Steve`s Country
For a smile as wide as a country sunrise
Thursday’s Thoughts With Coffee. #5
Hello everyone! It is another brutally cold day out there! And there is a strong wind out there as well which just makes things even colder. Frostbite can happen within 3 minutes today on any exposed skin. So now we have a temperature that has reached -42F (-41C). Still, that is far from our coldest record for our town of -80F (-62C) which is much too cold for anything except staying indoors. But of course I did not do that.
However, that is not for today. Still, maybe it will be. I could save my other story for another day. Like tomorrow. It is going to warm up though, on the weekend, but we have one more terribly cold night, which will be tonight. The poor birds out there, what few there are around. Those poor nuthatches seem to have the hardest time.
Male Pine Grosbeak last year. Check this photo with the next one, notice something similar between these two birds?
They eat at the suet feeders for a minute or so, then they hop down onto the railing and sit on their feet for a couple of minutes, then back to the suet again. I have been breaking open peanuts for them this week to help them out a bit more. Peanuts give them good food, but also quick and lasting heat for their little bodies. And they do not have to spend energy trying to open sunflower seeds which is harder for nuthatches than it is for chickadees.
But even the chickadees quickly come for the shelled peanuts. Less work on these cold days is a plus for all the birds. There was even a few evening grosbeaks out here this morning, though as usual, they did not stay long. But there was also a couple of pine grosbeaks, a male and female. They stayed around much longer feasting on the sunflower seeds and sitting down on their feet to keep them warm. All the birds are doing that today.
This is the female Pine Grosbeak. She is doing the same thing, same spot.
Weather like this can quickly kill off a lot of birds if they do not find enough food for the day. They need a certain amount of food each day in order to keep them through the long cold nights. Birds that can find feeders are the fortunate ones, they always get enough food. But by Monday we will have some beautiful spring like weather with temps up around 28F (-2C). That is going to feel quite warm after this bitterly cold weather.
Back on our coldest day on record, which was actually 3 days in a row where the temperature really did not change much day or night, was when I challenged my cold tolerance. I was kind of crazy back then and did not mind trying things that were rather, um, stupid to do. Hmm, come to think of it, I guess I am still kind of crazy these days. Oh well. Anyway, a friend of mine called me and asked if I would like to go for a walk that day. I looked out the window.
Female Evening Grosbeak last fall when it was warm.
Nothing but a grayish kind of look out there, partly from blowing snow, partly from mist rising from the open water. Yep, no matter how cold it gets, there is always open water on that river, and even places on the lake. But I enthusiastically said yes and we were on our way. It was for a good cause though, my friends parents lived on an island and needed their medication, so we were taking it out to them. We could drive across the lake on the ice road, but once we got to the island we needed to walk.
About one mile across the island and through a frozen swamp. We were quite frozen by the time we arrived even though we were well dressed for the cold. We did get to warm up before heading back to his truck. That was a good thing, it would have been a little difficult otherwise. I was very happy to finally get back home though.
It took a while to warm up again though. I was thinking about that walk as I took the garbage out to he street this morning. It was just plain cold out there. No way else to say it. I think I came close to frostbite today. Oh well. Time for another cup of coffee. Would you like one too? Have a wonderful day and God bless!
Steve and Muffin.
©2023 Steve McLeod.
The Investigators, Inc. The English Hotel Case. Chapter 10. Change.
“Well Marven,” said M, “are they talking or napping?” “They talked a bit about the heist, then I guess they went to sleep,” he said, “not a sound from them right now except some light snoring.” “Very good,” said M, “now, have you been checking their paper trash?” “Yep, every scrap of paper,” he said, “nothing on them except drawings of the heist or just doodles. They are kind of a boring bunch.” M laughed.
“That is a good thing,” he said, “they must really be getting on board with this. They do seem to be quite excited. It is almost a shame we have to kill them.” “We still shoot them when they come out?” asked Marven. “Why yes, that is the best time,” said M, “we do not want them getting away or that PI just might change his mind and come after us. We cannot have that, not at all. Now, you keep listening.” “Okay, but I wish they would talk about something else for a while,” said Marven.
M then left for his nap. Marven wanted to nap as well, but he knew better. Still, he did not like the thought of gunning down those beautiful ladies, they just seem to be so nice. He did not care about shooting me, after all, shooting a guy is different, but shooting an unarmed woman like that, well, it just was not sitting well with his conscience. But there was nothing he could do about it. He certainly was not going to argue with M, that would just get him killed too, and he did not like that idea either.
Meanwhile… Sky and the others got settled into the hotel, and now came the hard part. Waiting. Sky was so worried about all of this. What if we had said the wrong thing to M and he got in a rage and killed us. Or perhaps just killed me. Then what would happen to the girls? But she thought it was even more likely one of the girls would say or do something wrong, especially if M tried to flirt with them. It would not take much, it seems, for M to get into a fit of rage and beat one of them.
And she knew that I would not sit by and let him do it without a fight. Sigh. Sky was thinking of dozens of scenarios of how things could go wrong. Meow,meow.=You looking worried again. Should not be worried. My human, he know what to do. You relax. We need you to be relaxed or others get worried too. “Yes Muffin,” Sky replied, “I know you are right, but, it is hard not knowing what is going on.
And now we have to just sit here and wait. We do not even know what day they will try to steal the diamonds. There are 4 days left.” Meow,meow.=Me know, wait not easy part. Need to be like cat waiting for mouse, have much patience for big prize. There is a knock at the door and Macey answered. “Daddy!” exclaimed Macey, “I am so glad you are here.”
“How is my girl doing?” he asked. “Good, except for being worried,” she answered, “although I think Sky is the most worried.” “Hello Sky,” he said, “now why are you so worried? I am sure Steve can handle things on his end, he is not exactly new at this sort of thing.” “Hi Major,” she said, “yes, I know, but it is a little different with M, he is too unpredictable. It would not take much to set him off and he could beat Steve or one of the girls, and maybe even kill one of them.”
“Well, that is a good point, normally,” said Major, “but right now M needs Steve and the girls so I think he will try to control himself until after the heist. And by then he will not be in a position to do anything. I will not be letting him get away this time.” Sky smiled. “I must admit, it feels better having you here,” she said, “usually Steve or Rock is here to make the final decisions, now it is up to me.”
“And I am sure you can do that just fine,” he said, “but not if you keep worrying. Worry clouds your ability to make good decisions.” “Hmm, Muffin was just telling me the same thing,” replied Sky. The Major laughed. “And how are you Muffin?” he asked. Meow,meow.=Me good, but maybe little bit worried too. MC jumped onto the bed beside Muffin. Meow.=Me good too and me not worry, except maybe worry when we eat.
That got everyone laughing. “I am still amazed at those cats,” said Major. The cats giggled. “I am a little hungry myself,” said the Major, “and the restaurant is open now. Bring the cats along, I will talk with the manager.” Oddly, the manager then allowed the cats to come into the restaurant. Meanwhile… “Hey M,” said Marven, “take a look at this. They changed the alarms at that museum…”
To Be Continued.
©2023 Steve McLeod.
