The single day of sunshine we’d been promised turned into two and then became three.
Isn’t it lovely when they are wrong?
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In the lovely late afternoon light came a flight of geese, though not yet the returning migration.
Many geese remain through winter and I daresay when their buddies hear how easy it has become, perhaps they’ll re-think those long perilous journeys.
It may not happen overnight, but I think we can expect many modifications in the flora and fauna due to climate change.
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While I have always managed change in my personal life, shifting patterns in the natural world disturb me, maybe because I count on Nature for stability.
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The frequency and increasing devastation of violent storms surely point to something seriously amiss in the natural order of our planet.
Yet people deny it.
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Each time I pass the kitchen window, I look out for our friend Scooter who we’ve not seen for two weeks now.
3 days ago someone else was noshing on carrots and apparently quite enjoying them.
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“My! What big teeth you’ve got!”
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“All the better for eating carrot.”
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Last time we saw her, Scooter was busy collecting grass to line her nest. She manages her disability well and she appeared quite healthy.
The fact that we have not seen her is no necessarily significant . She may have moved to another burrow and there are too many to keep track of.
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This morning I saw what may have been Scooter’s drag mark on the driveway.
It pointed to a burrow behind the garage, so perhaps she’s there.
Meanwhile, other groundhogs emerged but then disappeared again, not sure they want to get up yet!
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Zoomer the chipmunk is making up for lost time however, stuffing its little cheeks and rushing off at top speed to the alarm of any bird that happens to be in its path.
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Our kitchen window offers lots of interesting sights.
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Currently I’m compiling a list of this year’s squirrels.
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Sometimes I can get a bird to pose.
Mr Cardinal is very obliging.
He looks especially posh when there is snow.
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And of course there is hill house or as I have re-named it:
The house of eternal light.
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Because even on a cloudy day, it is bathed in light.
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You see what I mean.
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This morning I discovered we had been raided again and immediately blamed raccoons.
But then Grant called my attention to:
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Some rather large droppings.
We have never seen one here, but bears occasionally come by and leave their calling card.
It’s sad that they have to search so hard for food and I don’t begrudge them anything they take, but we will have to bring the feeders in at night as it is just not safe for them here, so we must not encourage them.
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After the 2020 election someone in the village began displaying a very rude flag which invited our fairly elected president to have sex with himself.
Recently the flag was removed and about the same time we noticed this sign on a nearby power pole.
White House or Big House?
Thank you, Carolyn, for the lovely post, and the brilliant photos of everything and everyone!
You made me laugh at the sign of those teeth!
Joanna
Not entirely sure that I’d be so calm about bear poo near the back door… 😜
I knew I should have looked outside last night! No, I’m a complete coward. Bear dinner is my most unlikely way to end.
The hill house looks impressive, and it’s in a great spot. Bears are supposed to do that in the woods, so I’m told..
Great to see Zoomer, and a new Groundhog taking advantage of Scooter’s carrots. Someone has to eat them!
Best wishes, Pete.
A lovely selection of creatures!
I find your post comforting, an incursion into another world, far from where I stand. So thank you! 🙂
I like a house on which sunlight shines regularly (you have given a very appropriate name for this house). It’s nice to see the animals that slept for a long time during the Winter are now starting to show their little faces again. I think they must have pretty stiff limbs from all that sleep! Bears? This will make me look twice before I go out the front door!
Grant put the trail cam out last night and the bear came right up onto the porch. I feel so bad for it.