Freak early snowfall..

Well, in this part of Canada, nothing weather related is freakish I suppose.  And, we did have one back in 2014 on September 8, so not even as early as that one.  It plays havoc with the trees, of course, with plenty of broken branches due to all the leaves still being present on most trees.

The past few days of continuous snowfall has left us with 11 inches at our house in the south of the city.... the sprinkler guys emailed to say they would be waiting a few days to come to blow out the underground sprinklers... gee, ya think?  hahaha... I wrote back to say I wasn't digging out anything for them, so they better wait at least several days.  By the weekend it is supposed to get back to +16C ....we'll see if it gets that good.

This was earlier ..
                                                                                   
















And, this...... is the freaky bit ......what the heck is that?  a snow goblin??

From a distance and on the camera view screen it sort of looked like a dog's head...but up close?
Yikes @!

Wild Bird Wednesday

I got lucky ...   

I never get pics of Blue Jays … people say they are brave, cheeky and all of that…but, I have not found it to be so.  Around here …they just land …squeak, see what is around, and fly off….

So, yesterday when I was trying to clean over a foot of snow off the patio wall and make a trail in there so I could get to the feeders…one flew by.  I set out some mixed nuts that I buy for the bigger birds and tried to lure him back.

He did come back. But, grabbed a nut at lightning speed and was gone!  Dammit.  Missed him.  

So, I went in and sat by the window.. with the blind up a crack so I could get a clear photo.  He flew back about 15 minutes later… grabbed another nut at warp speed and …poof…gone again.  Nuts!!  Literally.  I wasn’t quick enough. 

I waited.  And, waited.  About 10 minutes later, he showed again… this time I actually was ready and got a few shots..but just not as good as I wanted.  I hoped he would come again.  He did ..about another 5 later… this time I got one or two ..and off he went again.  The last time he showed up … he hopped around… looked right at me and hung out long enough to pose for me … the little bugger!  Taunting me…I know it.  He made me use up the better part of an hour hoping for his return.  Hhmppf….. 

But, he is a beauty.  Well, I say ‘he’, but it could just as easily be a ‘she’ couldn’t it?  How do you know with Blue Jays? ….



























We had a huge snowfall... about 16 inches at our place.... the snow was this deep on top of the patio wall too..so I cleaned it off to let them have a place to sit.
It is too early for this much snow... all the tree branches were drooping from the weight of the snow on leaves that haven't even fallen off yet.  A disaster for many trees....
The guy was supposed to come and blow out the sprinkler system.... not for how long now I wonder?  It will take days for this much snow to melt..... and more is forecast for next week.  Darn it.

Arrrghhhh@#! April in Canada

Maybe "Spring" will never happen around here this year.  Well, it won't for sure.  How can it at this late date?  By the time we get any warmth and the 6 inches of ice on the roof melts or the snow goes off the lawns....it will be summer.  We should be used to it I guess.  We often jump straight out of ski jackets into shorts.  It is supposed to get up to +16C by next week.  There is absolutely no sense buying anything related to spring clothes...just wait a week or two and ..it'll be summer.  And, good and hot ... by July it will be +30C.  Ridiculous.

But, this happened yet again two days ago.. I had to keep going out to knock off the wet, clingy snow.  The poor little guys were having a hard time shifting it to find a seed.

Nobody was more ticked than my two crows... huddled against the wind and snow.  Missus wondered why she flew all the way home from the southern states for this (apparently they go as far as Kansas or Oklahoma..wonder which one she goes to??)  Limpy just sat there ...  not saying a word.....he put up with it all winter because he has a bad wing and can't fly south.  I bet they were both saying some unkind things about Mother Nature.  If crows think to do that.  I know I was.

See them up in the tree? ... click on to get a bit nearer to them if you like.   I wish I could get close enough to pet them.  So far, they will only come into the patio and they still stay about 6 feet or so away if I stay out there.  They prefer it if I come inside while they tidy up.

Look at that.... snowing so much I thought it was about mid December, not nearly the last week or two in April.....sigh..................................................

I got ticked and even turned on the Christmas lights that are still decorating the little Korean Lilac... can't even get near enough to it to get them off yet...why not turn them on?  the neighbours had a laugh.  I got a few emails.... and, yes.... my neighbour played along.  She turned on hers as well...still on her two little trees in front.

