For the Birds!

It was a wild colored sunrise and the saying for sailors is an old one.

I think every time now the plumber has been scheduled to come, we have an ice storm or a ground blizzard. If the roads get plowed and he shows up, I hope he has the good sense to walk down our hill unless he thinks he can make it in a two wheel drive van. 

I made it up and down that hill for years with a front wheel drive sedan and snow tires with no problem, but it can be daunting to any vehicle with poor traction even on good days.

2008 Photo. Hubby is clearing the driveway with his skid steer after a storm:

That said, I am enjoying the fact that I don't have to face the hill in winter storms any more. 

If it was really bad, I'd park my vehicle on the ridge and walk up the hill at 2AM to drive to my shift as a Security Officer. I'd then negotiate 30 miles of terrible roads. 

The Subaru was a game changer for me and often I'd make my shifts when those who lived within 3 miles couldn't or wouldn't. 
Go figure.

Today is wicked even in our hollow. The mules have been fed down in the woods and out of the winds.

Yesterday I had a nice hike and exploring day. I even got some practice at 'shooting' birds in the tree near the house.

The bird feeder has added some nice entertainment to the yard. I stood in my summer flower garden and caught a couple of semi decent bird photos. I just adore the color of the cardinal!

I used to think that bird photography was ... um...for the birds...
but two other bloggers I know have made it look fun so I've been practicing!

The sparrow below had such an expression on his face.

I've tried shooting through the window or front door and that sure doesn't help the focus much. I'm not going to try it at all today even though we have had Flickrs, Woodpeckers, and Titmouse trying to get to the feeder. The wind gusts keep blowing them about. They keep getting blown back to the little brush pile I have stacked in the yard from our last wind storm.

This is a Junco, my grandmother used to call them Snow Birds. As a kid I never bothered to learn their real names. Grandma said they'd show up a couple of weeks before the snow was to fly.

Just before the winds changed on the ridge, I as able to find some deer feeding in the wind break between two crop fields. 

Spook?

Spook?

Run!

Stay warm, the winds are supposed to continue after dark and the temperatures are going to drop. We have seen our high today of 12 degrees.

The plumber came! He drove his personal 4X4 because his plumbing van wouldn't get out of his own driveway.

He did super good work and was such a pleasant young man.