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Thursday, January 15, 2009

Now that's what I call Winter!

  I've been complaining that our Winters are so dreary and gray with lots of mud and just general yuck, while watching blogger friends getting those beautiful snowfalls. Well, things have a way of changing overnight. This is what we woke to this morning. Most of the snow came down yesterday and it was all I could do to keep up with the shoveling, knocking it off the tarp over the chicken run and making sure the birds had plenty to eat. Not to mention keeping the chickens happy in their coop. It was too cold to let them outside, except for a brief hour or two in the afternoon. I don't think they went out much anyway, but at least it helped air out the coop a little.

These holly bushes are on either side of our basement stairs. They provide a great shelter for the birds in Winter. I love to stand in the bay above them and watch the cardinals, chickadees and juncos, among others, flit in and out as they travel back and forth to the feeders and the bird bath to get a snack of sunflower seeds or a much-needed drink of water.
 

I took all the pictures from the living room window, because, frankly, I'm not willing to freeze my keister, even for a great shot.

 

Japanese 'Kousa' dogwood tree just outside the bay window.
 
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Angel is licking her lips and wishing she could snap up a few of those birdie snacks. 
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21 comments:

Char said...

love the light in the first one - great shots.

Susan said...

Thank you! I kind of cheated on that one a little and edited it on Picasa. It was close to that in the original, but I just wanted a little extra.

Ruth said...

Just splendid!! And Angel is color coordinated with today's pink ice. All shots are heavenly, but the one of her with that snowy backdrop is just brilliant. Love how the pink ear is backlit.

Cindy said...

Amazing photos! especially considering they were taken through your windows. What a beautiful setting you have there! Your kitty picture is priceless.

I did enjoy our snow, but today we have sunshine, and that's quite nice too. But at 35 degrees, it doesn't quite feel like spring yet.

Susan said...

Ruth, Angel says many thanks! She believes it's all her doing and had nothing to do with the photographer! :) I'm glad you didn't say anything about how dirty the window is through that nice filtered light, lol. Cleaning windows ain't my thang, baby!

Anyway, I learn from the master! ((bow))

Susan said...

Cindy, thank you! I have to put a small disclosure here...I did open the window a wee bit. I tried some through the glass, but with the double panes, it was a little blurry. My keister stayed nice and warm though! I tried to get some shots of the birds, but even with the telephoto they weren't good enough.

If we were having 35 degrees today, I think I would go outside in a swimsuit! I feel like an Eskimo....well, without the igloo, that is. We're having sunshine too, but it looks a lot warmer than it really is.

Joanna@BooneDocksWilcox said...

I see it's 4 degrees on your thermometer.

I see the BEFORE and AFTER pictures of Pricilla. Why in the world? She was so beautiful and of course we all age but just accept it gracefully.

Your photo's are real nice. Keep warm Susan :-)

VioletSky said...

Glad you got your wish, Susan!

Snow and sun is a great combo.


P.S. love the clock!

Susan said...

Joanna, I guess if your livelihood depends on your face and looking young, then you will do anything short of murder to stay that way. Of course, Priscilla's celebrity came solely from having been Elvis' wife, so what's a girl to do? I really admire the few actresses who do age gracefully and decide not to undergo surgery to be something they're not.

Thank you for the compliment.

Susan said...

Sanna, I love the clock, too! I saw it in the window and I just had to have it! Seriously, it's the closest that I'm ever gonna be to owning an aquarium.:)

Ruth said...

Now come on. No one cleans windows in the winter. And I didn't notice anyway. I've taken pics through the window in winter too, and of course I notice what's on MINE.

That IS a cool clock!

And I like "listening" to the conversation about Priscilla. You're so right, the celebrity women (and men too) who have let their faces age are beautiful to me.

Susan said...

Ruth, yes cleaning windows in the winter seems counter-productive when you have little fingers and noses constantly pressed against them (and I'm counting kitty noses, too).

I read an interview with Jane Fonda that she and her good friend Sally Field made a pact to never have plastic surgery. It certainly hasn't stopped them from getting good parts and they're portraying women their own age.

Laurie Chase Kruczek said...

Okay! First, we used to have a black cat named Angel, but it was a boy, sort of the negative to your positive Angel LOL.... Second, Angel used to do the EXACT SAME THING and watch the birds thru the windows, licking his lips. We called it the kitty television as he could never tear himself away for too long.

Great shot, Susan :)

Susan said...

Oh, Laurie, LOL that is too funny! Did your Angel lunge at the window from time to time, thinking he can reach out and grab one?

Believe me, it was purely coincidental that I snapped the picture at that instant. Luck was on my side :)

Little Miss Single Mom said...

Hahaha, that's what I think too...the cat, Angel, wanted to catch a few birds outside :)

Susan said...

Sami, thanks for stopping by. Angel would like nothing better than catching a bird...or a mouse...or anything!

Delwyn said...

Thankyou for giving me the opportunity of seeing your neck of the woods through your wonderful photography. It is so very different to my patch of sub tropical Australia.

Gone2theDawgs said...

You sure got some great pics from inside the house (and saved your keister to boot!).
Looks like Angel is tasting those little birdies....maybe she should have a little set of horns showing? :)

Anonymous said...

Great pictures-I love the one of the fence very nice shot.

Susan said...

Oh, Angel's got the horns, Tammy! You just can't see them behind her ears there! She's quite the little devil in disguise!

Susan said...

Thanks, Tipper! I really like the fence one, too.