Winter in Canada

Another blast of winter around these parts over the weekend.... hours more of shovelling.  The piles are getting so high it's almost impossible for me to toss a shovel full up that high..and, when I do..it comes rolling back down to the bottom again.

When I visited my sister on her little farm, she taught me how to pile manure.. for making compost.  I decided I had to do it that way or it wasn't going to work.   Once it gets too high and pointy, it just doesn't work.  The horse poop balls come rolling right back onto your boots.

So, I had to push the shovel back and forth over the top of the pile of snow just like we used the pitch forks to do with the pile of poo ...flatten it out a bit and then..I could pile on more.  Then...more shovelling it back and forth...my arm was killing me by then.... so I could throw on more.  In the end...the piles are still 5 feet high..but, at least now they are also almost 4 feet across so I can still get a bit more on top.  If I could get out onto the middle of the lawn I could rake or shovel a bit more off the top towards the middle of the lawn and get them down a bit more...but, it is 4 feet deep on the lawn... I'm only 5 feet tall...forget it.  The sun is shining today... maybe some will melt... hahah yeh, right...it is only -12C..so maybe not yet....

I got a bit crazy and turned on the Christmas lights...which I have been unable to get off that bush,  seeing as that snow is pretty deep ...I was leaving them til it melted a bit more... now it snowed a lot more!

Click on the picture to see it larger so you can see details and see how deep things are.  I even had to make boot holes about a foot up my pile in order to step up to toss more snow on.  I had to shovel out the rather large patio because I have some morons coming on Tuesday to take away our granite slab to try to fix the ridiculous cutting mess they made of it last week.  Of course, this was after they assured us they do this all the time.  Liars.  I have no idea what is next if they can't fix their screw up.  As usual, for us...just one more bloody disaster after another with every.single.renovation we have ever done.  We were done with renovations remember? ? ... ..but, then..the oven conked out and we decided to replace it with a range because it was never supposed to be that close to a stove top .. a minimum of 12 inches apparently is even code and necessary so as not to cause damage to appliances underneath the stovetop.   No inspectors... no salesmen (of course) ...no installers...nobody ... ..nobody told us that 5 years ago when we did the last big reno.  We only noticed a teensy tiny line of print on some obscure size charts of the oven when we were measuring for the new range.  So had to have granite re-cut to accommodate it.  Don't believe anybody for a second when they say they do this all the time.   And, if you are one of the lucky ones who has actually had it done and got a great job?... good for you.  

  

SNowmaggedon !!

Things came to a standstill all over the city with that last dump of snow.  It was easily a foot and more..
It took us over 2 hours to shovel ourselves out of the house and around the city sidewalks and our own walkway and front porch area... oh, and patio.... a LOT of shovelling!

I think the movements and strengthening of Tai Chi have helped a lot.  No soreness in the rib tissue at all today... even my mid back which was feeling it yesterday ...is fine this morning.  A beautiful brilliant sunshine morning.... so pretty with all the snow.  But, the driving!  Yikes!

The snow shovellers who do our neighbours' driveways .... got good and stuck when they tried to leave.  It took them at least 45 minutes of struggling and digging and moving trailers and snow machines off and onto their truck to get out of the predicament.   They used almost all of a big bag of mixed salt and gravel too.... nothing was working.  I figured they must not have proper winter tires or something... and, man...why would they not have a 4 wheel drive for that type of thing?  Snow shovelers getting stuck in snow.  Great.  Wonder where they are today?  there is another 6 inches to shovel since they were here last.... mine is all done.  Thank goodness we kept shovelling as it was falling.  It would have just been too heavy to even move by now.

The birdies were around all day looking for seeds and suet... the snow cones on the tops of the feeders fell onto their little heads if they hit the perches very fast or hard...especially the big Flickers... it was pretty funny ...  my entertainment each day anyway...

And, today ...I give you a little Black Capped Chickadee nibbling at a seed.  They take one out of the seed dispenser and fly onto a branch to nibble away at each seed til it is gone.  Such dainty eaters.

Well, still have one side of the house to do some final shovelling ..... off I go .. maybe it would be a great day to walk around the block to see if any photo ops present...although it is still -29C this morning in spite of the sun...... hmmmmm..... we'll see....

Somewhere under that bump...is the birdie bath ..... I know it is ......

... can't resist....

 They are just too cute to resist.  I know, I know... only Nuthatches of late...but...

