The temperature was decent today except when the wind gusted.  It drifted snow across the road in the open areas and created snow devils between the yards.  That didn't stop me from bundling up and heading to Elk Island this morning.  I needed some fresh air!

On the drive to the park, the snow drifted across the highway.  A herd of bison was foraging for grass.  I could see some ravens circling and then landing in a high tree top.  As I got closer, I could see that they were trying to fend off a bald eagle that was perched in the tree next to them.  I hadn't seen an eagle for quite awhile.  It didn't appear bothered by the raven raucous.

I drove through the park without seeing any other wildlife.  It was a toss up as to which trail I was going to hike but decided at the last minute to turn into the Amisk Wuche parking lot.  The trail was packed down so there was no need for the snowshoes.  I slipped on the hiking cleats and away I went.

Light snow was falling and the wind was whipping it across the ice on the beaver ponds.  There were many bare patches that reflected the little bit of sun that shone through.  The wind continued up the ravine bank and swayed the tall spruce trees back and forth.  I could hear them creaking as the wind whistled through their branches.

The big spruce that blew over in the gale force winds a few weeks ago was still blocking the trail.  I had to duck under the huge trunk.  It looked as if it had settled more as I had to bend lower to get underneath it.  The wind blew over another large tree since I walked the trail last.  Both looked like toothpicks that were snapped off. 

The squirrels and the chickadees were out in full force.  I watched 8 chickadees in the branches of one evergreen.  They flitted from branch to branch; sometimes hanging upside down while foraging for seeds.

On the drive home, I stopped to watch some horses grazing in an open field.  There was no shelter from the blustery wind but it didn't look like they minded.  As it gusted over the area, they galloped and chased each other around.

I hope the day is calm tomorrow.  My little sleepover buddies are staying this weekend.  We're hoping to take the x-country skis and the skates out for a spin!

It was another deceiving day.  As I headed toward the back door at work, I could see the sun shining brightly through the window.  I walked out the door and turned the corner to the parking lot only to be blasted by a gust of icy wind.  Brrrr.

On the drive home I saw a pair of coyotes in an open field.  They found a grassy area on the top of a hill where both watched as I drove by.  I could see the wind ruffling their long coats.

I pulled into the driveway and noticed that my backyard beauties had visited while I was away during the day.  Before I went inside, I refilled all the feeders and the water pail.  I could hear a flock of birds high in a tree top.  When I glanced up, I saw the branches filled with waxwings.  Their beautiful song was interrupted by a hawk that came swooping in.

Within thirty minutes of filling the feeders, all five of my furry deer friends came filing into the yard for another visit.  I will never tire of watching their antics.  Each has a regular routine that I've come to recognize. The does still head to the hanging feeders.  The little ones eat the seeds that fall to the ground.  They all take turns at the feed tub and the water pail that I've put out.  

When the deer began visiting, the slightest bit of traffic noise would scare them off.  Lately, they are so comfortable in the yard that they don't bother to stop eating when the vehicles pass by.  I watched them until they ate their fill and proceeded down the path to the forest behind my yard.  The little ones duck underneath the bottom strand of barbed wire but the mamas leap over the top wire.  They do it with such ease with at least 6 inches to spare.

My granddaughters are coming to sleep over this weekend.  The last time they stayed over, the deer came during daylight hours and the girls watched as the deer made their rounds.  I'm hoping that we'll have that good fortune again.

 

There's a little blast of winter happening outside.  The flurries and the cold wind were reminding us today that winter is still here for another few weeks.  I wonder if the groundhog is going to tell us the same thing on Sunday.

While I was driving home from work, I noticed how much longer the days are.  It was 6pm and light enough that I could have gone for a walk without a flashlight.  I love when the days are longer.  It may be dark when I leave in the morning but it's light when I'm driving home and I love it; all the better to see my forest friends!

My backyard visitors are still cleaning out all the bird feeders.  I had a chuckle on the weekend when I was watching a squirrel.  The layers of snow had melted off the many patches of deer

droppings.  That nutty squirrel was devouring the droppings.  I was thinking that there must have been a lot of sunflower hulls and seeds in them.  I have to admit that it was making me gag to watch.

The deer have been coming into my yard since November 21 and they know immediately when something is different.  I put a pail of water out for my backyard menagerie.  When the deer noticed it for the first time, they put their heads down and circled the pail.  One of the younger ones was brave enough to move closer.  It found the water and has been drinking from the bucket on each visit since.

