From My Window
We’ve had the most dreary weather the last few days. Not only has it been cold (30s and 40s), but it’s been overcast and rainy too. I know we need the rain to kick-start the new leaves and growth in the yard, but after so much sunshine and warmth, the rain really put me into a funk.
Today, the weather is gorgeous! It’s sunny and the puffy clouds have a backdrop of blue skies. It’s still a bit chilly (40s), but the weatherman says we should see 60s this afternoon.
Although the rain was a disappointment, the increase in birds that came to my yard was nice. I was able to see my bird feeders from my sofa, and spent quite a bit of time both watching and photographing.
This week, I had visits from both male and female downy woodpeckers, a male hairy woodpecker, white-crowned sparrows, dark-eyed juncos, redpolls, black-capped chickadees, boreal chickadees, and even a pair of mallard ducks. The ducks in my yard were a first; likewise the white-crowned sparrows. In addition, the snowshoe hare and squirrels were regular visitors.
I threw some bread out - thinking the ducks might like it. Instead, Miss Squirrel stole each piece and took them up a tall spruce tree, where she lay them carefully on a branch before coming back down for more. Several times, she dug around in the leaves and dirt near the mallards. On a few occasions, she got a little too close and was chased off.
The moss and other wild things growing in our yard have appeared almost overnight. I love the burnt orange color of the moss. I think it’s a species of haircap moss, but if anyone knows for sure, please enlighten me.
The leaf buds on the trees and saplings growing around the yard are spreading even wider now, and there are tight leaf buds on the prickly rose bushes too. Soon the trees around my house will have pink flowers blooming beneath them. I love the prickly rose, although they do tend to bring bees and mosquitoes.
As I’m typing this entry up, I’m noticing that the sunshine is dimming, and the sky looks gray again. *sigh* I was hoping to take Sedona out with me while I ran a few errands, and I planned to take a drive to Chena Lakes or up on Murphy Dome in search of early wildflowers. If it rains, I’m going to have to skip the scenic drive and walk with my girl. It’s hard to hang onto a leash while trying to keep my camera dry. I hope these clouds keep on blowing past.
Mr. Mallard has an encounter with a squirrel:
