Day 19.032: Clean snow, clean cars

The day started with a few inches of snow to clear.

We still had quite a bit from the big storm two weeks ago, but a bit of fresh white snow brightens things a bit.

By lunchtime, the temperatures had got a few degrees above freezing for what feels like the first time in weeks and I - along with several neighbors jumped at the opportunity to wash the cars. They don't look as clean as the fresh snow, but certainly better than they were after several weeks of driving on slushy salty roads.

Day 19.031: Birds at the cemetery

For most of our walk at the cemetery on Sunday, we barely saw any birds - a glimpse of a chickadee far above our heads, a junco disappearing into a shrub, a flyby from a few crows. I heard a brown creeper, and possibly a yellow-bellied sapsucker, but we didn't see either. We did see some evidence of previous sapsucker activity:

bit by the time we'd nearly looped back to the car, I hadn't taken any photos of birds.

Then, we spotted a large bird over the river and I took a fairly speculative photo (just one). It was enough to imply red-tailed hawk.

And then, finally - a small group of American robins on a bit of sloping ground with no snow cover:

Day 19.030: Cold

We managed a brief outing to the cemetery before we settled down to watch “the sports” yesterday. It was cold. This was before we had chance to lose the feeling in our faces.

Day 19.029: Exile #2’s Sunday Column #542

Exile #2 writes...

Well, there was a convincing victory in the east coast versus west coast Super Bowl tonight, along with the usual side serving of musical artists and ads. Green Day played before the game and were, surprisingly, allowed to play American Idiot. Meanwhile, Bad Bunny performed at half time and put on a show that was a real celebration of love and Latinx culture.

There is always some tension surrounding the choice of musicians and this year so much so that an “alternative” show was provided on another channel. But anyone tuning out would have missed a treat. It was joyful and just what was needed. Now to bed - how do they make 60 minutes last so long?

This bowl is also super (and I made it myself) [Ed.]

Day 19.028: It’s the big game

No, not tomorrow’s football championship/American cultural phenomenon but England vs Wales in the Six Nations Rugby. 

I'll leave the commentary there. And yes, we'll probably watch the "sports" tomorrow too.

Day 19.027: Just in case

There are fruit trees just outside my office window. A few years ago, when I had a windowless office on the other side, I saw some interesting birds in these trees and got some unsatisfactory photos with my phone so I keep wondering if I will one day see something interesting.

This week, I did not see something interesting, but I did take a cellphone photo of a house finch. 

Day 19.026: Just a tail

The other day, I looked out and saw a tail flicking around under the bird feeder. Thanks to a hollow in the still-knee-deep snow, it was all I could see of a bird hunting for good stuff among the reject food scattered there (primarily by the starlings).

I probably should have guessed who the small bird with the outsized and up-sticking tail was, but I waited until it showed itself anyway:

Carolina wren in the snow