Steve`s Country
For a smile as wide as a country sunrise
Daily Pics #280.
Good morning everyone! It was cold going out with the bird feeders this morning, but there’s still no snow on the ground so that’s a good thing. But for me I would have to say that winter has started, the temps are certainly cold enough, the ground is freezing, and there is snow flurries. Amazingly there is still a lot of little juncos around, but they are tough birds usually staying until the last minute. I think there is only one sparrow around now, a white-throated sparrow. The purple finches decided to leave and most of the pine siskins as well. Jasper was here this morning, briefly anyway, to get a few peanuts. Seeing those blue jays out there kind of made him go crazy for a bit. He was running around all over the place trying to chase them. They would just jump up and come right back down after Jasper went past. Finally he just came, took a peanut and left. Those blue jays are just not as much fun as the chipmunks. Poor Jasper. He’s going to have a long winter. This will be his first winter too. Maybe he’ll have fun playing in the snow like other squirrels. I keep telling him the chipmunks will be back in the spring. So we sit side by side while he eats his peanut, both longing for spring to return even though it is a long, long wait. The deer were back this morning as well, eating the last of the leaves on the raspberry plants. The leaves are still green even though frozen solid. The evening grosbeaks were just here for their breakfast, they eat fast, cheerfully chirping and occasionally getting into some “discussions”.
The featured image shows several “evening grosbeaks” at the feeder while the pic just above shows a lone male evening grosbeak. I hope you all have a wonderful Sunday and God bless!
Steve and Muffin.
©2020 Steve McLeod.
Daily Pics #279.
Good morning and Happy Saturday everyone! I’m sure many of you are ready to enjoy the weekend now, though some still have to work on weekends too. It’s good to have some time to relax, we really do need that, even if it’s just one day. Perhaps a day for shopping, going to the park, day hikes or just a day to do nothing except relax at home, read a book, watch your favorite movie, or whatever. Muffin and I are having our morning playtime, even while I write this. I kind of go back and forth. Then suddenly Muffin says, “that’s enough, time for nap” and I go to tuck her in, which takes about 10 minutes. She likes to cuddle a bit before having her nap. Then fluff her pillow, make sure the blanket is around her just right, then rub her forehead for a little bit and soon she is in cat dreamland. I often wonder what she dreams about. Hopefully she doesn’t have nightbears. Speaking of bears. I remembered to bring my bird feeders in last night while it was still daylight. It was sort of daylight. Well, it was nearly dark but I could still see a bit of daylight out there. Especially with the deck light turned on. Sigh. But I got them in early, that’s the main thing. Then off to the bathroom. When I came back out Muffin jumped down from the window and came running over to me.
Well, she came running over and stood behind me. I looked at her. Those eyes were terrified. It’s only been a few minutes since I was out there, can’t be a bear. Then I heard a loud ‘clump’. So I go and take a look. Muffin decided to stay in the kitchen. Sure, make me go by myself. I turn the deck light on and another bear was out there. This is bear #4 and the biggest of them. I put markers out so I could get a better idea of the sizes of these bears. This one was about 6 and a half feet long, more than 3 feet high from the deck to the top of his back and he was fat! He had a shorter head than the others and it was huge. The whole bear was big, just measure it out and see. That head was the most amazing part of him though. Then he spotted me looking out the window and he came up and put his front paws on a couple boxes that were there and we looked straight at each other! Muffin had come closer to me but when she saw the bear at the window like that it was just too much, and under a cabinet she went! He even opened his mouth a bit so I could see it’s teeth. What a picture that would be! I also thought how easy it would be for that critter to come inside through that window. I would be going out the other window very fast. This bear was certainly big all around. Beautiful shiny black fur too.
On the smaller side, our featured image is a pic of Jasper who decided to take a rest after chasing chipmunks back in August. And the pic above is one of many bee pics I was able to get this summer while sitting among those blue flowers. I was literally surrounded by dozens of bees while getting these pics. Well, that’s all for now, I hope you all have a splendid Saturday and God bless!
Steve and Muffin.
©2020 Steve McLeod.
Steve`s Country 