This little guy was standing on the top of the suet cage... waiting.... trying to decide whether or not to join the one already nibbling away at the peanut butter and bug suet.














Finally he did flit down onto the cage and they shared... sometimes they do, sometimes not...

 

They were among the many birds hanging out that day.... it was a cold, snowy one.  All were huddled around looking for a seed or some suet.
Look at the shot from the kitchen doorway ..trying to see across the street... it's still winter in these parts.  More snow forecast for this afternoon and evening... wonder if I will bother driving anywhere tomorrow? ...  Maybe no Tai Chi tomorrow ......

I'm linking up with Stewart's Wild Bird Wednesday ... check out lots of birds over there .... hey, there could even be some more nuthatchies..... click on the photo below to go there .  click on any of the birdie pics on here to enlarge and see the little guys BIGGER.

                                                                                 

... a white Christmas..

.  ...   which of course, in Canada, would seem perfectly normal... but, our weather so far this 'winter', has been unseasonably warm and mild really.  It was totally green and crispy dry until a day or so of a skiff of snow happened... and, then, it melted.   But, last night plenty of the white stuff accumulated.  I shovelled for two full hours and still didn't get it all done.  Still the inside of a big patio to do and the sidewalk along the side of the house.  Yikes!! Somebody says we are going to have more today.  I'm not sure whether to cheer or say I'm sorry for hoping for a white Christmas.    Yaaayy..    yes, I know... motorists and people who hate shovelling will not like me much for cheering about that.  Heh, heh....

Somewhere in there is a heated bird bath and drinking bowl.... nowhere for them to perch to have  drink.  I fixed it though.... soon after realizing it.

They were a bit wary of the giant snow cone on top of the feeder too....

I love a white Christmas.  But, if is doesn't really snow til Christmas Eve and then... melts and is all gone about a week later...that's okay too.  I would even be cheerful about that.  But, usually around here we have plenty of snow from end of October til end of April.   Shovelling does become a pain..in the back, the arms, the legs and gut ..etc.  And, it does get piled so high it is tough to toss it on the piles after they are about 4 feet deep.   I'm spoiled this year.... so far.

Origami, some cute little mice and other fun stuff has been happening...so at least it is fun stuff that prevents much in the 'bloggy-sphere'...

I found some great gold and glittery paper this year .. there is glitter all over the floor and tables.  I
splurged on a $9.00 roll... it should last me til I'm at least 205 ....   even if Muriel helps me use it.  Still haven't found any of the perfect weight gold thread I used to be able to buy... I hate when they stop making perfect stuff.  Gold thread is just toooo darn thin.... and so difficult to work with  Plus... even the tiniest seed beads slip off the end...arrgghhh!!!  Good thing I am so patient...hahahahhahahahhahahahhahah  Anybody who knows me is laughing their heads off.... I have absolutely NO patience whatsoever.   Well, with some things... mostly people.

"A gentle expression"

That's the phrase the bird books uses when describing the look of Northern Flickers.  It's so true.  Look at this guy...or maybe it is two different guys ...I can't say for sure.
All I know is ...they hang out ...literally..on my suet cage.  We buy the 'peanut butter and bugs' one and they seem to love it.

Here he is on a cold day.. perched on top of the feeder pole in the sunlight.  Definitely looks like a gentle expression to me.

Hunkered down and all fluffed out on the top of the patio wall
.. still looking pretty gentle.  I wanted to say 'chill' or 'cool'...but, ..hahahha it is cold and snowy and those words seemed not quite right.  Somebody may have thought I was trying for a pun or something..

This is the type of weather we are having ...   it is still snowing, so I will definitely be out there again this afternoon putting in some more shovelling time.  Did over an hour earlier, so I don't think I'll bother with the treadmill today..or the weights... I have sidewalks, a patio and a double driveway to shovel... that'll be another good hour of exercise, so I can opt out today.  ...  maybe just some good stretches later.  Or.....not..........................

Check out lots of other great birds at this site.  Just click the badge...

Winter has arrived

I hope it's not here to stay for the duration of the wintery months.... like, until spring...which in this part of the world could be, erm... May.....

We usually have plenty of sun though... and, we also usually have lovely warm spells called Chinooks... but, last year it was pretty much from Hallowe'en til .. oh, yeh...... May ....  darn it.  .........I hope this year is not like last year.