I'm anxious to see what the five 'amigos' are going to do when spring arrives.  Will they continue to visit my yard when the grasses are tall and green?  If they do, will the does bring their new fawns for a visit?  I sure hope they do.  I would love to see some little, spotted babes in my backyard.

I didn't make it to the trails but I have a good excuse.  A pileated woodpecker glided into the yard from a nearby treetop.  It landed on a suet feeder and proceeded to peck at the block of seedy fat.

Opportunities like that do not happen everyday so I had to take advantage of the moment to watch that beauty in action.  I was amazed at how such a large bird can cling to the underside of the metal cage for as long as it did.  It's large beak created a shower of suet crumbs that fell to the ground.

I got some photos as it rotated around the feeder; showing off its bright red cap at many different angles.  After looking at the photos and comparing them to the diagrams in a book, I determined that this was a female pileated woodpecker that visited today.  It may have been the same one that I witnessed at the suet feeder on a previous occasion.  She appeared to be quite adept at hanging upside down.

After reading through the article in the book, I learned that the male has a red mustache.  I took a look at some of my other photos and was surprised to see that I had a photo of a male/female pair in my yard.  That, not only was the first time that I had seen two of them together on fence posts, side by side but it was the first time that I had seen a 'couple'.  

I've been whining about not seeing the grosbeaks and the redpolls this winter.  To my surprise I read a recent article about the local bird count and apparently, I am not the only one that is not seeing them.  Winter is not over. They may still arrive.  I won't give up hope just yet.

My glance out the window at 4am turned into a 10 minute gaze.  The sky was cloudless and filled with millions of twinkling stars.  It was amazing.  

The temperature was supposed to dip to -23C overnight but it's 10 degrees warmer.  I had noticed how much the snow went down in my yard during the big melt last week but it was more noticeable in an open farm field that I pass on the way to work.  The horses that foraged there had a difficult time in the deep snow.  They would sink past their knee joints as they made their way across the field.  When I drove by yesterday, I could see bare patches of ground.

The ski trails have become as icy as a bobsled run making it a challenge to remain upright and even more challenging to make it around curves on a downhill glide.  The skiers that I saw yesterday were taking it pretty slow.  I think I'll stick to skating for the next while.

I've been waiting patiently for the grosbeaks to show up this winter but there has been no sign of them.  I checked the date on the first photos that I took of them in 2013 and it happened to be January 29.  Maybe there is still hope.  I miss seeing their bright colors at the tray feeder.

From the look of that clear sky, the day should shape up to be a nice one.  Hopefully I'll be able to get out for some fresh air after work.

 

Today is the first day in a week that I feel 100%; probably because everything is frozen again outside.  You would think that the big melt last week would have provided increased opportunity to be outside but all it did is uncover the snow mold that is creating havoc with my sinuses.  Yesterday I woke up with eyes that felt like they were going to pop out of my head except for the fact that they were almost swollen shut.  

The warm temperatures last week melted the snow pack in the back yard.  It's gone down by more than a foot.  All the snow that had accumulated on the garage roof has avalanched off the metal cladding.  The snowbanks on either side of the driveway are now half the size that they were a week ago.  The gravel on the path to the front door is visible.  The driveway continues to be a skating rink.  I threw down a layer of grit.  The water from the melting snowbanks pooled on top of the grit and then it froze overnight.  Thaw, grit, freeze.  Thaw, grit, freeze.  That describes last week.

I did witness some beautiful sunrises.  The sun created a palette of bright oranges, pinks and purples.  The sky was beautiful.  

The sun is now at an angle that once again allows the rays to shine through the crystal hanging in my bedroom window; creating rainbows on the walls.  That burst of color brightens the spirit each time I walk into the room.

The temperature this morning is -26C.  The windows in the garage door are coated with white delicate ice that reminds me of lace.  What a difference a week can make.  Last week the thermometer topped out at +10.7C. 

I'm hoping that the change in temperature and the longer days will allow me the opportunity to get outside this week.  Cabin fever is setting in.

Drip.  Drip.  Drip.  That's what I heard as the snow melted and puddled beneath the fallen logs on the trail.  The sun shone brightly in the clear blue sky.  There was not a cloud to be seen.  

I walked the Lakeview Trail.  The path up to the trail head was extremely icy but my cleats did the job.  I'm glad I had my trekking poles with me to assist with maneuvering over the slippery patches.  By the time I got to the actual trail head, the snow was already softening up.

