Ringing In The New Year

Happy New Year, everyone. Thank you so much for following along with my blog throughout 2008. It’s been an incredible year and I have had a blast!

They’re Baaaaack!

According to my local bird guy, there was plenty of food in the fields this year for the goldfinches so we haven’t seen any at the feeders for months…until this past weekend.

I had thirteen of them eating at my little table yesterday and more were down on the finch feeder!

In another couple of weeks the boys will get their bright yellow winter coats complete with their black caps and, shortly after that, mating season will commence. After all, what woman can resist a handsome fellow in a top hat?

Red-bellied Woodpecker

We had a few moments of sleet after a torrential downpour this morning. It brought all the birds in to the feeders this afternoon. This red-bellied woodpecker couldn’t help but take part in the easy pickin’s.

Plumed

I love those big clumps of plume grass you see around town – the ones people plant so they have something to look at in the fall when everything else is dying out.  I caught up with a clump of it on Christmas day right outside my brother’s townhouse and took the macro lens to it. 

Thanks goes to my sister who offered to hold it still while the wind whipped the rest of the plant from side to side.  It’s always good to have an extra pair of hands…

You All Be Careful Out There!

This dark-eyed junko and I want to take a moment to wish you all happy holidays and to remind you that drinking and driving don’t mix.  Too much eggnog and you’ll be on slippery footing just like this little guy.  Do everyone a favor and designate a driver BEFORE you start drinking.

Happy Holidays depend on

everyone drinking responsibly!

That’s More Like It

Can you believe it?  Bitter cold conditions outside and I ran out of birdfood.  Shame on me.  I let a couple of silly snow and ice storms keep me from replenishing the bird and squirrel food supply – and don’t think I didn’t hear about it.  Oh, believe me…I did. 

Today I put out an extra handful of nuts and treats to make up for the nearly two days they had to endure with a pittance of seed thrown here and there.  I hadn’t had the peanuts out more than a few seconds when the first bluejay came down, staked his claim, and left with a snide “That’s more like it, lady.” 

Forgive me.  It shan’t happen again, dear bird…

My Grandma’s Pillows

My grandmother (my dad’s mother) used to needlepoint flowers on pillows for her sofa.  I have one of hers that has purple pansies on it that I had to fight my sister for after my grandparents both passed away. 

I was working on some shamrock images tonight and added a vintage look and a canvas filter to one and realized it looked exactly like something my grandmother would have needlepointed.  It was nice to think that something I did in Photoshop would make me stop and think of her. 

I miss them both.

Hold Me

Buried Under Berries

While on vacation this past autumn I was out photographing a local area and the trees were full of Robin Redbreasts.  How I ever saw this one buried under all these berries is beyond me – but I did – and after a little careful cloning around his head and tail I managed to come up with this portrait of one of my all time favorite birds. 

Cold As Ice

Tomorrow is the end of any chance of autumn weather.  Our temperatures have been rising up, then falling down – but tomorrow promises to bring an end to all that as we plunge into the deep freeze. 

This will, no doubt, be one of the last half-frozen lake photos I take for awhile…