Tuesday

Here it is Tuesday morning, and as I post this on my blog today the temperature is 52ºF - 12 C
The skies are clearing after some rain last night. The grass is actually getting greener too. This is June like weather and we're technically still in winter! My chickens are loving it because they can scratch in the dirt and pull up worms since the ground never did freeze very deep this year. But the rough part for us humans is that it might be a bad year for all insects including mosquitoes and ticks since there wasn't enough cold weather to kill the eggs.
Now on to the above picture. We were on our way to watch trains when I spotted this young Amish man driving his team of draft horses down the road. I was quite far away when I took this, so I'm sure he didn't notice.

At our train watching spot the Bluebirds are still there and this time I saw 2 females and one male.

Looking around for something to photograph while waiting for trains, I spotted this squirrels nest across the tracks next to a large grape field.

I watched for a long time while this big gray squirrel ran up and down the tree each time going to it's nest leaving off something, and then back down the trunk.

In the nearby town there is a large population of black squirrels, and I would like to photograph them sometime, but I never can be there at just the right time, and most of them live in some one's yard.
Well, the sun is out in all it's glory, so I'd better get a load of wash out on the clothes line, then we have to go to the transfer station to recycle all our plastic and glass.
Have a wonderful day all.

Here and There

Driving by Findley Lake the other day, we saw a small flock of Tundra (Whistling) Swans resting on the water. These are my very favorite, and I was fortunate to photograph a large flock in a field of rain water not far from here last winter. In the middle you can see a juvenile.

On Tuesday we drove to Presque Isle on Lake Erie where it was so foggy, you could barely make out the Bi Centennial tower across the bay. That black dot out on the water is a fishing boat.

Ice crystals Tuesday morning on an ornamental cabbage.

The sun shining through the pretty leaves on our Norway Maple tree. All the leaves are off this tree now. A usual Fall season is when these leaves don't turn yellow till December, and then sometimes stay green..

On a quick trip to Westfield, NY where they have the black squirrels, I finally found one that wasn't up a tree. It was quite a distance away, but I was happy to get this much.

I probably won't get around to your blogs tonight. The ball game is on. I'll catch up tomorrow.

Catch Up

Playing catch-up I guess. This was almost at dusk. There is so many deer out and about. Driving by the carcass that we've been watching all winter, a new diner. This Vulture wasn't about to leave either, but he did hop up to this tree. It's amazing something so ugly is so graceful in the air.

I have a pair of Titmice visiting my feeder every day.

The other day we were watching this little Red Squirrel run up and down this telephone pole. He had something in his mouth and was chattering all the time. No other squirrels in sight. Maybe he was scolding us.

Another shot at the beach. No picnickers on this day.

The first Dandelion I've seen, growing next to the house. Also the "Peepers" were singing the other night down on our pond when it was warm. There is an old saying that they must be frozen over 3 times before warmer weather sets in.

This is my Polish hen "Frizzie". Sometimes she can't see so well, and will get a "feather" cut.

Afternoon moon and a jet on a beautiful day.

These Crocuses don't know what's coming. Something "white" they say.

On the creek trail the wild Onions are ready. They smell SOOO good!

Of course the Coltsfoot is in bloom as early as ever.

I hope everyone has a good rest of the week-end. The weather folks are predicting snow for Monday and Tuesday, and BASEBALL SEASON will be underway Monday! Go Yankees!! !!

Presque Isle, and Watery Wednesday

It began as a beautiful day Tuesday, but by 9AM it had clouded up, and was that way the rest of the day. Some light snow about noon, and now at 8:30 PM the temp. is 27º and it's raining. Freezing rain ! Coating everything. We'll let the wood stove go out tonight, in case there could be power lines down from the ice. More fun!
Well, this is the price of gas today. Up $.10 since yesterday. Here we go again! We had to take one of Gary's locomotives in for service this morning. so while we waited while they worked on it we took a ride around Presque Isle on Lake Erie. This picnic table looked so lonely just waiting for summer.

Hey Mary, look what I found... This Fox squirrel was enormous! Almost the size of Azrael, and he was eating seeds from pine cones. They must be full of good nutrients.

He didn't seem frightened, and sat there while I took some pictures, then he grabbed a pine cone and scurried across the road.

Back by the Coast Guard Station is a cove where the water is already frozen. There are lots of house boats there all locked in place waiting for the spring thaw and the return of their residents.

Some are quite nice.

This is a two story. I don't think I'd want to be out there in a wind storm..

A couple of guys ice fishing. The newspaper sent someone out to do a story and I heard them shout to these guys asking how thick was the ice, but I couldn't hear the answer. They haven't fallen through, so it must be OK.

A pile of sand used to replenish the beaches when the high winds blow the sand away. (I like white sand like on Florida's Gulf Coast.) LOL

This light house is out at the end of a long pier, and is not a working one, but good for picture taking. It was way too cold to walk out there.

This is a shot of the Bay ice. Not smooth enough for skating.

Looking across the Bay at the Erie shoreline.

This marina has all it's boats cocooned in blue plastic.

I took a bunch of bird pictures after I got home. There was a large flock of Pine Siskins that hung around quite a while. I'll post them tomorrow.

Thanks to 2sweetnsaxy for hosting Watery Wednesday. Click on http://waterywednesday.blogspot.com/ to see lots more water photos frozen or not.