In Between the Storms

We are supposed to be hit with a second storm tomorrow, so the dogs and I did our errands this morning. 

First, the library, grocery and gas... the dogs weren't along for this one. 

Then, home to collect them, and off to the feed store. 

I got another 50 lbs of chicken pellets, and 20 pounds of 

scratch... and 3 20 pound bags of Back Yard Blend, oh, and 

a couple of suet bricks. 

I forgot to take more than one picture of the chickens. 

And this blurry one is it!  Miss Silver Brahma is obviously loving the roost. 

All was well in the henhouse, and I have to go back out and shut the 

overhead light off tonight, so we'll see if anyone else is roosting.  As heavy as the 

cochins are, I would be surprised to find them on the roost. 

Looks guilty, doesn't he?  There is still a mess at the old house, lots of construction materials, etc. 

I had just brought the bucket back in from the henhouse, and he had been smelling it all over. 

I asked him what he was smelling, and he did this. 

I always turn the buckets upside down so mice won't get in them. 

Sis went after Jester something awful over by the henhouse, and I had to get on her. 

Something must have died over there, or she was protecting something she had found, but she really went at him. 

She got yelled at, which I rarely, rarely do.  Jester thought it was for him and ran away, he is super-sensitive, and I called him back and told him to chill, which he did.  He stuck close to me for the next fifteen minutes as I carried grain in buckets from the back of the car. 

Jester does what Ranger used to do... patrols the whole pasture fence.  I do keep an eye on him, because he's not as big as the Range. 

Then, as I was walking onto the porch... I heard a noise, an unusual noise. 

I saw a cloud of birds in the distance, but they were going west. 

They looked like a cloud, but it wasn't starlings. 

A minute later, I heard the same noise again, and realized they were coming back and grabbed the camera. 

There were many, many more than these. 

Double click one of these pictures for a look at these beautiful snow geese! 

They went down in one of the bean fields on the other side of Troy's place. 

A lone bluebird wanted some warm water this morning.  (lower right) 

And along came a squirrel... 

the temperature was not 49, by the way. 

But he went for some cooler water in the big fortex. 

You can see that some clouds were beginning to drift over, bringing the snow tomorrow. 

I am not complaining... we need the moisture, and... we have been so blessed to have a light 

winter after two terrible ones. 

I saw a flock of meadowlarks on the way home... I did not know the males had such yellow breasts! 

Thanks to Friend Jill, who identified the snow geese and meadowlarks for me)

(My bird guru) 

Here's our big guy from Friday... and the waters of the Red Sea parted and there was NO traffic coming on Fairmount road, and I was able to stop.  

What a beauty he is! 

Opposite side of the street, and yes, Mr. Hawk, I'm still with you!  

(We went home then). 

Last night's gorgeous full moon... we may not see it tonight, 

with the storm coming in. 

What a beauty... and isn't nature just so beautiful all the time, even it's wrath like the blizzards that have bedeviled our poor northeast... I am constantly in it's awe. 

Keith is, as I write this, over at the VA having another medical procedure, expecting to be home tonight.  These have become so commonplace that he told me to stay home, and I told him to call me if he needs to be driven.  A fact of life... but as he says... it IS life to keep having them!