Sunday, November 24, 2019

Stretching, Ice, and Flashes of Blue


The photo looks sunny, but it's been pretty cold. Just a few flurries that have all evaporated except for the shadiest spots. But lots of pretty ice crystal patterns everywhere. And Burley loves spending his mornings snoozing in the cold sunshine or practicing yoga in front of the house. I wonder if we people all stretched as consistently
every time we changed positions as he does, if we'd all have less injuries. 


Some of Jack Frost's lovely handy work. Through glass on my front windshield. I find the detailed designs made by ice crystals just fascinating!


In the past, I've had Steller's Jays come and go. Frequenting my little clearing in the woods for a day or so and then disappearing for months. But for several weeks now, there are three that seem to have decided to move in. Three is an interesting number to have spending time with each other. I'm not sure if they are a family, friends, or what, but it would be fun to know. Either way, I enjoy watching the flashes of bright blue through the branches, and they like to torment Burley by sitting just above his head out of reach and squawking at him. 




Thanks to the rare lack of a solid snowpack on the ground at this time of year, we've spent some time helping clean up fallen and dead trees along various trails and lanes for one of my bosses. This is work I really enjoy most of the time, and Burley stays very busy the whole time. Either sniffing out mice in the grass or picking a particular stick to be his favorite and constantly hoping I'll throw it again. When I'm busy, he sits down and fights with his stick all on his own, grumbling and growling at it the whole time as he chews it into wood chips. Which makes me laugh. 



And we've had nocturnal visitors as well. The most frequent visitor my trail camera picks up (you can just barely see the house in the background) is a fox, or more than one, that visits the yard most nights. I hope it stays around and brings some friends as this clearing has an abundance of small rodents that could use some more population control. Occasionally I glance out the window and see it, but it's always moving far faster than I can get a camera and light on it for a good photo, so I just ignore it and hope it eats a lot of mice while it's here. 


And, then a peak at the last full moon. The milky way is back out in full view now as the moon has waned, but most evenings have been hazy or cloudy so I've not had a good opportunity to photograph it recently. I hope you are all enjoying your evening and whatever view you have!



22 comments:

  1. Enjoy all your photos, bur especially the pooch.

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  2. Wonderful post! I love seeing Burley and all the various critters that visit you both. :)

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  3. Hi Ariel, how are you doing? I love the full moon makes me feel small but feeling everything. Have a nice day tomorrow X

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  4. Hi Ariel!!! Really enjoy seeing how your day with Burley is going. Sounds like Burley is keeping the stick population under control.....lol Have a great day you two!!!

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  5. I love birds and that one is very beautiful. You are a very smart young woman and I admire your tenacity to keep on keeping on.

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  6. Beautiful hoarfrost.
    Can't wait to see how you handle all the topics you have previously done in a video format. It should be interesting...and challenging.

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  7. I am trying to get used to the blog...I understand why you choose to not do utube...I will follow you anyway....enjoy your pictures, especially Burley..

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  8. Wow, such beautiful photos of the jay!

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  9. How often do you brush Burley? He is beautiful! :-)

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    1. Thanks! Rarely. Once a month or so? Mostly if he managed to run into a bunch of little stickery seeds that get stuck somewhere he can't pick them out by himself. I think most of his glowing coat is due to his natural raw diet.

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  10. 🍀 A blue Jay moved into, or regularly stops by the grouping of trees viewed from my 3rd floor west and north windows. So glad you have a Fox rodent patrol on the job!

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  11. Glad you enjoy the posts! Thanks for the kind words.

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  12. This may be a silly question, but what does the air smell like at different times of the year?

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    Replies
    1. Like anywhere, that depends on the weather, what smells or pollutants are blowing into the area from elsewhere, what's blooming, etc.

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