Ice and Snow, Snow and Ice...

Blizzard warning in effect! Whaaaat? The sun is shining brightly this morning and the sky is blue, the current temperature is -21°C (-5°F) with a wind chill of -27°C (-16°F) but a nasty nor'easter is on its way to us with high winds and heavy snow in the forecast - 25-55 cm. That's 10-22 inches! We just got a foot of snow on Thursday night/Friday. Schools were closed two days last week for storms, and I expect they'll be closed again tomorrow. It seems like Mother Nature is making up for a relatively easy January by dumping extra snow on us this month! And let's not talk about another storm that's coming on Thursday...

Don't get me wrong, I don't mind the snow. "Snowbaby" I'm not, I don't ski or snowmobile, but I really don't mind the snow. It's the cold and the ice I dislike. Several friends have fallen and broken or cracked bones this winter already; the walking has been treacherous. I enjoy photographing shadows on the snow and the ice formations on the garage windows, the birds at the birdfeeder - you might say I'm enjoying winter "from the inside looking out."
So I'm cooking a roast today, in case we lose power tonight, and hubby has the snowblower and shovels all lined up, ready to roll! Bring it on, Mother Nature! We're ready!

This morning's visitors: L-R white-breasted nuthatch, red-breasted nuthatch, downy woodpecker

Peace,
Linda

"A snow day literally and figuratively falls from the sky, unbidden, and seems like a thing of wonder." ~  Susan Orlean

Colddd Little Chickies...

Backyard, view from bedroom window

It seems I've been blogging in fits and starts lately. I've been too busy trying to just keep warm! Man, I'm getting mighty tired of this cold weather. I know spring is only 24 days away, but it seems like it's a long way off when you look at our backyard and the bitterly cold temps. Last night and this morning were brutal - with wind chill it felt like between -35C and -40C here in the Maritimes. For those of you who are only familiar with Fahrenheit, that's between -31F and -40F. Yep, minus forty is where they are equal. Now that's COLD!!! I could not believe it when my doorbell rang about 7:30 last night, and when I opened the front door, there stood two young female Mormon missionaries, in dresses and tights!!! Yes, they were wearing winter coats, boots, scarves and mitts, but their dresses looked like summer dresses- very thin, certainly not February clothing!! Needless to say I invited them in and we chatted long enough for them to warm up. Two little frozen chickies....
Speaking of frozen chickies, I've been thinking of the birds and wondering how they are managing to stay alive in these sub zero temperatures, wearing only feathers. They must be anxious for spring too. I know they fluff up their feathers, and burrow down in their nests, but still, I cannot imagine being out in this cold 24/7. I have a feeder and a suet cake out for them, but today I decided to make up some "birdie treats". Following a recipe given by Linda at Crafty Gardener, I had all ingredients on hand so it didn't take long. Linda calls it "All Season Suet" because you can use it year round - it will not melt. apparently. I don't think I'd bother with it in the summer, but figured it might be appreciated by my local birdies on these cold days. Hopefully it'll make them happy and give them some much needed energy for warmth.

Here's the easy recipe:
1 cup lard (no substitutions - do not use shortning or margarine)
1 cup crunchy peanut butter  (Since I had some on hand, I also added a few extra peanuts, unsalted of course, and finely chopped.)
2 cups quick cooking oats (oatmeal)
2 cups corn meal
1 cup white flour
1/3 cup white sugar

 Stir the dry ingredients together in a mixing bowl.

Over low heat, or in microwave, melt together the lard and peanut butter, stir to mix well. Pour into dry ingredients and mix well.

It almost looks like cookie dough, doesn't it? It did smell good (like peanut butter cookies) and I almost wanted to take a little taste... but I resisted....

 Form into balls or if you have a square plastic container from a purchased suet cake, you could use it as a mold.

 I formed mine into balls and hung out the first two in the plastic mesh from a bag of onions. I put the others in the freezer, wrapped in saran and then in a freezer bag. It was late afternoon when I finally hung them out, I don't think they've been "discovered" yet. I'll be watching tomorrow morning to see if the woodpeckers, chickadees, etc. give them a try. Maybe I'll get some "action shots".....

Do you give your birds any special treats to help them through the winter?

Peace,
Linda

"God gives every bird its food, but He does not throw it into its nest." ~ J.G. Holland

Birds and Blooms...