 
It appeared that I was the first one on the trail since the big windstorm.  The spruce needles and branches that lay on the ground were undisturbed except for the areas where the elk had passed.

The sunshine was warm and inviting.  I had to stop and take in the scenery at the bench that overlooked Astotin Lake.  It was quiet and serene.  I made it to the park early so there was nobody out and about yet.  The squirrels provided the only sound in the forest.

 As I wandered through the trees, a grouse walked beneath the branches of a large spruce tree.  It made its way through the underbrush along the lake shore.  I laughed to myself as it fluffed out its feathers to make itself look intimidating.

Not too much further up the trail, a pileated woodpecker flew up from the decaying tree stump that it was working on.  The pile of wood chips at the bottom of the stump indicated that the woodpecker had been there for awhile.

A gentle breeze swayed the tops of the tall trees.  Squirrels jumped from branch to branch and skittered up and down the trunks.  The chickadees were busy gathering seeds.  They seemed to be most prevalent along the trail where the birch trees were abundant.  Their 'cheeseburger' songs filled the air between the squirrel chatter.

What a difference a day of sunshine and cloudless blue sky can make.  I got back to the parking lot and found numerous people walking and a family getting ready to have a winter picnic.  The kids had their sleds out and their parents were chopping wood for a bonfire.  

I took a different route home today with the hope of seeing a snowy owl.  No luck with an owl sighting but I did see a couple of white tail deer making their way through the deep snow along the park boundary.

At home, the birds were busy in the backyard.  They had one bird feeder just about emptied.  I filled it before leaving and was gone only a couple of hours.  Birds, animals and humans alike were out enjoying a beautiful winter day in Alberta!

 

The sky has been clear and blue.  The sun has been creating water puddles everywhere.  It has been great for outdoor activities but the melt/freeze is creating havoc on my driveway.  

I don't like using chemicals or salt.  Kitty litter was the product of choice today to alleviate the skating rinks that have formed.  The clay absorbs the heat from the sun and in turn melts the ice around each granule.  It seems to be working so far.

I had some time after dealing with my driveway so decided to drive to Elk Island National Park for a hike and some fresh air.  There were a number of vehicles in the trail head parking lots today and a family was enjoying an outdoor picnic in the shelter at Astotin Lake.

The unseasonal temperatures have been a welcome blessing.  It is making up for the -30C days where I didn't make it outside.

The warmth has been responsible for creating sculptures in the snow on the surface of the beaver ponds.  The smooth icy top layer glistened in the sunshine.




On my journey through the forest, I stopped to photograph a favorite summer stop.  

Underneath all that snow lies my favorite decaying tree trunk. It is home to many different types of mosses and lichens.  The greens vary from neon to dark evergreen.  They will remain blanketed in white for a few more months.

It appears that tomorrow will be another warm day so I will try to break up more driveway ice and hopefully have the opportunity to take the snowshoes out for a longer outing.



 

 

What a beautiful outdoor day!  The wind gusted to 120kph yesterday and today it was calm.  The sun tried peeking through and the temperature was warm; melting more of the snowbank mountains.

Two gal-pals from work joined me on the Amisk Wuche snowshoe trail at Elk Island National Park.  It was great fun having company on the outing.  We witnessed the destruction that the gusty wind had caused.

Trees of all sizes were downed by the wind.  Branches and twigs littered the trail.  Bits of broken spruce boughs were strewn over the snow.  My favorite part of the trail meanders through an area where huge spruce trees tower overhead.  One of them was snapped off like a toothpick.  The trunk was more than 12 inches in diameter.  It crashed over the trail forcing us to duck going under it while trying to step over the smaller trees that were also broken off.  The smell of spruce sap was prevalent.  It was heavenly!

That area is usually sheltered from the wind.  It is often the spot that I stop for a water break for this reason.  The gusting that took place yesterday did not spare the area.  It was also the spot that had the most spruce bough bits covering the snow surface.

The highway through the park was ice covered in areas.  When the sun shone down on it, the road looked like a skating rink.  

As we sat down to lunch, I looked out the window and noticed that at least a foot of the wooden garden beds was now showing through the snow.  A lot of the backyard snow has melted over the last few days.  It has created a treacherous layer of ice on my driveway.  The task for tomorrow will involve dealing with all those slippery areas.  Hopefully that won't take too long and I'll be able to head out to the forest again. 

