Back at last

Spirit watches the little birds at a feeder, or perhaps it's the feral cat or even his brother Bliss further back down the yard as the sun makes an glorious entrance over the hill and into the sky.

We've been blessed with lots of sunny days lately and what a difference it has made, not only in my mood, but that of so many others. We've all been sick, or complaining about the cold - and there is no doubt it has been cold with lows at night around -30. Water pipe-watching time to make sure they don't burst, though the library in Cobourg the town where I shop, and visit that venerable building had its pipes burst just after the new year and will be out of commission for a while.

Snow forecast again for tonight, but finally it doesn't matter.

Did the snow freeze my brain? or just the screen on my window (below)

I love the lacy pattern on my bedroom window, but the snow is getting pretty deep and the dogs are beginning to go stir crazy from not being able to run off the property. To say nothing of how I've felt with the roads covered in snow and ice or if clear, then it's blowing snow to contend with.

But somehow it seems to not matter today.

A gorgeous red hibiscus - old as the hills since it came from a slip my dad started at least 30 years ago... but still blooming valiantly and seemingly with more vigour than ever. It sits in a pot with a pink one - also from my father...

And they all cheer me each morning. Even the geraniums that have stubbornly refused to bloom for weeks showed buds forming this morning - promise of spring? or just the sun on the windowsill?

Doesn't matter it's a precursor of spring... the days are longer, the mornings earlier and somehow all have contributed to a sense of well-being...of - okay now we can go and enjoy the deep snow, now it doesn't matter if it snows again for a bit, spring is coming and this extremely difficult winter everywhere around the world it seems, is slowly giving up its icy grip. At least that's what the groundhog whispered in MY ear.

Seriously - it is good to be back writing and scanning through my files for photographs of whatever strikes my fancy. I have lots to take - alpacas eating hay in the snow with a group of horses at one farm - need to capture that. And a solitary redwing blackbird hanging out with a trio of starlings, way too early to be flying north. Ice huts on the lake, skiddoos running along the ice highway they've created on the lake. A dad skating with his young children who hoot and holler with joy on the small ice rink he's shoveled from the ice in front of their cottage just below the hill. What treats. What fun. What joy!

Even the birds seem less frenetic and more relaxed as they fly to and from the feeders with abandon.

 So despite the despair that I felt some nights when it was -29 or -31 and I worried that the furnace might give out or the pipes burst, they didn't and the depths of winter are past for this season anyway. And I can enjoy the snowfall and especially the sun when we're out walking. Today I even let the dogs plunge in the deep snow for a while - hard on their arthritic hips I'm sure, but the joyful romping around was worth it I figure.

 And brilliant sunsets over the lake will seem more so, as spring breaks winter's hold.

May you NOT have experienced any problems with winter, but enjoyed the snow and cold weather and been safe, healthy and full of joy throughout. And if you've had the odd bout of doubt as to whether spring will ever arrive - that nutty red wing blackbird showing up, the increasing number of bunny and deer tracks around the property, the twitter of little birds as they once again find their voices (doesn't it seem as if only crows and blue jays make sounds during the winter months?) might reassure you as they do me. Hope this long weekend was fun and filled with laughter for each and every one.

And for those of you who have kept an eye on this spot wondering if I might return - thank you so much. You are terrific. And I'm very grateful - now off to see if I can find some alpacas!

It must be the cold and snow!

A week ago, we were blessed with about three inches of sticky heavy snow, but it wasn't cold. And then the temperature rose.

It took only a day or two and the temperature rose. The leaves that require raking became visible. The squirrels that tease the dogs so, were better able to scramble to trees and the dogs looked for other things to do.
But it turned cold again.

The lake froze turning to a silvery sheet.

The lake reflected the setting sun. And grew colder.

Last night after a week of steadily falling temperatures, it began to snow - not that lovely lazy gentle drift of flakes, that make me want to go and catch them on my tongue as I did when a kid. But a bitter, bone-chilling, winter-taunting shriek of a storm. My brain felt numb. Where did my energy go?

I didn't want to walk the dogs, even in the shelter of one of the many trails through cedar forests, soft and protected with little streams still bubbling merrily over treefalls. I wanted to hide under the duvet with socks, sweaters, mitts and the blankets over my head, and sleep away winter like a grizzly bear.

Or like Eleia:

And then|:

At 6 a.m., a heathen time to be getting up when it's winter in my opinion, I had to push the snow away with the outside door to let the dogs out. They, silly animals that they are, raced around, tails waving joyously as they realized that winter had truly arrived.

I glumly pulled on my boots and with some trepidation grabbed the shovel in my bare hands, to at least make the door easier to open. I was surprised. No biting wind surging through my dressing gown. Granted I didn't stay out long, just enough to make a short path to throw seed for the birds that I knew would soon be addressing the feeders. But still not what I expected.

