....and the male Cardinal often perches in this pine tree by the back porch.
This female Cardinal successfully regrouped from a dazed condition...
brought on by a 'loud' collision with one of my computer room windows.
It's only in the winter that the deer lunch on my Yucca plants. This is one of the twin fawns nibbling a bit, before turning to join the other....they always look back while walking away.
The two of them pass through the back yard often....
...sometimes joining up with their mother in the field.
I usually feed the birds on the back porch only during times of heavy snow...
you can see our snow has been light....but have been feeding them there anyway...along with 4 other feeders in the yard.
The Carolina Wrens usually prefer to dine away from the crowd...
always on the move and chirping!
The Red-bellied Woodpeckers could care less...
they always make a dramatic swoop in to get their fair share.
Others that feed are...
chickadees, titmice, mourning doves, juncos, sparrows and downy woodpeckers.
It has snowed a couple of times...
....but disappears quickly with our unusually mild winter.
It is winter though and we do have a winter look most of the time...
...on one of our milder days with sunshine I took a short walk in the woods....
went down to the creek, saw a long draped grapevine on the way, passed my son's deck on the hillside, made a shadow wave and found a heart-shaped rock.
Not much in the woods this winter to take photos of...
just patterns on decaying logs, dried deflated mushrooms, bright green moss,
spooky faces in ice crystals, maybe a heart shape in the making...
and up by the house....daffodils peaking through the snow!
The 'blonde' squirrel made another appearance in the side yard...
he has never been to the feeders...like the gray squirrel and chipmunk!
Photos of a few meals cooked these past 2 weeks were taken....
...a collage photo of recent mail art I've made...
...and photos of Alivia and her friend Sierra on a mild sunny day...
coming to take orders for Girl Scout Cookies!
...so until the Girl Sout Cookies arrive...
I'll enjoy homemade ones...
...and hope for more wonderful sunrises like these to start my day...
Today it's raining and 53F... Is it winter?
~ Enjoy The Little Things ~
67 comments:
Those red-bellied woodpeckers are so pretty as are the cardinals. Yes it seems like a mild winter this year in the US. Here the winters are always mild so it's no surprise.
This was truly a grand walk. Love your twin deer, hope they stay a family. The blonde squirrel is really a stand out. Wonder if they are not as smart as their darker relatives?
Thank goodness I just ate or your food pictures would drive me to the kitchen.
Thanks again for a lovely visit to a place where things are as they should be.
What a beautiful post, in every way. Your photos are exquisite. That female cardinal has such gentle colors. The fawns, the snowy landscape and lane. It's all perfect for my day. I needed this gentleness. And your food! Is that a curry in the upper left? Oh my, I will return for some vicarious eating. You've also reminded me to be more mindful of my own meals and their presentation.
The music is a perfect accompaniment. Thank you so much.
What magnificent pictures, especially of the wonderful little birdies. I feed 'em year round, kinda keep 'em spoiled here on the Ponderosa.
I've only seen the albino squirrels in one town here in the Ozarks.
I have to say I'm a bit green with envy lookin' at your photography ability.
God bless ya sweet and have a glorious day!!! :o)
I couldn't get past the cardinals! Well, hardly. I DID manage to get down to the cookies....and what a splendid visit it was!
Wanda, I love all your pictures, especially the birds. Your blog site is very nice too. Smiles, Susie(She Junks)
Wanda, a most glorious post! Viewing your lovely blog always puts me at peace. You share in the most beautiful way. Wonderful photographs of the wildlife in your area! We have the same birds visiting our feeders. What hearty meals you serve. Each dish looks delectable! All of your images are fabulous. Your property and the surrounding area is gorgeous. Thank you for sharing!
Wanda....if I could spend the time just staying here on your blog, it would be like a piece of heaven to me.
I love the way you have shared the feeding habits of the birds...some preferring to dine alone...while some make a dramatic entrance....caring little about quiet dining. :))
The photos of the male and the female cardinal are beautiful. I'm listening to your music as I type..."Just another ordinary miracle today. Life is like a gift...." Beautiful music to accompany your remarkable blog.
I love the albino squirrel. Actually, I love all of God's creatures....making this a perfect blog for me to spend time enjoying. You have done a splendid job...not only photographing the beauty of Wanda's Moments but arranging and posting them on this blog. Thank you so much....
Love you, my friend,
Jackie
We've got our first snow of the season, and cold weather, too. The birds are all over the front porch and the feeders. Mine are not as beautiful and colorful as yours (we don't have any cardinals), but I enjoy them just the same.