Well, the roof stayed on last night.  As I listened to the wind howl, I wondered what I would find in the morning.  The driveway was so icy and the wind was gusting so hard that it pushed me along the path to the garage.  Note to self; wear the cleats.

When I was waiting at the traffic lights just before noon, my vehicle was rocking like a carnival ride.  Debris was flying across the road.  I've never seen it gusting as hard as it was today.

I got home to find the garbage cans blown off the deck.  Broken willow branches littered the deck and the yard.  The berry picks that I had stuck into a wreath were laying in the snowbank.  The wind had polished up the driveway even more than it was in the morning.

I got out of the vehicle and just about ended up on my rear.  The deer must have been hiding from the wind.  They didn't come during the day. 

I managed to lay down some grit so that I could make it up the path to the deck.  As the sun set, the moon came out and lit the backyard.  The snow had an icy sheen so the moonlight bounced off of it, creating some glistening patches.

The wind had died down and the temperature would have been perfect for a moonlight outing except for the treacherous ice situation.  I've been watching the temperature for tomorrow as a snowshoe outing is planned.  So far, the day looks like it should be great.  I'm hoping that the temperature will stay above freezing so that the trails are not like skating rinks.

From the sound and looks of things outside, I may need to wear my skates to get to work tomorrow.  It's January 14 and raining.  Freeze.  Thaw.  Freeze.  Thaw.  Snow.  Rain.  Snow.  Rain.  The weather this month is keeping everyone guessing.  How does one know what to wear in the morning?  Parka?  Raincoat?  Snow boots?  Rain boots?

The temperature, snow and rain destroyed the snow rollers that I saw yesterday.  I was hoping to get a few more photos but there was nothing left to photograph.  Who knows, with the varying conditions, another ice layer may form on the surface.  There will be more snow.  All that would be needed to another chance to see the rollers is a gusty wind.  Now that I've been 'schooled' on snow rollers, I'll be on the look out for more!

Before leaving for work this morning, I filled all the feeders for my feathered friends and the grain tub for the furry ones.  The birds were busy through out the day but the deer had not visited.  About thirty minutes after arriving at home, they entered the yard single file.

The fawns have grown since I first saw them in November.  All three can now reach the bird feeders.  The same five deer have been faithfully visiting each day.  I'm beginning to think that there are others visiting as well.  I found the seed feeder and the suet feeder laying about 20 feet away from the pole.  It appeared that something had become entangled in the hangers of each feeder.  This makes me wonder if the buck came back to the yard.

I have an extra day off this week and am looking forward to some outdoor time on the snowshoes with camera in hand.  Fresh air and sunshine, here I come!

I couldn't believe my eyes on the drive in to work.

Today I was witness to a meteorological phenomenon.  I saw snow rollers for the first time.  I was so excited that I had to pull over and get out of my vehicle to have a closer look.  They were amazing; wind-made snowballs that left trails down the slopes in an open field.  How I wish that I would have actually seen their movement across the surface.

The morning was cloudy so the light was dull. The photos that I hoped would capture the memory did not show the detail in the snow until I converted them to black and white.  I'm hoping that there will be a sunny day soon that will allow me to capture the images in color. 

Chalk up another first for me!

 

Does thinking about going x-country skiing count as exercise for the mind?  I was wide awake at 4am this morning for some reason so went to work for 7am instead of 8am.  It was beautiful when I got home and had the intention of hitting the ski trail before it started getting dark.

I figured that I had time for a quick coffee so sat down on the couch for a few minutes with my coffee and a book.  Did you ever have one of those naps where you woke up and it was dark which made you wonder what time or even what day it was?  That was me.

I opened my eyes to find it almost dark.  My once hot cup of coffee was now an iced coffee; sitting full on the table.  I don't remember taking my glasses off and cuddling up under the blanket. I must have really needed that almost three hour sleep.

During the time that I snored inside, the deer raided the feeders.  The temperature went above freezing which finally melted the ice off the deck stairs.  There was enough sunshine to charge the solar motion sensor light.  That hasn't happened for days.  The skis were still standing in the corner of the garage.  Oh well, there's always tomorrow.

The newscasters were saying that tonight would be a good night for viewing the Northern Lights if the clouds clear away.  There is a good chance that it will happen as I can see the moon peeking through. I'll be watching for the sky to clear.   With that three hour nap this afternoon, I may be up all night.  I'll need something to do.

