Icicles!

We watched this icicle grow yesterday and figured that when we awoke on Monday it would have connected to the rain barrel. Sure enough it has. We have icicles all over, but this is the prize.

Dedication to the Birds

The day before the blizzard hit I meant to go get sunflower seed, but didn't. I emptied my cans into the feeders and filled up the suet cage in preparation for the big storm. All during the snow fall the birds were feeding and soon all the seed was gone. I threw out peanuts for them and even sunflower seeds that I eat shelled of course. Today we went out for gas, groceries and bird seed.

Here are my footprints going out to the first feeder - the tube hanging from the tree. The snow was up to my thigh and it was a workout to walk.

Here are my footprints coming back from the suet cage and the house feeder.

No sooner had I got in and taken off my wet pants and snow filled boots, the birds appeared. I put a seed bell in the suet cage. Here's a downy woodpecker going after it.
The harry woodpecker was also right on the seed bell as were the wren and the red-bellied woodpecker which I didn't get photos of. Word gets around fast that the bird seed is back.

The Day After the Blizzard

By the early morning light the view from the loft. The snow looks like it was cut like butter.

Icicles hang from the roof around the house.

Just a pathway cut to the shop.

Bluebird house adorned.

It will be awhile before the garden gate will open.

This reflector marks the edge of the driveway.


First pass with snow blower missed the driveway.

Remnants of the pine tree that fell across the driveway can be seen on the left side.

Icy but passable or so we think but haven't tried.

The glen .

Lower stretch of driveway.

Dogwood Road - one lane wide and snow covered.

Looking the opposite way on Dogwood.

Each branch caught almost a foot of snow. The snow drops with a plop or gets blown into the wind.

Blizzard of 2010

It's still snowing. I'll take more photos later today or tomorrow.

Botched Forecast

The weather was calling for only a light dusting of snow, no more than an inch. As I write this we have three and it's still falling.

When I left this morning at 10 to go shopping it had just started. I came out of Kohl's and the car and parking lot were covered. When I came out of Safeway there was more than an inch and more falling.

I headed home for going the last two stops. Dan rang he was headed home from buying wood.

The stretch of road down to the Patapsco River crossing was slow going - lots of snow. Thankfully Quaker Hill had been salted or I wouldn't have made it up.

I came down the lane following one set of car tracks which I assumed were Dan's. "Good" I thought he made it up the driveway and then I had to come to a halt. There he was ahead of me backing up after trying to get up and around the first turn in the driveway. I beeped, thinking he didn't see me come behind him. I backed up to the lane and so did he. We left his car there and he drove mine up the driveway, barely getting traction on the last hill.

Why did I think I could have done that? I was glad he was the driver for that last stretch.

We'll get the snowblower out tomorrow once it's done snowing.

Raccoon Attacks!

I heard him before I saw him. As I sat at my desk last night I heard the raccoon bumping around under the porch. Finally I turned on the outside lights and there he was sauntering along the edge of the deck. (The deck is only a single step off the ground.) He was headed toward the perennial garden and I didn't give him (or her) another thought.



This morning, there he/she was in the perennial garden. The birdfeeder was down and broken and the rocks surrounding the clematis were askew. The raccoon was enjoying the feast of sunflower seeds.




As I write this I hear the squeals of a quarrel between raccoons. I wonder where they will get into mischief next?

Package in the Mail

My seeds have arrived! The package from Fedco Seeds came today. Everything came except the Kentucky Wonder pole beans which they are out of already. Now I need to set up my lights and seed starter, work out the schedule for planting and get started.

Here's what I got:

Dwarf Grey Sugar Snow Pea
Jackpot Zucchini
Early Wonder Tall Top Beet
Space Spinach
Buttercrunch Lettuce
Diamond Eggplant
Cubanelle Sweet Pepper
New Ace Sweet Pepper
Rutgers Tomato OG
Goldie Tomato OG
Amish Paste Tomato OG
Jewel Mix Nasturtium