Today started out relatively mild at 20 degrees, so the kids and I went skating on the pond in the morning. The temperature was predicted to drop throughout the day, however, and as we were leaving the pond the wind was just starting to blow.The clouds and snow flurries gave way to sun as I began my annual ritual: the seed inventory. It is still over a month too early to plant anything indoors, but the seed inventory is a time to see what I have on hand, what I might need to order, and what is getting too old to be viable. And it's just nice to handle seed packets in the middle of the winter.
I had a lot more than I thought in the seed bin, which means that aside from a few things I order every year, like onions and potatoes, I really don't need to order many seeds. That doesn't mean
I won't. ;)
During the hour or so I spent going through my seed stash, the temperature dropped about ten degrees and the wind picked up to a steady howl. The feeder was a constant hub of activity. We had chickadees, pine grosbeaks, common redpolls, white breasted and red breasted nuthatches, blue jays, and downy and hairy woodpeckers. That's a male pine grosbeak at the feeder, with a black capped chickadee in the background.We did see one bald eagle, trying to fly against the wind, on our way home from a trip to the grocery store.
7 comments:
We just got home from visiting my sister and the car thermometer read -8 degrees! The wind is so wild and snow is blowing across the roads like crazy. I've never seen such shiny, icy intersections. It's good to be inside! That Pine Grosbeak would be a lifer for me- hopefully I'll see one next weekend. Stay warm up there tonight!!
I just finished seed inventory Friday. It helps a little with the cabin fever!
People are driving 2 hours to get a look at an irruptive Pine Grosbeak around here.-It must be nice to have them right at home!
i have already made the garden plan, chiseled it in stone and drastically changed it. yesterday was like spring here. the gardening lust is fierce.
I planted yesterday. A packet of seeds is a packet of optimism.
:)
Lynne- I hope you see one. I'm sure you will. You deserve it.
Threecollie- That's why I do it! Cabin fever!
Larry- I feel very lucky. They are not here every year, but this year has been exceptional. About a dozen of each sex, and the females are showing some interesting color variations, from rusty to golden.
Karl- I totally understand the gardenlust! I am convinced I need to try a bunch of new things...
FC- You are probably at late April in Minnesota, climate wise. Having had our (hopefully) winter low at 24 below this morning, I can only look up and be optimistic.
Bins, seeds, & beer....Life is good (looks kind of like my dining room table only I have yarn instead of seeds).
Our Saturday morning was nice enough for a long walk outside, but by noon I couldn't see across the road. The birds were hangin' on for dear life at the feeders.
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