November 11, 2013

It was a beautiful day to be outside.  No wind.  A few snowflakes floated down.  The sun wasn't out so the lighting was flat and grey for photos but it was great for some outdoor activities. 

Just before leaving for the SWC snowshoe trail, my five deer friends came to empty out the feeders. They are so entertaining to watch.  The sunflower seed shells appear to create a challenge when being eaten.  It always looks like they are hard to chew and swallow.  The deer make some very funny faces when eating the seeds.

I made my way to the trail for a short jaunt on my snowshoes.  I have a new pair that I wanted to try out.  The outing was perfect.  I was the only one on the trail and hoped to see some wildlife but there was nothing out and about.  It only takes 40 minutes to get to the end of the trail and back.

Soon after getting home, one of my sons came out with his skis.  We headed to the Cooking Lake - Blackfoot Recreation Area for an afternoon ski trip.  I like a short little loop around Neon Lake.  It takes about an hour which is the perfect length for me.  There were no animals or birds out there either. 

When we got back to the house, as we were eating supper, the backyard deer paraded into the yard for an afternoon feed.  It doesn't matter how often I see them, they make me smile every time.

The big get-away with a few inches to spare.

-18C was feeling like a heat wave this morning.  By the time I left the house it was -15C and downright balmy.  My destination choice was the Lakeview Trail that runs alongside Astotin Lake.  It's been awhile since my last visit so I wanted to see what winter has brought to that area.  On the way to the park, not far from home, two white tail deer were running along the range road.  As I got closer, they veered off into the deep snow and through the trees.  I didn't get close enough to see if they were a couple of my regular yard visitors.

The road through Elk Island Park was extremely icy.  The wind had polished the surface up nicely and the fine snow falling this morning did not help matters any.  I pulled into the parking lot at the lake and noticed that I was the only person there.  

The trail looked well used by snowshoers.  I didn't bother to wear mine.  The hiking cleats worked just fine as the snow was well packed. There was no wind and the snow was letting up so I knew that it was going to be a great hike.

The beaver pond looked like the barren tundra.  Bison and elk had taken their chances crossing the deep snow on the pond.  They browsed in areas alongside the trail, leaving broken branches behind.

The rabbits and hares left many tracks as well.  Branches that were close to the snow surface had bark stripped away by those furry little creatures.  I could tell that it was not a porcupine because they had left little round deposits behind.

I did not hear one bird or squirrel the entire time that I was walking.  As I came close to the end of the trail, some branches were moving back and forth at the top of a tall spruce tree.  I was thinking that it was a squirrel but as I came closer, a large great horned owl flew up from the cradling boughs.  What a beauty!  It flew off into the bush and out of range for a photo.  That was disappointing.

I got back to the parking lot and my vehicle was still the only one there.  On my way out of the park, I noticed a porcupine feeding on some willow branches.  It was standing on the snowbank and climbed into the tree itself when I stopped to watch.  A short distance up the road, a second porcupine was feeding.  This one was balancing on a very thin branch while munching on the bark.  Outstanding!  They must not weigh very much underneath all those quills.  The branch that it was balancing on was not very thick.

When I got home, I made myself a nice hot coffee and sat down to watch the backyard birds for a bit.  The chickadees were busy.  A couple of nuthatches were also sharing the feeder.  The deer had not visited yet as the tub was still full.  There was no sign of the pileated woodpecker.

I've been waiting impatiently for the pine grosbeaks to show up.  I love the burst of bright color that they bring to the yard.  Until that happens, I'll have to be happy with viewing the photos from last winter.

The wind howled until after midnight yesterday.  I didn't know what to anticipate this morning when it got light.  The deck and the backyard were littered with broken branches.  If I would have gathered them up, I would have had kindling to start a few fires in the wood stove.

The wind polished up the road surface making it good and slippery for the drive in to work today.  The blustery wind created art in the yard, the ditches and the open fields.  Beautiful patterns appeared.

The thermometer read -37C this morning.  Brrrr.  Thank goodness the wind let up overnight.  When I came out of work this evening at 9:15pm, the temperature was -22C.  It felt like a heatwave.  I checked the weather website to see what tomorrow will bring and was surprised to see -7C.  What silly weather but I'll take it since I'm off work.  I'm thinking the skis may come out of hiding.

-21C does not keep me from being outside but the howling wind kept me inside today.  It gusted the entire day; making the trees creak and sway.  A couple of them snapped off in the bush behind my yard.  I stepped out only to fill the feeders this morning.  While I was out, the wind whipped up 'snow devils' and sent them twisting across the snow surface.  

