It took an hour and a half to clear the snow from my driveway this morning.  I felt invigorated when I was done.  The fresh, cold air was what I needed.  I'm at the end of a bout of laryngitis and have not spent enough time outside.  This morning made up for it. 

Almost all the snow had melted from the warm temperatures a few weeks ago but the snowbanks along the driveway are four feet tall again.  I took eight inches of snow off the driveway so there's plenty of it for skiing.  I can't wait to get out on the trails again.  The cold air had been irritating my throat but my time outside today was perfect so I'll be giving the trails a try tomorrow.

I didn't see the deer today but they came at dusk yesterday, during the storm.  They were wearing 'snow blankets' on their backs.  The grain dish remained full through the day.  They will probably visit overnight.

The birds were busy and kept me entertained.  Chickadees came out of their hiding places in the spruce boughs.  I put some soft peanut butter at the feeding station on my deck.  The downy and hairy woodpeckers flew in to feast on it when the chickadees were not there.  Pine grosbeaks swooped from the tree tops to a tray feeder.  As four to five of them fed at the tray, others scavenged the seeds that fell to the ground.

When I was shoveling, I could hear the pileated woodpecker in the trees behind my yard.  I haven't seen it come to the deck feeder for more than a month.  The little redpolls were looking for food but arrived before I had the feeders refilled.  I didn't see them return.

Fine snow fell through the day.  The heavy snowfall warning has been lifted and I'm hoping that the sun will shine tomorrow.  I'll try the ski trails but if my throat does not cooperate with the cold air, there's always the snowshoes and my camera to keep me outside.