Siggy’s Blurbs

It does feel like winter today.  The temperature is floating around the freezing point and there is a healthy wind blowing making it seem even colder.  Even my four dogs do not want to stay out too long in the yard.  Tomorrow is supposed to be more of this, then it warms up again.  When I woke up, there was a layer of snow on the ground but it was gone by the afternoon.  Spring is getting closer.  In a few days it will be March.  All of that does not matter.  All I want to do today is to stay in.  It is just too cold.

Tags: cold, dogs, freezing temperature, March, pets, seasons, snow, spring, wind, winter, yard
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Three deer bounded across the road right in front of me coming from the large meadow.  They must have been holed up in the tract of woods adjacent to my property.  It was an unusual spot to see deer.  Though there were deer tracks in the snow in my driveway a few weeks ago.  In the eight years I have only seen two deer here.  The three deer looked like they were fawns not yet completely grown.  Hunting season was long past.  They were heading toward the farmland and the forest beyond.  I was just surprised to see them here so close to my property.  There are other animals in the vicinity but they usually stay out of our view.  The juxtaposition of animals with civilization has always fascinated me.  And we are on the edge of country.  You just never know what you are going to see.

Tags: civilization, country, deer tracks, edge of country, farmland, fawns, forest, meadow, snow, three deer, woods
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It was cold and wet, an utterly miserable day.  I quickly “dashed” to the post office and then the local supermarket and returned home.  When I left, three dogs squeezed past me into the yard–only because they liked going through doors and could do that.  I was only gone fifteen minutes and all three dogs ran in immediately in the house when I opened the front door.  Even the dogs did not want to be out long.  It was that kind of day.  It could have been worse:  the temperature could have been a little lower and we would have had snow.  Nevertheless, I am glad I had heat and was inside.

Tags: cold and wet day, dogs, pets, post office, snow, supermarket, winter, yard
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It has been snowing for awhile and everything is white.  The snow is a wet, heavy one.  I have never seen our lilac bush so bent.  I am not going anywhere so I might as well enjoy the scenery viewed from my back and front window.  The branches of trees are all bent by the weight of the snow.  It is only an half a dozen times a year I might see the white landscape.  I made sure my bird feeder was full this morning with sunflower seed.  I know the birds have to forage a little harder in the snow but they have to eat, too.

Tags: autumn, bird feeder, birds, lilac bush, snow, snowfall, sunflower seed, trees, white, white landscape, window
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All I want to do is hibernate today:  it is 23 degrees out.  I am trying to think positive.  A month of winter is gone–almost.  No snowstorms yet.  Meanwhile I glance out my large living room window periodically and watch the multitude of birds feeding on the sunflower seed I have strewn on the ground and placed elsewhere.  Soon night fall will come and in two days a person will check our chimney (and clean it if it is necessary) and it will be safe to heat our house with coal and wood and it will be toasty, again, in our house.

Tags: bird feeding, bird-watching, birds, chimney, coal stove, heat, hibernate, snow, sunflower seed, winter, wood stove
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There was a blanket of white when I got up.  It was a dusting–maybe an inch.  Through the back kitchen window I saw the ground and trees were completely white.  I immediately put some sunflower seed on my platform birdfeeder and I am watching a brilliant red cardinal partaking of his meal.  This was the first snowfall of the season.  December and January have beeen mild so far–thirties and forties most of the time.  There has been no deep, extended “arctic” freeze so far.  I was delighted to see the snow.

Tags: arctic freeze, bird feeder, birds, blanket of white, cardinal, December, dusting of snow, first snowfall, January, kitchen window, snow, sunflower seed, winter
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There were lots of birds feeding in my yard in this storm.  I sprinkled some birdseed two and an half hours ago on the snow.  I counted about a dozen slate cover juncos feeding on the ground (my friend calls them appropriately snow birds).

I saw as many as three downy woodpeckers on the trunk of my large white pine tree at one time.  They do take turns feeding on the suet.  And of course there were the squirrels.  I did see “stumpy” a squirrel who is missing part of his tail.

A female cardinal made its appearance briefly.  And there was the occasional Carolina wren.  A little later I will toss a little more bird seed on the ground.  I do not want to waste any.

There still is some sunflower seeds on our porch not covered by snow.  The birds keep coming.  And I have my eyes open for any unusual visitors.

