snippets of yesterday's snow coming down in the backyard...

... in the front yard...

... in the driveway...

... and on the deck.

And guess what? Another snowstorm is due tomorrow.

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

Stay safe and warm wherever you are!

Donna

Thursday, February 6, 2014

One Lone Sammy Squirrel...

... braved yesterday's snowstorm...

... to find his way to the screen feeder mounted outside our dining room window.

In yesterday's post I mentioned how I hadn't seen a single Sammy all day long.

Well, I guess this little guy's tummy was growling a bit too much,
because late afternoon he showed up at the feeder....

...  where he knew he'd find a nice meal waiting for him.

I just love these little guys. I know many consider them pests and, yes, 
they can be a wee bit wild and crazy from time to time...

... but just look at those sweet whiskers and those big soulful eyes! They make me melt!

I know that you know that you are welcome here any time, little Sammy. 
I hope spring arrives soon for you and your many friends who grace our little backyard!

(As you can see, Sammy knew he had nothing to fear while I stood about one foot away from him on the other side of the window. I took these photos with my inexpensive point & shoot Canon Power Shot, with the camera pressed right against the window. Apparently Sammy's a lot like Baby - a little ham for the camera!)

Have a great weekend, everyone!

Donna