Your deer and food pictures are outstanding. I so enjoyed this post, lingering for awhile on the food. And I'm not even hungry! :-)
HI AWND - oh how I love walking about your nature-land in all seasons but especially in Winter - I am most free in this weather so too I am free to adventure - and of course, the home made foods make every step worth it beyond measure.
And yes, I enjoy, savor and appreciate the little things
Love Gail
peace.....
I don't know which to comment on first ~ I loved all the photos. The photo of the girls on their bikes is so cute, and Alivia is really maturing! And we don't have any more Girl Scouts in the family ~ I miss those cookies!
I loved the female cardinal, I know everyone makes a fuss over the red males, but I think the females are just as beautiful with a hint of red here and there. They both look so cute all puffed up against the cold. Poor girl though, running into the window like that. I guess she's a tough old bird!
All the bird collages are fantastic to look at, and the deer and forest mosaics too. And I love that you found another heart rock, and I love the white squirrel! He (or she?) is very pretty! We have a few black ones in our neighborhood, but I've never seen a blonde one.
Your meals look great, each dish a work of art, and as usual I am HUNGRY now!
Speaking of art, your mail art is wonderful! And so are your sunrises.
And your photos are beautiful no matter the season.
We've been having a very mild Winter this year so far too. I hope it stays this way because I am dreading the thought of trekking over ice and snow with Eóghan along! I've been really lucky with the weather so far, and on the occasional really cold, windy, or rainy days (like today) my sister Diane has been around to pick Jayden up from school. Whew!
Somebody upstairs must be looking out for me!
Thanks for posting. It's always a pleasure to visit here and it always gives me a boost when I am feeling deflated and it also has the opposite effect of serenity when I need a little calm in my life.
Love and Prayers,
Eileen
Hello Wanda, I love all your photos. Those bird photos are so beautiful and the red cardinal, what a red colour. So amazing. It must be wonderful to see deer in your back yard. And the trees, they are so tall and elegant, the grey-white in these photos are great. You live in a wonderful place. I must have said this a hundred times, but I cannot help it! You say that there isn't so much in winter!! Well, you know how to find it anyway!
And as always you leave me so hungry seeing those delicious meals in your collage. And I've got no food at all because I have to lose weight after Christmas. The mice walk around with mourning crapes in my fridge..
But thank you for sharing your lovely walk and your delicious food.
Grethe ´)
This is a WONDERFUL post! I absolutely LOVE your photo collages (Nice work!). And I really love your tree photos too - you do a great job.
There is my favorite curvy lane with no snow! Such great Cardinal photos - they don't come to altitude. I haven't seen one in person for over 20 years! I can't believe you still have such vivid green! I like the white heart on the tree and all the other hearts you find. That "blonde" squirrel is a mystery - is this the first season you've seen it? Alivia looks like she might have quite the sale's pitch! (My Amanda does, too.) Enjoy your mild winter, Wanda.
How I love the collages you create ...the bird shots are stunning this time ...the white squirel is amazing ...and that food makes my mouth water...would love to have the recipes of a few of them ...so yummy. Thanks again for sharing your wonderful surroundings. xx
What a lovely update of your beautiful home and family. I'm afraid I wouldn't be able to stay in the same size clothes if I ate at your house! Everything looks so delicious!
All the very best,
Lois
I wonder if the deer are saying "thank you" or "nanny-nanny-ate your yucca". I certainly hope it is with gratitude that they look back at you!
Thanks for sharing your lovely photos.
Blessings, Linda
Love seeing your post today...the white squirrel, can you see if it has red eyes? If so it would be a true albino! I love seeing the winter photos but it's weird how long ago living w/ cold snowy winters feels tho it's been just a yr. Love the food shots as usual! :o) Another lovely, lovely post, thanks Wanda! Oh Alivia looks like she's grown/changed a bit!
Hi Wanda
what is a shadow wave?
Is the blond squirrel a species or an albino?
Has Alivia's class completed the Flat Mail project? I was wondering if her mail had made it home yet...
Will the daffodils burn with further snow?
The winter driveway scene is beautiful albeit with little snow. The barn in the distance makes the picture more interesting as do the picnic bench and park bench sitting empty.
Visiting your blog is like taking a mini vacation. Love it, love it all.
love the cardinals ,great post
Beautiful...I love the determined bike riders!
What beautiful photos you have....
love the little "blonde" squirrel... how odd....
A beautiful post, Wanda - what a great variety of birds you have, and the deer and squirrels who must feel very welcome to visit the way they do. Love your mail art...