My Christmas cactus has bloomed; when is American Thanksgiving?   must be soon.... seeing as it usually blooms about then... so I changed its' name to that instead of Christmas cactus.  It might be finished blooming by next week this year...what the heck? ...

Those are new little ornies I found already.... it's kind of a tradition to buy a few new little things for the tree each year... and, to give away some of the other ones I've enjoyed for years....

The snow began to fall late Saturday night....

By morning the top of the patio wall was chest deep on sparrows... they don't look particularly pleased do they?
                                                                               





                                                                                 





They had a look at the bird bath.... hmmmm... the snow was beginning fill it as well... the water is frozen solid of course..... no bathing today guys!

I'm not sure they believed me.

They went away and didn't even bother looking at the feeder for seeds.  Hmmm.... weird.

I thought they would be hanging around all day til it was empty and then...beg for more.

The snow continued throughout the whole day yesterday .....

Cupid disappeared ...............

Definitely no bathing today guys........ but, did you notice the thermostatically heated bird water I put out? ...it's over in the patio .... come on back..........!!!  Not for swimming mind you...but, how 'bout a drink? ....

Awww... come on............ I paid good money for that thing....

Help!!!

Missing.  Hobbes.  An elderly lady kitty ...  still in fine shape... but, she needs meds twice a day... please call me if you have seen her.

Isn't she pretty?

Panicking a bit over here.  It's not even my own cat.  I don't have one.

I am looking after her for my neighbour for the week...and all has gone well for the past few days...but, this morning...I can't find her.  She needs meds twice a day.  She is not supposed to go outside...but....

There is somebody staying in the house this week, ... and the door to the downstairs is open...but, I wouldn't feel right going down there ...and Ms Kitty is deaf...so calling to her doesn't work.  I'm watching the driveway to see when the boarder leaves....I'll sprint over straight away and see if I can find her.  And, then...I'm putting a note on the door to ask that it be kept closed at all times.  And, I sure hope nobody let her outside ...oh, help@!  there are huge owls and also hawks around our area .... I don't want anything bad happening on my watch!!


Another beautiful snow photo for you...

looking out the neighbour's window....

Happy Spring!!

... and, our day looks like this.

What do you mean you can't see anything? ... Neither can I!  The wind is blowing at 50 kph... and the snow is driving straight from the north... as well as swirling in every direction because of the winds ... sheeesh...  temperatures dropping to -15C tonight ...

We know it's too early...but, after a few days of +15C...well, ....we got lulled I guess....you know.... right into a false sense of security ... a hope that spring could indeed be just around the corner.  Then, whammo... good ol' Mother Nature whacks us  ... For a nice little old lady she sure can be mean sometimes....

Today I'm doing a different kind of art....

Making muffins..

with a nice warm stove on ...and the scent of strawberries and apples in the air.... mmmmmmm...    and I can't even eat one..... just had some dental surgery on Monday.... can't really have anything firm for a few more days or it will trash the site where the tissue was harvested from the roof of my mouth....  maybe there will still be one left next week.

Snow, snow, ....and ....more snow!!

This is a reeeellly big snow year so far.  See those pots in the picture above in the header? ...here they are now.... who can even tell they are pots anymore?

We are nowhere finished with our snowy months.... good thing my arm is working much better this year....I'm definitely getting my shovelling exercise!  Don't get me wrong ...I do love being out in the pristine white stuff ... it is so lovely and quiet; even the sound of cars passing by is muffled by the fluffy deep stuff we have now.  The problem is, I can't throw it much higher in some areas..so, I've resorted to shovelling it all towards the road.  Forget trying to pile it any higher.... I was even using my sister's technique for piling manure ... sort of flattening the cone at the top of the pile every so often to make the hill wider instead of too narrow ... which is when the balls of you-know-what roll right off with every forkful and end up at your feet again (or...worse yet, on them!...'course, usually you are wearing boots so it's not that big a deal.. ) Luckily my rolling snow balls were just that ...snow.... ..

But, the hills were still getting too steep and too conical... just the perfect sledding hills ...or so the guys thought.... and it wasn't long before several of them got out there even if it is -17C..... wheeeeeee...........
 "Hang on Gingy"....!!  it's pretty steep .... and almost as high as a house!

Not to be left out ....  these two found another sled ....and downnnnnn they went too....

"Let's go again"......

...hellllllppppp!!

Okay guys .... time to come in now...my fingers are getting numb .....