Spare me the drama

It is not that cold in my house. I walked into the family room and was about to flop on the couch when I notice a lump under the blanket (Ok, Ok, yes, I had neglected to fold it and put it on the back of the couch.) There she was all tucked in. How she managed it is beyond me. I think she is trying to tell me something. But I am not listening.

Keep the faith

Underneath all of that is...

All of this.

Red Fox in Winter

I was on my way to have dinner with friends down in Hunterdon county when I happened to see movement out of the corner of my eye. There trotting across a field was a Red Fox. I slammed on the brakes; luckily there was no one behind me and my camera was on the passenger seat. I haven't seen a fox since last winter (also in the general vicinity). On the way back from dinner, we saw another Red Fox cross the road in front of the car. Wow. 2 in one day. Howard, also said they had seen hit on the side of the road in the morning on the way to church. This handsome guy looks like he is in great shape.

Wordless Wednesday

A splash of color in winter

It is that time of year when the doldrums have set in and the tulips are at the grocery stores. It snows every night and the world has been white for weeks. But having a colorful reminder in the house that yes, winter will end in a few weeks (better than thinking it will take months), helps me get through after I come in from shoveling yet again. Have you started buying spring flowers yet?

Winter walk on Clinton Road

I went looking for the White-winged Crossbills that were sighted on Clinton Road but did not find them. Instead I reveled in the beauty of winter. The snow lay draped on the green boughs and the ice coating glittered like a fairy land. It is how I would imagine Narnia to look.

Clinton Reservoir was completely frozen, but Mossman's Brook danced and sang as merrily as ever.

White-winged Crossbills eat the seeds from small cones like Hemlocks. Here...Crossy, Crossy, Crossy...Don't these look snacky?


Well at least something had been sampling the bittersweet.


I love the way ice looks on twigs and branches but I am concerned for the trees now that we have had ice for over a week and a deep freeze is coming from an Arctic blast.

Determination

"I know there are seeds under here. I saw the birds eating them just the other day."

Skywatch

One of the things that I think is most interesting about travel around the country is the regionalism of the wildlife crossing signs. Here on the mountain, we have the ubiquitous deer crossing signs...but we also have cool bear crossing signs. (Visitors are always amazed by them.) I have seen signs for elk, armadillo, antelope, free-range cattle, duck, caribou and this moose. What wildlife crossing signs do you have in your neck of the woods?

To visit other skies, fly on over to Skywatch.

Wordless Wednesday

Beehives to Bell-bottoms

This is the 3rd year that friends and I have gone to Bodles Opera House in Chester, NY for New Year's Eve. They offer dinner and a show for $60. Some years have been better than others, and this year was a hoot. The theme was From Beehives to Bellbottoms. There was a great group of would-be Shirelles (Hotflash) with gigantic Marge Simpson beehives singing the oldies and telling off-color jokes. We all laughed and sang along.

Then...came an announcement that... "Elvis was in the Building." My goodness, I had never seen a live Elvis impersonator. I'm not sure what I expected. But I thought he certainly looked like Elvis, and maybe it's the sideburns and the outfit, but, Damm. He sang, played guitar and stalked the crowd crooning to the ladies causing much merriment. But that could have been the alcohol.


The Hotflash girls dashed off to change while we listened to a comedian from the Catskills, then came back on stage dressed as the Beatles to regale us with classic Beatles tune of the times. One more wardrobe change and they were back in hippie attire to transport us to Woodstock. Midnight came and went with a champagne toast and Auld Lang Syne. Everyone sang along and I think had a great time. At least, I know I did. There is nothing like live music. If you get a change check out some local venues in '09.