Grackles!

2-27-2018

As always, when one shows up, the other is not far behind. The Grackles are here today! These marvelous iridescent black birds with dark feathers shimmering resplendent in blue, green, and purple in the sunlight. They mingle with the red wings and maul the feeders with gusto and bravado. I could watch for hours as they flap, hop, strut, peck, fly around, dancing in the yard. The sun is playing hide and seek with the clouds as snow flakes flurry in swirling confusion, while elegant red wing black birds and exquisite grackles delight in the plentiful seed feast, dazzling red and ravishing dark iridescent colors flashing as their shifting movements catch intermittent sunlight.

Red Wing Blackbirds!

2-26-2018

The Red Wing Blackbirds showed up on the feeders today! I delight in the bright red epaulets with a yellow boarder on their wings. These birds are bringers of spring, foretelling of life reawakening, winter’s loosening grip. They trill from the trees and fly down en mass to devour the black oil seed and suet. The cats watch with twitching whiskers and taught muscles, as if one might fly into the house to be caught. I am pleased to sit and watch the red wing black bird’s antics as they dance in the yard around the feeders: perching, flapping, hopping, chirping, pecking, flying, always in motion. One more wonderful sign of spring.

First Walk About

2-25-2018

Well, as the day progressed the sun came out, although it did not warm up much. I felt the familiar itch to be outside. So dressing warmly, and wearing the slip on cleats to grip the slippery ground, I went for a little walk about. The first walk I have taken since I slipped and fell. I was super, over cautious when near ice on the ground, but just being outside in the slanting cold rays of an evening sun slipping slowly toward the western horizon was relaxing and invigorating in equal measure. I went down a nearby dirt road that follows the creek and stays mostly level. I didn’t go very far or spent a lot of time, but it was good for my soul. Halfway down the road is a small dripping stream the crosses under in a culvert. The steep hillside it emerges from was a rippling wall of multi-colored ice. As the water flows down over the already frozen sheet, it slowly freezes into ridges and ripples stained brown, red, and yellow from the soils and decaying leaves underneath. The fading yellow sunlight makes the frozen hill looks almost alive as the wetness shimmers silver and blue in the moving shadows. Winter is amazingly beautiful when you can actually appreciate it for what it is. Slanting pale golden sunlight, fuzzy purple shadows, shimmering milky blue ice, glittering bright white snow, frigid air, piercing wind, frozen world humming with anticipation.

Mergansers!

2-24-2018

Although it is seasonably cold again, I saw another sign that Spring is coming. The mergansers are back! I saw them in the creek on my way home from work today. Females with sleek grey bodies and cinnamon brown heads, males with wings that flash black and white when they fly. I saw two pair down in the creek as I drove over the bridge. They were floating through a small rapid, diving down and resurfacing back upstream to float down again. These birds know how to have fun! I am looking forward to playing in the rapids too. Amazing mergansers, let me join you in spirit, and frolic with the water nymphs.

Hawks Everywhere

2-23-2018

It feels like February again as a cold front blew in today. Fierce and wild, reclaiming the landscape in the name of winter. The sun is shining brightly, but the wind is sharp and bone chilling. As I drove to Albany and then home again, I saw hawks everywhere. Red Tailed are the only ones I can identify with certainty while driving, but there were other species as well. They were flying, veering wildly in the wind gusts. They were sitting in tree branches surveying the ground. They were perched on top of phone poles, feathers puffed up against the frigid air. They were standing on fence posts, and hopping around on the ground wings akimbo with struggling prey in their grasp. I was seeing a hawk every few minutes: in the forests, fields, suburbs, and city. Today was the day of the Hawks! Where did they all come from and why are they here now? Don’t know, but it was awesome and inspiring to see all the many hawks that were out and about today!

Hammock Time!

2-22-2018

Another amazing spring like day in February. This is similar to last year when we had 80 degree weather at the end of February and then a huge amount of snow in March. But I will take this warm sunshine and enjoy it while it lasts. I moved the hammock out to the yard and spent several hours rocking, listening to a book, and knitting. Now the cast is off, knitting is a lot easier. I still have a long way to go with getting range of motion and strength back but for right now, life is good. Sitting in the sun warm bright bathes the soul, cleans out the cobwebs in your psyche, and reunites you with Mother Earth. I even took my shoes off and squished my toes around in the top layer of dead grass and melting earth. Cold, but satisfying!

Good Morning

2-21-2018

After such a beautiful spring like day (yes in February, in the mountains of upstate New York), I set the camping hammock up on the porch and slept outside. I watched the hazy yellow crescent moon gently slip below the western horizon and went to sleep soaring through the endless glorious sparkling stars in the purple night sky, feeling the tender caress of cool open air on my cheeks, snuggled in a warm sleeping bag, barely swaying, listening to water rushing in the creek and slow random tones from the wind chimes. Sleeping outside is pure bliss. Waking outside in the morning at first light, even before the first birds is the essence of tranquility. Breath deeply of the cool damp fresh morning air, smell and taste the still mostly frozen wet earth and wet evergreen trees. All is stillness, I hear rippling rapids in the creek, water dripping from the roof and leafless tree branches, the metallic creek of the hammock stand and rustling of the synthetic material of my sleeping bag as I shift position the looks out across the valley in the hazy soft blue light of dawn. There is one very large and bright star still visible through the tree branches toward the south, Venus or maybe the space station. As the sun climbs higher and the sky turns pale baby blue, the light and fluffy puffy clouds turn bright pink and immerse the valley in soft glowing pink orange light. Good morning!

Feels Like Spring

2-20-2018

I have been battling depression this winter. Some days I win, other days, not so much. That is one of the reasons I like finding a magic moment in every day. It is the light of pure joy and happiness at the end of this dark tunnel. If I can still see the light and put maybe myself in it, even for just a moment, there is still hope. There is a reason to get out of bed in the morning! Although spending the day in your pajamas is not necessarily a bad thing as long as it was an actual choice and not just the path of least resistance. Today was a beautiful spring like day. Warm, sunny, just the right amount of breeze and clouds. Once we got home I took a lawn chair out and sat in the sun for while, then sat on a rocker on the porch for a while. I watched the sky, listened to the birds, felt the sunshine on my face, smelled the damp earth, relaxed and enjoyed just being. Outside on a day like today is the best place to be!

Rain On The Roof, Warm In Bed

2-19-2018

Having a warm spell, the snow at the ski slope is melting. There is a peaceful easy feeling about laying in a warm cozy bed listening to rain hit the roof. A fire in the wood stove has the air in the house warm and dry as rain pelts down, pitter pattering on the metal roof, splattering against the window panes, pouring off the roof in sheets. Downpour, soaking the dead leaf layer on top of the frozen ground. We are safe and content, curled under the down comforter, snuggling with the cats. The droning sound of the rain is a lullaby the sings us off to sleep.

Sap Buckets

2-18-2018

Oooooohhhhhhh! The sap buckets went up today! My husband put the up while I was at work! Maple syrup, here we come! It is a sure sign that Spring is near when the sap buckets go up. Freezing nights followed by warm days makes the sugar sap run. We collect it in 18 stainless steel buckets and boil it down on a propane burner on the porch. My husband upgraded our operation this year with a super duper two burner camp stove an two large chaffing pans to replace the turkey fryer and big pot we were using. We should be able to boil a lot faster now with more surface area. Can’t wait for the billowing sweet steam and then the dark delicious, make your whole body melt with the taste, maple syrup! YES!