And so the day goes. More snow, but gently falling.

Perhaps it will end like this:

with a "God-ray" seeking sun for tomorrow.
May you enjoy a safe and warm Sunday wherever you are.

Folklore or Fact

Yesterday morning I looked across the valley at the grey skies.  Overhead, clouds were moving quickly and the air felt heavy. The valley was covered in a fine mist.

The cows - most of them before I ran for my camera - were lying in the field across the county road. English folklore has long insisted that cows lying in a field indicated that it was going to rain. Sure enough, it did rain - but just a bit. Not the deluge I was hoping for.

But curious as ever, I had to check it out - where else but Wikipedia? So according to researchers at the University of Arizona (I think ) cows prefer to lie down when it's cold but stand when it's hot. The researchers reasoned that standing allows their body heat to dissipate more easily if they're standing. They appear to lie down when the air pressure lowers which often is accompanied by lower temperatures as well as storms and rain.
 
Learn something new every day!

And I got some spectacular photos because of the little bit of rain.

I thought this rose looked as if it was studded with diamonds when I saw the photograph - the tiny drops of water caught by the flash of the camera...didn't see them with the naked eye.
And once again, Gaia gave me a beautiful sunset before it clouded over again. May you have similar gifts come your way today.

What is it about the sky?

What is it about sky that I find so fascinating? Always I've needed to have what I call "big sky" - the abilility to see relatively unobstructed from horizon to horizon. This sight greeted me early yesterday evening. Fog had rolled in after heavy rain. The sun was still just above the hills across the valley but I'd been drawn outside by the fog I could see outside my window and a peculiar white light.

I looked behind me - the sky was dark, the storm had passed but that white light was the sun shining through the mist and fog and the retreating storm.

Another rainbow!

I've seen so many lately.

A good omen I was thinking.


Then I turned back to the west.

From white to gold, the sun had begun to set.
And then this morning - the harvest moon still high in the sky at 6:30

A layer of mist shrouding the river and the hills beyond.

Fascinating the changes in the sky - just wanted to share the mystery.

This moody valley

I just happened to look out the window while I was on the phone a week or more ago. I saw a black western sky...so I went to the deck and wow! Black indeed and moving in fast. I ran for my camera.

Weather seems to be a major topic of conversation here where our February summer did a ton of damage to our apple crop. This area provides 25 percent of Ontario's apples... not this year. It will affect many in this area economically as did the poor snow season for skiers. We depend on apples, some other types of farming, skiing and tourists... all pretty much weather dependent. Hard to see ahead when it looks bleak right now for so many.

So this black sky - what did it mean? We had a tornado blow through here two years ago, ruining a few orchards and ski chalets as it bounced along a north easterly route. Luckily no lives were lost... but black sky as seen in this photo could mean a similar event, though I don't see a funnel shaped cloud.

The storm moved in quickly, the wind howled suddenly, whining and moaning around the eves. The sky turned grey from the blue-black it was and the rain bucketed down, flattening whatever fragile plants were trying to grow. And then later:

The sky lightened and evening fell with all the glorious colours of a fabulous sunset.

It's moody  - this valley. There are mornings like today - I woke with sun streaming in my window, forcing my eyelids to pop up like bread in a toaster.

It lured me outdoors to fill the one feeder I leave out now, and put out the small silo feeder and the hummer feeder that sits on my deck. The two male hummers were most impatient...with only one, they take turns guarding it. And a female showed up, just like the female rose breasted gros beak... let the guys find the places to build nests and get moving, then arrive in time to do the real work of making a family... or at least it seems like that, though often in bird world, they seem to share the duties of sitting on eggs and feeding young. All this beautiful sun had me thinking family, nesting, spring, new life.

Then the sky clouded over - and it's been like that all day, mild, warm even, but cloudy one minute, sunny the next. As I said a moody valley right now. But fascinating in its moods, almost like people whose changeability can also be fascinating... but Nature does it on a much grander scale.

So here's to Ma Nature for tomorrow - Happy Mother's Day - and to all my friends who are mothers - the same good wishes, and to those who act like mothers or who are substitute mothers with your caring and devotion, here's to you as well. May the day break well and bring you each joy!

The close of day

Going

Going

Going

Gone

This was Saturday night at my brother's cottage - the most glorious sunset which we all sat out and enjoyed as the sun slowly settled into the islands and water, turning the sky fiery red then softer peach with yellow... green... turquoise.... mauve and deep purple shadows all around. The perfect closing to a beautiful day.

Families and cottages seem to go together. The cottage can be tiny wee or a mansion, on a lake, in the woods, in a field even. The important thing is family sharing a holiday together. It's special. And unforgettable.

Hope you have those kinds of moments during your holidays.