It's really beginning to feel like fall these days. We've had some dark dreary days this week with little sunshine. The temps are slowly dropping and the nights are getting downright chilly. When I went for my walk last night after supper, it took quite a few minutes of brisk walking to get rid of the shivers. I have been slowly dismantling the vegetable garden, all that remains in the ground now are a few beets. I dug my gladiola bulbs this week, and will soon be cutting down all my perennial beds. It seems like just yesterday that the birds were enjoying my flowers. They especially seem to





like the Echinacea (purple coneflower) for both the blooms and now the seedheads. I can understand that.. it's one of my favourites too, especially for photography. Below are a few of my fav shots from this summer... most taken in my own backyard, and a few taken in the wonderful Ingraham garden at Kings Landing.

 And lastly, one of my favourite shots of all time of a little feathered friend in the garden....

 

I hope you have had the pleasure of many visits from our feathered friends this summer in your garden or backyard.

Peace,

Linda

"To me, the garden is a doorway to other worlds; one of them, of course, is the world of birds. The garden is their dinner table, bursting with bugs and worms and succulent berries." ~ Anne Raver

Guess Who's Coming to Dinner?

Or maybe I should say who CAME to dinner? Normally I don't get too excited over unexpected guests at my table, but late this afternoon I was thrilled to see this cardinal arrive "just in time for a meal"... He only stayed about 30 seconds to sample the fare at my feeder.. I'm hoping he'll come back. You see, I have never had a cardinal at my feeder. Never!! I know there is a nesting pair of cardinals nearby, but they never come to my backyard. They are frequent visitors at my older brother's backyard feeders, but they don't visit me. Until today! I am sooo happy. Isn't he gorgeous? Look at that bright red plumage! Wow!
Have you had lots of birds at your feeders this summer?
Usually I get "the standard fare" of chickadees, sparrows and finches, but lately I've also had redpolls. I don't think I've ever seen redpolls at the feeder in the summer. Of course there always seems to be a woodpecker nearby - they LOVE my old apple trees... and a pair of hummingbirds are constantly buzzing about. We won't mention the crows...
Oliver loves lying in the familyroom window and watching all the action - how lucky for him that this feeder hangs only about ten feet from his favourite spot... he has a "front row seat" for all the activity. What a lucky puss!

Peace,
Linda




Blessings

As rising sun strikes fiery jewels
In morning drops of dew
I stroll amidst the garden
To watch the earth renew.
The flashing vibrant cardinal
Trills his prelude to the day
While radiant beams of sunlight
Melt shadowy mist away.
He tells me it's a lovely day
With him I must agree--
For his joyous song of morning
Showers blessings down on me.

~ Rea Williams

A Peek in my Backyard...

What's happening in your backyard these days? Mine is alive with feathered friends at the feeders, and things in bloom... My feeder with niger seed is very popular with the finches, sparrows and chickadees; sometimes I look out and all three are on it.. nice that they all "get along"!! (some people could take a lesson.. just sayin'...) The hummers are still zooming about and they stop for a quick sip at their own feeder. The water-filled ant moat (which does a great job of keeping the ants away from the feeder - available from Lee Valley) is also popular with the birds as a "watering hole". It's fun to watch them hold on and dip their beaks for a quick drink.  I spotted some Cedar Waxwings in the apple trees yesterday- hadn't seen them around for a while...
































My Horse Chestnut tree is in bloom again! Yay! (You can read the story on it here - I have a bit of a sentimental attachment to it, I admit.) It has grown into a good sized tree now; it is just outside one of my studio windows and does a great job of shading the room in the hot summer. Doesn't it have a lovely blossom?

Do you have favourite trees? I have two favourite trees on our property, this Horse Chestnut and the maple on our front lawn. There are several other trees in the city that I love too- I keep an eye on them all year long and enjoy their seasonal changes. There is just something about a beautifully shaped tree.... Sigh....   I was doing some reading on Horse Chestnut trees the other day, and did not know that the"fruit" of this tree is not a "real" chestnut. Not the kind from the famous song "Chestnuts roasting on an open fire...." The "nuts" from this tree are actually called conkers, and they are slightly poisonous if ingested. The squirrels have a great time burying them in the fall so I never know where I'll find a tiny new tree sprouting up come spring.. I found two in a flower bed a few weeks ago, so I potted them up - any takers?