Love the photos. Miss Alivia is growing so fast, hope she sells lots of cookies.
Winter has arrived here, it is freezing (-43) right now with the wind chill and is suppose to be even colder tomorrow.....brrrr!
Hope you are well my friend and staying warm by the fire. Big hugs to Alivia......:-)Hugs
Lovely to see your photos, and love that red cardinal. Such a hard winter last year and now such a mild one, here very little rain so far this summer and we worry about running out of rainwater.
Amazing. Lost for words as the above comments have said everything. One thing that always strikes me is how colourful the birds are that visit you and habitat your area. You do so well to capture so much.
The red cardinal is such a flamboyant bird! It is very beautiful and wants us to know that. In my country we don't have such colourful birds. We have not such a rich wildlife close to home either. So thank you for this post and the many beautiful photos!
I enjoyed visiting with you again and seeing all your photos. I especially like the snowy day photo and your glorious sunrise collage. You may wonder if it's winter there, but it definitely is here. Right now it's 40 below.
Hi,Wanda!
Cold but mild weather has lasted in my area, although it has been snowing heavyly in northern island of Japan.
I love those colorful birds fluffing up their bodies, they are so beautiful. I have not seen such colorful birds in my area yet, but by looking at them I feel warm already.
Both Alivia and her friend are quite lively in this cold weather!
I can picture you making various mail arts with joy. They are so pretty,Wanda.
Have a good day!
Your friend Tomoko.
Good Morning Wanda,
Very mild here in Virginia also...however the wind is howling pretty fiercely right now. No snow to speak of, which makes me sad. I love snow.
Love the bird photos, especially my favorite..the Carolina Wren...such a sweet bird.
Have never seen a white squirrel, but I did spot an albino deer in the field the other day.
As always, your meals have me salivating.
Until next time my friend...
Janet xox
Pipping (the cat) and I have had the best winter watching the cardinals and nuthatches on our feeders. With so little snow cover (yay), the deer are thriving - admittedly in densely populated places. But it is all such a lovely respite from the winter of last year. And we do have cold - 10 degrees right now. So all your meals are beautiful sustenance.
I have never seen a blonde squirrel before, only brown and black. Where do the originate from?
Girl Scout cookies warm my heart. I used to sell them when I was a girl scout! Hope Alivia sells lots!
Hi, Wanda! I love to see you here on your blog, and I understand how you’ve been creative and productive in mail art or cooking during your absence. In the pale wintry landscape, red color, even a little tinge of red, makes the world warm. I love your bare trees forest and interesting patterns and the signs of spring you found in the seemingly bleakness. It’s so sweet of deer to turn back when leaving. Alivia’s Girl Scout Cookies would be as delicious as your homemade cookies. And, thank you for the promise of the glorious morning.
It is raining here after consecutive sunny and cold 34 days. It was 44 degrees F at noon, much warmer than the past days. Freezing rain is depressing and I’m hoping for a snow day. Wish you a pristine white world of tranquility soon. Stay warm and healthy, Wanda.
Yoko
The cardinals are such beautiful birds, we have nothing quite as vibrant as that in the UK. Love those sunrise photos, we've been having some lovely ones as well.
Wonderland. I love the red cardnial. We do not have those out here, we do get the blue ones now and then but they are quite shy.
Thanks for the show.
Hooray! You're back!
And what a lovely post you have to share!
The cardinals almost look like they have frost on them in your top mosaic. How lovely.
I enjoyed seeing all your cozy pictures amidst that January gray!
Happy Friday, lovely lady.
Hi Wanda...
Ahhhh it's Friday night and I'm HOME tomorrow! I'm enjoying your beautiful blog tonight... Your photos are getting better and better! The birds, Wanda, the cardinals ohhhh so pretty!
Their photos are so clear!
What kind of camera do you use?
Your patience and ability to capture those sweet moments makes each photo very special.
Alivia is growing so fast! Isn't it amazing that she can still ride her bike through January!?! Last year we had so much snow!
Wishing you a lovely weekend and more beautiful moments.
♥ Maria
Your blog is just what the doctor prescribes for a peaceful soul.♥
We seem to have gotten everyone else's winter! That cardinal is such a beauty. Wonderful photo of him. Wonderful photos, all of them, as usual.