Tags: bird feeding, bird seed, birds, cardinal, Carolina wren, downy woodpecker, feed the birds, my yard, nature, porch, slate covered junco, snow, snow birds, snow storm, squirrels, suet, sunflower seeds, white pine tree
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I watched and listened to the Carolina wren, which alighted on a branch just outside my kitchen window.  I stood there for what seemed an eternity and was serenaded by its song.  I had never seen one from that spot or that close up or even heard one.  It was a small gift I was given today.  Thank you.  I hope you can find some food in this snowstorm.

Tags: bird food, bird song, birds, Carolina wren, feed the birds, gift, kitchen window, nature, serenade, snow, snow storm, thank-you, winter
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There is something comforting about a snowstorm and knowing there is no where else to go and all you can do is enjoy the snowflakes and your house and pets and your wife.

It just started an half an hour ago.  The snow flakes are tiny so I know I am in for it.  I can’t change the weather.  I just did a quick shopping trip not that I was going to run out of anything but I was low on a few supplies.

Tomorrow I will sprinkle some birdseed on the snow.  I already filled the suet.  The woodpeckers and nuthatch will greet me tomorrow.  My sunflowers feeder is still relatively full and I will get a steady stream of titmouse and black capped chickadees.

If the worst possibly scenario presents itself and we lose power, I have plenty of coal.  We will ride out the storm and enjoy all our bird visitors who come to our feeders and our four dogs will frolic in the snow.  Is there any thing better than that?

Tags: bird seed, bird visitors, bird-feeders, black capped chickadee, coal, dogs, feed the birds, frolic, lose power, nuthatch, pets, shopping trip, snow, snowflakes, snowstorm, suet, sunflower seed, titmouse, weather, winter, woodpecker, your wife
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We had a big snowstorm last night.  The first thing I noticed was there were no suet left on the tree outside.  I immediately put some out and sprinkled sunflower seed on the ground for the birds.

It had snowed over a foot last night.  We were in good shape for I went food shopping two days ago.  I did park closer to the curb so I had less driveway to shovel.

The man from our town was plowing the edge of the road so the local post man could reach into our mail boxes to make his deliveries.  He offered to plow the rest of our driveway.

We had shoveled part of it already.  My wife offered him money but he said he did not want any.  Both of us were thrilled.  It only took him a few minutes to complete the job.  He was an angel.  There is nothing like being in a small town.

Tags: angel, bird feeding, birds, driveway, food shopping, mail box, shovel snow, small town, snow, snow plow, snowstorm, suet, sunflower seed
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I love glancing out my kitchen window onto the snow covered woods.  Every time I enter my kitchen I like doing that.  It snowed overnight and the roads still were white.

I keep expecting to see a rabbit or bird or two feeding on the ground.  It is uncultivated ground.  That makes it more the reason I enjoy looking out the window.

Sometimes I deliberately go into the kitchen to look in into my backyard.  It is still lightly snowing.  I will go out to do some last minute shopping for the new year eve but as soon as I get home I will stay put.

And continue to enjoy the view from my kitchen through one large window and one smaller one.  I am in no rush for the season to end:  every season gives me joy.  And has its particular attraction.

Tags: bird, every season gives me joy, last minute shopping, lightly snowing, my backyard, my kitchen window, New Years Eve, rabbit, snow, snow covered woods, uncultivated ground, winter
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The birds must be hungry.  There is a flurry of activity outside our front window.  I did sprinkle some handfuls of birdseed on the snow earlier in the morning.  I have seen many mourning doves and slate covered junco feeding  on the ground.

We are getting a steady stream of downy woodpeckers feeding on the suet placed by the trunk of the large pine tree.  I am still waiting for the entrance of the red bellied woodpecker.  I am always awed by its sight.

There are usually a few tufted titmouse at one time coming to and fro the feeder just outside the window.  They like the sunflower seed I put out for them.  Once in awhile I see a chickadee or a cardinal.  I love watching them.

Maybe, today I will see an unusual species.  You never know.  Today I will have more time to watch the birds.  It is snowing and there is no where else to go.

Tags: bird feeder, bird seed, bird-watching, birds, cardinal, chickadee, downy woodpecker, it is snowing, living room window, mourning dove, pine tree, red bellied woodpecker, slate covered junco, snow, snow covered ground, suet, sunflower seed, tufted titmouse, winter
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