Solstice

I usually try to feed some birds on solstice, I don't worry about it too much before that date fro some reason, and it's turning into a nice little family tradition to start it up on the shortest day of the year. This year we made 'Bird cookies'- which will probably feed more squirrels than birds actually, but whatever. They were really easy to make and N really enjoyed helping me hang them up outside.

I hope you all enjoy your holiday season, I'll see you back here in the new year.

A Winter Walk

It snowed here in earnest a few days ago (it's mostly melted away- what weird winter weather we're having in Manitoba), and N and I went out to use her snowsuit at least once this winter, we had a delightful time pushing the snow around, and trying in vain to build snowmen with the dry fluffy snow, and hanging up some oranges for the birds (I have no idea if the birds in our area like oranges, I suspect not actually, but at least they look nice hanging from the tree).

We have been feeding the bids lately, and have some nice ones in residence here at the farm, blue Jays, Woodpeckers (or sapsuckers I guess?), chickadees, nuthatches, juncos and sparrows. It's a real delight to have these friendly birds around, Maybe one day I'll try feeding them out of my hand, like we used to do growing up in B.C. I remember the odd thrill of feeling their tiny spindly claws attach to your finger, the light weight of them, suddenly taking off.

A Fall Walk

Signs of Spring

I spotted the first robin today! One of the first and most special signs of spring amidst a sea of snow.

Winter Wildlife

I think these guys are probably just as ready as I am for spring- or perhaps they're more ready. It's been a hard winter in these parts, and I'm slightly obsessed with the idea that it will be spring again, soon I hope. For now I'll just enjoy the view I guess, once things are growing we're not likely to see these guys so close to the house- they'll move off to eat tastier things than pine trees and bird seed.

I Love...the wildlife

These guys have been hanging around our yard for a couple of weeks now. The snow is so deep that they've been eating anything they can get their mouths on, sometimes the blade scrapes up a bit of grass when they plow the lane and they go wild, it's a tough life being wild. Every time we see them we run around to the window and check them out- N even says 'dee', and then she makes me tap the glass to get them to look at us.

Living in a winter wonderland

We've been having some serious snowy weather here for the past week- some days we've had 10 cm (4 inches) of snow back to back, which is kind of romantic I suppose as long as you're not the one who has to blow out the lanes, (a job that K manages with some help from his dad). There is so much snow here it's mind boggling, if this is not some sort of record winter for snowfall I'll be surprised, very surprised.

It is beautiful though, it's the type of snow that covers everything, like a down comforter, and sticks in the trees for a long time after it snows- it's gentle and cozy, not a stormy sort of snow. It's surprising to see the wild life out there at all- it seems as though the whole world should be sleeping- underneath the snow in little burrows.

Despite that we've been spying some squirrels, and a pair of chickadees, a troupe of grouse stop by the yard now and again, and a small doe has been coming to eat the birdseed I've scattered, when that happens N and I follow it around from window to window, trying not to get too excited. I can't wait for spring- and yet there is a certain charm to this type of winter, as long as the roof doesn't cave in under weight of the snow that is.

Happy Saturday!

These butterflies are everywhere in our yard- these pictures are from the long weekend when my niece and I discovered three of them on the Lilacs, she stood guard while I ran for the camera, They're called Red Admirals-while searching for them I found this website, which is very cool if you live in Manitoba, and want to find out more about the wildlife.