I enjoyed looking at your snow scenes – so pretty. Here today it was in the 60s but we also were under a tornado watch. I also love to watch all the birds coming to our bird feeders – we have many cardinals – aren’t they some of the prettiest birds – we also get many doves. Your food is so well presented – the dishes look like they come from a bestselling cookbook. I enlarged that light hair squirrel – I have never seen one like this. I have seen black squirrels and red squirrels just like foxes but never a blonde squirrel – very unique. It is always like eye candy to visit your blog.
I don't know HOW you get those wonderful wildlife photos...you'll know what I mean when you see my post today! These are just amazing shots, Wanda....as always, I am in awe!!
I love all your critter pictures, Wanda!
December was so warm, I wondered if it would snow here at all. A few inches of white fell Friday night but it's melting now and will be gone this week. What a crazy Winter.
I wish you would come and cook for me! You are an artist in the kitchen. Love all your critter photos and of course, your gorgeous shots of Red and his wife! Glad she was okay...
Nature is so cute! I prefer the male cardinal:)
That was so beautiful Wanda. Very relaxing thank you! Daffodils in January?! That is weird. And I love your blonde squirrel. Very cute and unusual.
As usual after visiting here, I'm hungry. It must be the fresh air! But I think it's the food!! LOL!
Love Di ♥
That cardinal is certainly all puffed up for warmth. And pride in his beauty I'm sure. And a chipmunk. We had one venture out on a warm Minnesota day as well.
What beautiful photos! The cardinals look so bright in the snow. What a lovely area where you live.
Looking over your meals made me hungry! Everythings looks so good!
~Donna
HI, Wanda ~
Eóghan's not feeling well this morning and he's out of sorts, so I took him to the computer, sat him in my lap, and came to visit here. Right away he settled down.
'Hard typing with him!
But your blog seems to have the same effect on him as it does me.
Thank you!
Love and Prayers,
Eileen
'Sleeping peacefully now so I'll tiptoe out of here...
As always Wanda, your posts are so beautiful! I love seeing the birds feeding, the baby deer and Alivia getting so big ~ a girl scout now. WOW!
xoxo, Lisa
I have NEVER seen a white squirrel before. He is albino! I think he is confused because there isn't any snow to hide in? he is so cute!
Just stopped by to see what you're up to...it looks like you're laying low and staying cozy!
Oh WOW, so much eye candy, where do I start? Super photos and your presentation is wonderful!
Thank you for your post. It's such an excellent variety of photos about nature and also of your grandchild.
Tuesday, Jan. 31
I'm stopping in again to say hello...and bask in the beauty of your blog. Sigh.......
Love,
Jackie
Wanda, enjoyed your beautiful bird and nature photos and quiet music. We have an assortment of woodpeckers that visit our feeder and the red bellied ones don't stay put long enough for me to capture them yet.
Miss you.....:-)Hugs
How ever did I miss that photo of your bright cardinal a couple of weeks ago???
He and his missus are just beautiful.
I saw a pileated woodpecker a couple of weeks ago, and a whole row of male bluebirds popping up out of the roof-edge raingutter, one after another . . . but neither time did I have my camera in hand.
We have had a mild winter so far too Wanda.... though as I write, we are expecting a bit more snow. Hope your granddaughter loves NM! :)
So much wildlife right in your yard... very cool.
I love the snowy pic of the trees in your front yard.
Hope your new year is off to a good start, Wanda!
Hi Wanda, it has been a long time since I have had a chance to visit your beautiful blog, and it is even more peaceful than I remember. Your photo's are amazing and I especially loved the blonde squirrel. I am hoping to start blogging again now that life is settling down a bit and I have the internet.
(((HUGS))) T
Hello Wanda. These are amazing!
Have a great weekend.
xo
Your photos keep me happy every time I come here! Thanks for your visit! Have a wonderful weekend!
OMG!!! How did I ever miss this wonderful post!! It's beautiful. I'm sorry I missed it, but so glad I found it, as I love sitting back, listening to the music that puts me in such a calm state, and the photos and words are sooooo relaxing. I've said this many times before, but it can never say this enough. I love your posts...debbie
Another truly splendid post. The birds...just so beautiful and captivating! The landscape...awe inspiring! The children...a delight! The meals...to die for! You really are made of sugar and spice and all things nice. Even nature loves you, spoiling you with hearts at every turn!
Oh, my heart jumped when I saw your blonde squirrel; we had one in our neighborhood several seasons ago. What a joy to have it come to our feeders. He usually fed by himself, with the brown squirrels looking at it strangely. I was so sad when a neighbor reported seeing it in the street gutter. He had really made himself at home in our yard. I might have some pics way down in my blog.
Hi, I am back in blog land...I eagerly await a Spring walk with you in your woods.
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