I don't have a great lot in bloom in the flowerbeds yet, but I did snap a few quick pics today as I circled the house. Very nearby the Horse Chestnut is my Solomon's Seal - although it is often thought of as a woodland plant, it is doing very well in my garden. I have a good sized clump and it's slowly spreading each year. I love the little bell-shaped flowers which hang down from the arching stems.





Also close to the Horse Chestnut is my little "crop" of forget-me-nots. I think they are such a  darling little flower. So dainty -
when I was small I used to imagine fairies wearing them for hats. They are such a lovely shade of blue... ( of course  you know I love any shade of blue)









My Bleeding Hearts are in full bloom now, I have both white and pink... and the hostas are growing like crazy. In less than a week they have gone from just shoots to fully open. How can one small plant produce SO many huge leaves so quickly...










The alliums just started opening yesterday. The heads do not seem to be as big this year.. perhaps I've been a bit neglectful on the fertilizer and bone meal the last few years... once the foliage dies away, I forget they are there! Shame on me!
Well I think that's enough for tonight. You are probably thinking "Will this woman ever stop showing us her garden photos?!"   You see, I have no quilting, sewing or stitching to show you lately, so this is all I have to offer!! ha!
I will likely be taking a bit of a break from blogging over the next few days. I am off to Quilt Canada, and although I'm sure I'll be taking many many quilt photos, I doubt I will have the chance to blog. But I promise- lots of pics when I get back! Have a great week, everyone!

Peace,
Linda

If you would have a mind at peace, a heart that cannot harden, go find a door that opens wide upon a lovely garden. ~ French Proverb

This weather is for the birds!

Rain, rain, go away... Yes, we have had enough rain now for a while. A good long while. Enough already! At times today it was torrential. The ground must be pretty well saturated by now, our basement pump has been running frequently. Ollie and I have had a fairly lazy day. He has spent a lot of time on the back of the couch, one of his favourite spots to survey his kingdom the backyard. He has a particularly good view of potential lunch the birdfeeders. When the rain slacked off for a few short periods, there was lots of activity to keep Ollie engaged. There were finches and chickadees at the feeder, and the mourning doves were doing a fine cleanup job underneath - such great entertainment for Oliver. He chirped back at them and twitched his tail, no doubt fantasizing what a wonderful friendship they could have if only... ah, well, you know...







Later in the afternoon when the rain was heavy and the day seemed dismal, we looked out and spotted this little sparrow sheltered under a chair on our deck. He had found a dry spot and was all fluffed out, probably trying to dry his feathers somewhat before heading back to his sodden nest. Although he quickly spied my telephoto lens and Ollie's leering admiring glassy-eyed stare, he stayed rooted to his spot, unwilling to yield an inch...

Peace,
Linda

A Bird

A bird came down the walk:
He did not know I saw;
He bit an angleworm in halves
And ate the fellow, raw.

And then he drank a dew
From a convenient grass,
And then hopped sideways to a wall
To let a beetle pass.

~Emily Dickinson

For your Hummingbird Feeder...

We are back from our little holiday trip to Nova Scotia. It was great to visit old friends and neighbours in the Annapolis Valley - it's been much too long since our last visit. We were amazed at all the changes: commercial development, new subdivisions, etc. When driving past our old house, which we built in 1988, we couldn't believe how the trees had grown and things had "matured"... Sure makes you realize that time is passing...

We didn't do much shopping, but did visit one of our favourite places in Halifax - Lee Valley. For those of you who are familiar with Lee Valley, you know that they have lots of wonderful things for the homeowner and gardener. I was on a mission- to pick up some Ant Moats for several friends. If you feed Hummers, no doubt you have experienced the problem of ants wanting to get at that yummy sugary water. I have tried many "home remedies" all to no avail. Lee Valley has the answer- the "Ant Moat" is basically a plastic cup which holds water, above your feeder. It works - ants cannot swim, so cannot get past the "moat". And I have found an added bonus- the other little birds which feed in my backyard (finches, chickadees, etc.) love to perch on the moat and get a drink. Here is a finch, ready to scoot down for a quick sip! So - if you have an ant problem at your Hummer Feeder, visit Lee Valley and order yourself an Ant Moat. They even have free shipping until July 19th!

Piece,

Linda

A bird does not sing because it has an answer. It sings because it has a song. Chinese Proverb