Shades of White

Something Different

 

In case you have tired of winter in Wisconsin...

Florida in August.

 

Advent

 

Advent: the period

beginning four Sundays

before Christmas, observed

in commemoration of the coming

of Christ into the world. 

(dictionary.com)

 

Today is the 1st Sunday in Advent.

I love this time of year--

A time of preparation,

A time of celebration,

A time of family together.

 

Wordless Wednesday 26 January 2011

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Killing the Birds?

It is hard for birds to find food when the ground is covered with snow, and they need to eat enough each day to keep warm and healthy--especially through the long, cold night.

A Blue Jay

If you feed them daily and then suddenly stop, they could die before they find another food source.

I've read that birds who have not had enough to eat for just one day may not be able to keep their body heat up high enough during the night to survive.

  A Junco

It would be better if you did not feed them at all than starting and stopping.

  A Mourning Dove

It is also important to wash the birdfeeders weekly to keep sick birds from passing diseases to the others.

I cannot take mine inside to scrub it down, so, as often as the weather allows, I wash mine down with bleach.

I don't think many people understand this, so please, pass it on!

The Chickadee

The Chickadee is a lively little fellow.

I've been trying to get a photo of his face.

And so I sit at the window and snap photo

After photo

After photo.

If I go outside and stand perfectly still just a few feet from the birdfeeder, the Chicadee will come and flutter from branch to branch in the shrubs beside me.

If I turn my camera towards the saucy little fellow, he'll hop to the feeder, grab a seed, and flutter past me before I can get a single shot.

But at last...

"Chickadeedeedeedeedee."

The 4th Day of Christmas 2010

Someone new came to visit my birdfeeder yesterday.

A beautiful female Ring-necked Pheasant.

 

She dug through the snow around my birdfeeder, looking for scattered seeds and then wander off around the corner of the house and down along the pines.

I hope she comes back.

Do I Own Them or Do They Own Me?

Is it hard being a daisy? No shelter, always dependent upon whatever comes its way? Or is their life's simplicity what draws us to them?

The things we own clutter our lives, need attention, take our time. Sometimes I wonder what it would be like to get rid of half of all the things I own. Would I feel so free that I would turn around and get rid of half of the remaining possessions?

The problem? Making the choices. Do we hold onto that table to give to the kids when they start their own home? Do we keep items for a rainy day or an uncertain future? At what point do we get rid of items and trust that God will provide? And at what point do we keep things as wise stewards?

Ah! The desire for wisdom!

Milkweed

The milkweed pods are beginning to open and the seeds are ripe for escape.

It wasn't until recently that I found out that milkweed was an irritant and, when handling, one should never touch their hands to their eyes.

I've blown away the seeds in these pods for as long as I can remember--floating fairies on the wind.

Summer's End?

While walking on a misty morning, I noticed the Blackbirds were flocking. Can they be done raising their young for the summer? We are just past the ides of July! Will autumn come early? I thought this was something that happened in August. Or am I mistaken?

Rock Dove...Homing Pigeon?

This large beauty landed in my yard yesterday--I had never seen anything like it in our corner of Wisconsin. It has a leg band which makes me think it is a homing pigeon. I was able to walk up within a few yards of it, and I was baffled at how tame it was. It was not until I had the photos in my computer and was able to blow them up that my son pointed out that it was banded. We Googled homing pigeons and Rock Doves, and we found a lot of info about them. Perhaps this one is flying cross-country. I hope he will safely find his way home.

William of Orange was placidly washing up on the deck when he finally spied the bird. He dashed across the driveway and the bird flapped its way up to the top of the garage. Usually our cats are leery of big birds (they hate the chickens). I'm glad the dove was not harmed. And now I cannot help but wonder where he is headed and who is waiting for him!

Chicory

 

Along the roadside,

they greet me

when I walk.

Polyphemus Moth

  

The Stream Pasture

The Old Apple Tree

The old cow path

winds its way 

over the hills,

through the pasture,

along the fencerow,

past the apple tree,

and down to the stream.

The Dandelion

It is rainy and cold here today, but the dandelions are still cheerfully greeting me in my backyard.

In my childhood, I had assumed that all flowers were pleasantly fragrant; it came as a surprise that their scent was considered nasty! I spent my early years making necklaces out of them--and staining the sweet , yellow, satin dress with hand sewn scallops  that my mom had made for me . I wore that gorgeous dress to church for the rest of the summer with green stains decorating the bodice! The experience did teach me not to pick dandelions at church on Sunday morning and to watch for the 'milk' that dripped from the stems and stained everything it touched.

Tomorrow night is supposed to be clear (I hope), and our astronomy group is having a program for the public. It is suppose to be cold, though--low of around 40 degrees F. I look forward to getting my scope out and enjoying the night.

Blow those clouds away!