SWANS AND RIVER PATTERNS

There has been a large group of Swans staying in our area.  I got a couple pictures of some swimming by.  I would guess there are at least 50 in the area.  They are staying farther back up the river where there is some open water.  When the river froze over in front of our place this past week and had a fresh coat of snow, the patterns in the following pictures showed up.  I don't have any idea what caused them.  Somehow the water came up through the ice and melted the snow.  Interesting.

Three Swans swimming.

Here are a couple more.

River pattern.

More of the patterns.  They go on down the river.

Patrick

CHRISTMAS CACTUS

It is that time of year again when our Christmas Cactus blooms.  It started about a week ago and is putting on new blooms every few days.  Here are a couple pictures and also a couple of our back yard this morning.  I think we got around 2 inches of snow yesterday and last night.  Winter is here.

Picture one.

Picture 2, a little closer

Picture 3, lots of blooms.

Backyard

Backyard and river.  River still open in the middle.  It has been frozen over bank to bank.

Patrick

DECK, BEFORE AND AFTER

About three years ago we had our deck redone with new cedar wood.  We left it natural so it could dry out.  It has aged well now and we decided to have it stained with a wood preservative and some color.  The new color is weathered gray and it goes very well with the house color.  The following pictures show the deck after being power washed and after the stain was applied yesterday.


This is the back deck where we keep the grill and do all out grilling.

Back deck after the staining

Main deck before

Main deck after

Stairway down to Gazebo before.

Stairway after.

Side railing before.  You have to go to the last picture to see the after.

Stairway from yard onto the deck before.

Stairway after. The sunshine makes it look unfinished, but it really looks like the rest of the deck.

Stairway down to Gazebo.  No before picture for this one. This is the best picture showing the new color and finish.

Flower hanging by the entrance to the deck.

After shot of the side railing.

 Patrick

EAGLE VISIT

Pat looked out the window this morning and there sat an Eagle in our backyard.  He/she was sitting and holding onto a fish that had apparently recently been caught and was two heavy causing him/her to need to land in our yard.  He/she was trying to drag it back to the river while we watched.  He/she finally took off and I am not sure if the fish went along or not.  Haven't been down to check to see if it is still there as it is raining.  He/she may have already been back and taken it if he/she didn't when he/she originally left.  The pictures are not the best because they were taken through a window that has a screen on it.

This is the best picture of the three and was taken just before the Eagle left.

You can see some of the fish in this picture.

Really has a good grip on the fish.

Patrick

TURTLE

Yesterday we were checking out the bird feeder area when we saw a turtle in the area laying her eggs.  We have had a turtle in previous years doing this and I guess she was back again.  She has to travel around 75 yards from the river to get to this spot.  Not sure why she likes it as it is just plain black dirt.  Don't know if the eggs hatch, we have never seen any little ones.  Here are a couple pictures.

She had finished laying her eggs and was on the way back to the river.  I didn't get the camera soon enough to get her in the act.

This is the spot where she laid the eggs and buried them.

She had made it to the rocks and had easier walking on her trip back to the river.

Sort of sad that mother turtles lay their eggs and never know if they hatched or not.

Patrick

LOONS

We have seen Loons in the river in front of our place almost every year.  Usually there is only one or two.  This evening we looked out at the river and there was a whole flock of them.  That is the most I have ever seen together at one time.  There were 12 in the group.  I guess they are migrating through and haven't split up into pairs yet.  We got some good pictures which follow.

These four were at the head of the pack.

I managed to get 10 of the 12 in this picture.

Got all 12 in this shot.

Patrick

DUCK TRAILS

The ducks that come to feed under our bird feeders are back.  They have been trudging up through the snow to have their fill of the stuff the birds knock off the feeders.  There are two drakes and one hen Mallard that come regularly.  The following are some pictures of their trails.

These trails have been drifted over already.

More of the "traffic" pattern coming to the feeders.

I think these are trails leading back to the river.  They walk both ways unless startled while at the feeders and then they will fly back to the river.

This is a group of Ducks, Geese and Swans sitting on the ice out in the middle of the river.

Patrick

SPRING SNOW

It started snowing yesterday around noon and has been continuing for most of the time since.  It is still coming down now at 3:00 p.m. and suppose to last for a few more hours yet.  Guess we need the moisture for the spring flowers, but coming as rain would have been a lot nicer.  There are a lot of geese and swans in the area now using the open water in the river.  The following pictures are of the snow and the geese and swans.  Will spring ever come?

This is the view of the back yard yesterday.  The falling snow doesn't show well, but that is why the picture is not so clear.

This is the picture of the back yard an hour ago with the snow still coming down. Notice how much deeper it is on the Cherry tree on the right side of the picture.

No grilling for awhile.

Another shot of the grill.

Birds have been busy eating all day.  They have to dig through the snow some.

Those white blobs out next to the ice are swans.

Those are some geese sitting on the ice at the edge of the river.

Patrick

WELCOME HOME

We got home this past Wednesday and there wasn't much snow, mostly just where there were drifts or piles from plowing.  But, this morning when I looked out, it was a much different view.  It is all white again.  I guess March is going out like a Lion.  Hope that maybe this will be the last storm for this winter, but probably not.  Here are a few pictures.

This is our front yard.  It was mostly bare and the driveway was clear and dry.

This is the back yard.  There was only a drift along the right side when we got home.

This is the side yard.  Won't be putting the dock in for awhile yet.

This is out bird feeding area right outside the kitchen window.  The feeders are full.

Patrick

Pool

This past Monday the neighbors across the street had a new pool installed.  This is the second one in the neighborhood in the last few weeks.  The previous one was an in ground concrete pool that took all day to pour the cement.  This second one is the type that is a fiberglass liner that is set in a hole.  Pat got some great pictures of the lift of the liner over the house.  It was only about an hour operation.  Here are the pictures.

The "tub" arrived on a trailer.

Close up view of the tub.

The crane getting set up for the lift.

Just about ready to be attached to the tub.

Attached and ready to lift.

Checking everything out.

Starting the lift to go over the house.

Just about there.

Over the house now and getting ready to lower into the hole.

Going down. Must have fit well because it was only a short time until the crane came back around and started getting ready to leave.

Patrick