Snow and Sightings

One morning early last week as I walked out my door...

this Red-shouldered Hawk landed on the gazebo.

My presence didn't phase him....he lingered near the bird feeder.

I captured several photos...before he flew off to a tree down the drive!

~all photos enlarge~

Later that day.....snow began to fall...

...never getting very deep...but...it was pretty for awhile.

At least...

the mood was set to unpack a few Christmas storage boxes.

The next day I had a visit with Alivia...

as she was "being" a teacher and reading several books to me...

I was busy sewing a seam on her "Build a Bear".....

 and replacing its heart.

Early...just this past Sunday morning.....

a severe winter storm had arrived overnight.

As Herhusband went down the drive...

I took a few photos from the back porch.

The birds came swarming like bees...

they thought I was placing food there...like last year.

Naturally I had to comply...we do have a full winter's supply!

With winter snow the deer become attracted to the 

sunflower seeds that may have fallen to the ground. 

 

Off to the side is the more cautious one of the twins.

They and six others have been seen.....recently.

Hunting season is almost over.

Later Sunday evening...the snow was getting deep.

One son Rick... had been here awhile...when Steve came by...

with Dylan and Andrew...who immediately went into the woods!

The grandkids like pizza...that's one reason we have it often...

...but squash/pumpkin and lentil soups.....plus baked fish...

 smashed potatoes and red pepper spaghetti are eaten too...

and in the freezer... 

there's standby dessert treats...but just a few.

Today...

..."very early" this morning...the drive looked like this...

...and a flock of Goldfinch...

 under the backyard feeder were very busy with seeds.

A few hours later I went out for a walk.

Dressed in layers...for it was extremely cold.

The raspberry vines sported cotton balls!

The field had evidence of a high volume of deer traffic.

Numerous tracks crisscrossing the field.

It was a little strange to see hickory nuts still clinging to the trees!

The bamboo in the field resembled a snow monster...

spitting snow...as I approached.

As I walked on...

looking back... presented a more peaceful view.

I took the path in the woods that circles behind the garden...

went in the north side...came out the south side!

Then it was down over the bridge and home!

There will be no resting.....on these snow covered benches!

Went inside.....where it was Warm!

Thanks for visiting!

~ ♥ ~

It was two years yesterday...that I made my first post...

...on December 12, 2008

Discoveries

Discovering frosty mornings are regular happenings now.....

weighing down the dried wheat colored remains of the field.

However...

 the leaves of the raspberry vines cling to their redness.

The trees in the front yard are mostly bare...

with a few squirrel nests here and there. 

With the leaves gone...large...but once hidden nests come into view.

Discovered this one over the drive...it's quite an elaborate one too!

With their thin skim of ice...the bird baths remind us...

they are in need of their heating aid.

Some grasses in the field still stand tall in the mornings.....

...often under thick buttermilk skies!

 

Out back...a change in temperature often brings...

a thick mist drifting up from the valleys below.

Out of those same valleys...

a few of these drift their way here too!

Do you see him?

On this one...we counted 10 points...

I hope he makes it through the hunting season.

On the morning of November 24th...the sky was blazing!

It would have been my Mother's 86th birthday!

Just after she passed...on June 4th of 2007...

this poem was written by oldest granddaughter, Amanda.

On the 25th...Thanksgiving Day...

family gathered and watched a beautiful 3D movie...

"Under The Sea"

...filmed in the waters of the Great Barrier Reef.

~ blurry photo because of 3D ~

A Thanksgiving Dinner was enjoyed by all...

...along with...maybe too many desserts!

My grandchildren also enjoyed the new computer.....

discovering a web cam program that distorted their faces!

I did some "very extreme" laughing!

Here's just a few of the silly shots!

My grandchildren may keep me laughing...

...but this recently received mail art...

from a friend in Kauai, Hawaii...

made me smile!

Inside was a small cloth wrapped package.....

.....in which I discovered a delicate heart...

from the Beach of Hanalei Bay...where she walks!

On the 28th...

Delwyn became a grandmother for the first time!

~ Thank You to All My Friends ~

~ ♥  Wanda  ♥ ~

It's An Age Thing!

While walking down my drive...of all places...

I discovered this small heart.

It's still deer hunting season, so there's no walking...

in the woods or down to the creek.

I've been busy in other ways though.

Seems my computer, with all of my photos...

has slowly come to be very unreliable.

It's an age thing!

Being...

that mine was networked with Herhusband's

computer and printer in another room...

...we decided to purchase an all in one...

computer and monitor.

Needless to say...it's taking some getting used to.

It's an age thing too...I guess!

At least the home page came with a lovely field of lavender!

Above the house one evening at sunset...

there was a sky of lavender, pink and blue!

So in a way...I in real life...had a field of lavender too!

You've seen my field with the doe and twins before...

where they are usually content to graze.

In the field we have a garden area...

surrounded by a 6 ft. high wire fence to keep the deer out.

This deer is NOT looking in...

She's looking out.

She and another had rammed through...

a removable drive through section!

Trapped...

they repeatedly tried jumping the fence...but failed.

Herhusband went over and widened the opening...

so they could finally...see their way out. 

This is one of the twins by the bench this side of the field.

He/she escaped the ordeal!

The bench on the other side of the field just barely escaped...

a falling tree. 

One that was damaged and needed to be cut.

A neighbor needed firewood...

 so he is finishing up!

We had just had a dusting of snow a few days before!

Mostly though...

the skies have been an 'Indian Summer' deep blue.

We've had several warm days...great for walking...

but still...

 we're staying fairly close to home, hunters you know.

Sometimes grandson Andrew walks with me...

.....when he's not on his dirt bike!

On this day in the field...he had just gotten off...

and the helmet hair needed fixed!!!

It's an age thing!

We had gone to the field after noticing ...

the fire chief and ambulance...by the end of the drive.

Within minutes we could hear a helicopter approaching.

 Air Care touched down as we watched.

They boarded a patient quickly and were off !

The township owns a building that sits close to our drive.

The leaves are still clinging to the Beech trees

and way off in the distance a deer hunter

 has a stand high in one of those trees.

I have a photo, but it's on the 'unreliable' computer.

Transferring photos from one to the other has yet to be done.

I do have photos of the squirrels...

feasting on the Dogwood berries...

and jumping from limb to limb....

working hard to get their fill.

My meals are easier to come by.....

Mushroom Alfredo Noodles

Vegetarian Sausage Spaghetti... 

Salmon with Baked Smashed Potatoes & Spinach...

Mozzarella Chicken Breasts on a Bed of Spinach & Pears

Turkey Breast, Havarti Cheese, Roasted Peppers, & Spinach.

Sometimes sandwiches just have to do...

just like this simple post...I have left for you!

By the way...the photo below was taken on November 3rd.

The day after Herhusband's and my 47th Wedding Anniversary! 

I think the marriage stands a strong chance, just like the Oak tree.

It's an aged thing too!

Hopefully the next post will have a larger variety of views.

I just need to get out and take more photos...

to place on 'Moments Of Mine' for You!

~ ♥ ~ Wanda ~ ♥ ~