One word says it all…

SNOW!!!

But you know I can't stop at one word...

I took this photo on the 11th.  Those tracks are loooong gone by now. They are well buried under another 8 or so inches of snow.

Seems like apple season is a very long way away.

We've been wondering if we need to get our roof scraped.  I think if this structure can hold up, maybe our roof is safe.

The Dark-eyed Juncos fly south every year to be a part of our winter.  I'm not sure they really bargained for what they got this year.  But this little fellow looks pretty content.

The juncos are ground feeders and they leave tracks all over our covered porch when the wind blows the snow in.  I like them.

Here's my Buddha in his winter home.  He's supposed to stay warm and dry there, but this year he didn't stand a chance.  I think he has the right idea about how to handle a winter like this though.

We need to just keep calm and carry on.  I'm sure a little meditation couldn't hurt.

In a white out...

We have had us some snow this year.  At this point, we have about three feet on the ground and more on the way this weekend.  To add insult to injury, it has been downright frigid out.  We humans complain about it all the time.  Facebook is covered with snow images and statements of disbelief.  Well, it is winter after all.  I found a couple of creatures who seem to be taking it all in stride.  Heck, for the dark-eyed junco, this is a walk in the park.

The powers that be managed to clear enough snow out of the way to allow the Patriots' Super Bowl celebratory parade to occur yesterday in Boston.  Seems like it is more important to do that than to make sure the schools are open for the kids.  Oh, well...  But a good time was had by all and I'm just happy football season is over.  That means spring is sure to come again and with it the crack of the bat.  Go Red Sox!

This next photo isn't a very good one, but it will give you some idea of what we're dealing with around here AND it gives me the opportunity to link up to The Run*A*Round Ranch's Good Fences.

Aren't you glad you don't have that job in this snowy weather?!

  But while we were in Florida last month, we ran across another Liberty.  It was a first for me.  I've never seen the Statue of Liberty with a mustache.  On the other hand, this Liberty doesn't have to find his way through the snow banks.

Linking up to Theresa's Good Fences!

Variety is the spice of life...

It’s cold here.  Not as cold as in the upper Midwest, but pretty darn cold.  It is also very bright and beautiful out.  It seems like the birds are extra active in weather like this.  They have been coming and going with great frequency to the feeder.  Now and then they have to rest though and when they do, I have been trying to grab my camera.  Here are the birds who have visited us lately.

The official state bird of Massachusetts:  the Black-capped Chickadee.  He looks official, doesn't he?

The cardinals are not as apt to hang around near the house.  If you look closely in this photo, you will see this dashing male's wife sitting on a branch behind him.

This little Junco looks curious, but the Juncos are very skittish so I don't think he knows I'm there.

Of course, the Wild Turkeys have to stop in the yard on their way through the neighborhood.  I got a kick out of watching them jump off the ground trying to grab the leftover crab apples off the tree.  Sort of the opposite of bobbing for apples.

This morning, there are American Robins in the yard.  We've noticed that they  have been sticking around during the winter the last few years.  So much for them being the heralds of spring.

Sharing the birds…

I had a busy weekend.  But it was blah and uneventful as far as my camera was concerned.  I took fewer than 100 photos, which may be an all time low for me.  But I manage to eke out two rather boring shots for my Flickr 365 so I was happy about that.

Yesterday afternoon I was involved in photography in a different way.  I helped my daughter Carrie frame her photos for an upcoming exhibit in Northampton, Massachusetts.  She and her fellow photographers from the Northampton Camera Club will have photos displayed at Historic Northampton in an exhibit called “Northampton as We See It” from December 12, 2013 to January 25, 2014.  Carrie’s photos are very good and I’m not saying that just because I’m her mother.  I think I will ask her to email me a couple to share with you all and you will see for yourselves what a talented daughter I have.

Meanwhile, the birds were super busy at the feeders today.  I think they were trying to keep themselves warm.  But I managed to shoot a few and will share them today.

It’s always nice when the Juncos come back for the winter and one sat in the bush and cooperated so nicely.

Personally, I think the beauty and understated elegance of the female cardinal is second to none.

And the chickadee is always fun to watch even if he is everywhere.

Outsquirrelling the squirrel…

I am so pleased to report that the squirrels have still not figured out a way to get to the birdfeeder I hung up earlier this year.  For a while there, I thought that having a squirrel free birdfeeder was an impossible dream but I am here to tell you that it can be done. 

So without the squirrels eating us out of house and home, we have gotten a nice array of birds back to the feeder and in our yard.  But I have to admit that I bang on the window whenever I see a blue jay on the feeder.  They can wipe the food out almost as quickly as a squirrel can and the other birds don’t seem to want to be in the same neighborhood as they are.

 

Yesterday I put the long lens on my camera and took a few shots of our visitors.  Here they are:

Black-capped Chickadee 

Grackle.  He is the king of all he surveys.  And yes, we still haven't taken down those blasted Christmas lights that don't work.

The American Robin.

The lovely female Cardinal.

Mr. Goldfinch almost has all his summer clothing on.

The Juncos are still here.