At one point this afternoon a gust blew a squirrel right off the top of the fence.  I don't think the poor thing knew what happened.  It landed in the snow at the bottom of the fence, regained its composure and ran up the nearby tree stump.  A woodpecker watched from the suet feeder; probably wondering what all the commotion was about.

As I sat at the kitchen table, I watched the squirrel move back and forth from the stump to the area beneath the sunflower seed feeder.  The wind was knocking the feeder around and the squirrel was cleaning up the seeds.  It hadn't learned its lesson when it fell off the fence.  It scampered to the top of the tree stump.  Just as it got comfortable, another gust blew it off the stump.  It tried desperately to hold on but ended up going over the edge.  It managed to grab hold of the bark before hitting the ground.

The wind was wreaking havoc with the birds as well.  The little chickadees tried to fly from the spruce boughs to the feeders but the wind kept blowing them off course.  A crow was having a difficult time flying into the wind.  It struggled to fly forward. For every foot it flew ahead, the wind pushed it twice as far backward.

The blustery day did not hamper the daily deer visitation.  The three little ones ditched their mamas this morning and came for food on their own.  I noticed that they are either getting taller or the snow pack is building up because they can now reach the hanging bird feeders.  They left but came back just before dark with the does.

I did not want to venture outside in that wind so I pulled out the tree/shrub references and made a list of what I was going to plant in the backyard.  I'll be adding a number of berry bushes for the feathered friends that visit.

The wood stove is lit this evening and it's nice and toasty inside.  I can still hear the wind howling outside the window.  Twigs from the willow next door are breaking off and are littering the deck.  The broom and snow shovel just fell over and there are some drifts building up against the door.  I'll worry about the dig out tomorrow.  Tonight I'm enjoying the fire.

 

It appears that the frigid temperatures will be back for a few days so I had to take advantage of the beautiful morning.  I left home at 9:45am.  The snowplow/sanding trucks were out on the Yellowhead highway so driving was good up to the Elk Island Park gate.  The road through the park was icy with the wind shining it up even more.

I did notice that there was not as much new snow as there was at home.  Before leaving, I shoveled about an inch of it off my deck and driveway.

I hiked the Beaver Pond trail today.  Just as I was starting out, the sun was shining through an opening in the clouds.  The thin layer of ice on the snow shone in the sunlight.  I did notice that there had not been as much rain here either.  The layer of ice on the snow at home was much thicker than at the park.

The weather is really confusing Mother Nature.  The pussy willows are out.  The leaf buds on the dogwood branches are swelling.  The spiders are crawling out of their hiding places.  I saw one making its way across the trail.

The wind was quite strong in the open areas.  Snow drifted across the trail.  Trees creaked as the wind rocked their trunks to and fro.  The squirrels were not happy with me as I passed by their middens.  There was a lot of chattering going on.

The 3.5km hike was pleasant even with the wind.  The air was fresh and the forest was filled with nature's sounds.  It took only an hour to hike the loop so I drove to Astotin Lake to see what was going on there.  As I turned off the highway, I could see a coyote limping down the center of the road.  It turned to look at me and headed for the ditch.  The poor thing was injured, making it difficult for it to walk through the deep snow.

There were only a couple of vehicles in the parking lot today.  In the distance, on the lake, I could see some kite boarders.  It was a good day for them to be out.  I brought my lunch with me so decided to stop and watch them for awhile.

There were three in total. Their kites dipped and rose in the wind.  Every now and then a boarder would be lifted into the air off the lake surface.  It looked like they were having great fun.

The clouds disappeared completely during my drive home.  The sun came out and brightened the landscape for a couple of hours until the clouds rolled in again.  Snow began falling.

When I got home, I refilled feeders and dug a path to the woodshed.  The pileated woodpecker visited while I was away.  It left a pile of bark chips at the bottom of the old tree stump.

Just before dark, the deer came into the yard.  I could see their silhouettes as they made their way to all the feeding stations.  

I enjoy the many birds and animals that come into my backyard.  They provide great entertainment on days that I cannot get out to the trails or on the days when I don't see any wildlife when I do visit the trails.

This evening I pulled out my nature scape 'bible' and made a list of more shrubs that I am going to add to the yard in the spring.  When all that snow melts in the backyard, I'll be ready.