Steve`s Country
For a smile as wide as a country sunrise
Art In Nature #2.
Hi everyone! Here we are, back again on this very cold winter day. I was outside for awhile cleaning snow off my deck, almost turning into a Stevecicle, but the sun had broken through the clouds so it looked nice out there and I remembered some pics I had taken back in March after we had some freezing rain. So I thought I would share some of those pics for our second art in nature post. The trees were really sparkling in the sun that day, like they were covered with hundreds of tiny lights. So these pics fit for the season too when there are so many beautiful, decorative lights around brightening up our long dark nights. These sparking tree lights, however, are even better, they are solar powered.
Of course they do have a big down side since they are only available in all their beauty on a nice sunny day. But that’s okay, nothing wrong with beautiful lights during the day. The birds were landing on those ice covered branches without any problems at all, no slipping and sliding. But I must admit, the thought of bare feet on ice sent chills right through me. Much like today as the birds are constantly landing in the snow without a care. Although they do regularly lift up a foot to warm it in their soft, warm feathers. And when they land on the branches it actually looks like they are landing on their stomach, their legs and feet are so well hidden!
It’s quite interesting to watch a chickadee while it is sitting on a branch, holding a sunflower seed between it’s feet, totally impossible to see under the feathers, and yet it is pecking it open and eating the contents. Must go by feel, not by sight. One little chickadee dropped it’s seed while pecking it open, but it flew down and caught the seed before it landed in the snow! Back up to the same spot on the branch to finish eating it’s little prize. It can be so much fun to watch these little birds.
Hmm, guess I’m a little off topic for my post today, but I do hope you will enjoy these pictures of the sparkling light trees and the last pic showing some dried flower branches also covered over with a thick layer of ice giving them also a shining beauty to enjoy. So often we just think about the ice and say “oh no, not again”, and ice can be treacherous and dangerous. But it can also bring such beauty along with it as well. I hope you all have a wonderful Christmas Eve and Merry Christmas everyone!
Steve and Muffin.
©2020 Steve McLeod.
Morning Coffee At Steve’s Country #24.
Good morning to all of you on this somewhat frigid Christmas Eve day! I made sure there was extra coffee this morning, we will definitely need it. First thing this morning I get dressed to go outside, that takes about 10 minutes with all those extra clothes so I can put food out for the birds. Then a loud “CREEAAAK” as my door slowly opens against that mass of cold air. Then “CRUNCH, CRUNCH…” as I walk on the snow across the deck to the feeders. Then “BOOM, POP, CRACK…” as the wood deck complains about the polar air enveloping everything this morning. I put the food out as quickly as possible today and return inside to warm up from that bone-chilling cold that penetrated right through my clothes within minutes. Such is life with a temperature of -31F (-35C).
I pity those poor birds living outside in that numbing cold. Especially those little chickadees, nuthatches and redpolls. There isn’t much to those tiny birds. Chickadees were here bright and early this morning as usual, quickly getting at those seeds, though I think all of them went for the suet first. That’s a quick source of energy for those little birds, helping them to stay warm while they start working on the sunflower seeds which are a longer lasting source of energy and vitamins for them. Chickadees and nuthatches will often, if they are able, hide some food close by where they roost for the night so they have some food available first thing in the morning to give them a good start for the day. I have watched them both take a sunflower seed with them when they head off to their roosting spots in late afternoon.
This morning Theodore showed up the same time as the first chickadees and he was certainly fluffed out trying to keep himself warm. While he stood on the feeder eating he kept one leg up hidden under his feathers, then after a bit he switched legs. Not easy keeping those long legs of his warm in this weather. He will spend the day switching legs like that except for when he has to walk around. But he had himself a good breakfast then disappeared somewhere else for awhile. He will be back again later I’m sure. Heloisa, the female hairy woodpecker was also here very early today, she’s getting a bit braver so hopefully I can get a pic of her soon. On a warmer day. Muffin and I thank you all for stopping by today and we hope it’s not so cold where you live. MERRY CHRISTMAS to each and every one of you as well from Muffin and I!!
Steve and Muffin.
©2020 Steve McLeod.
Steve`s Country 