Yesterday and Today

First off, I have the crud.  I don't want to say it's flu, but 

it FEELS like flu.  Headache, stomach upset, aching all over and little chills. 

No fever...yet. 

Crossing my fingers. 

This... is NOT A NORTHERN FLICKER as I said yesterday on Facebook. 

It's a red-bellied woodpecker, and yes, I know he has a red head. 

He is not a red-headed woodpecker. 

Here is a Northern Flicker, in our yard today...

Not even close, Mary Ann. 

Thanks to Teresa Perrin at Eden Hills... if you have never read her blog, you are missing a treat.  I'll tell you more about Teresa sometime this week. 

I also have GREAT bird support from my friend Jill, whom I can't thank enough. 

These beautiful peacocks are at my friend Roxane's... she has milked goats for 

years, and they are on the roof of her milk storage house.  See the little goat peeking out? 

Roxane is on a list to get bread from a bread store here.  She has been called 

3 times in the last few weeks... she gets a huge load for 24.00.  She does not have many birds right now, and she let me know to come and get some.  She sells 30 loaves for 5.00. 

So.... I have gone over there several times to get bread and take it...

To my friend whose chickens I am caring for.  She feeds bread at night to her poultry. 

It was in the high thirties - low forties today, but is PLUNGING as of tonight. 

The dogs had a great time running around in the good weather. 

I found a door hanger from the tree-eaters last Friday at the 

old place.  Yesterday when I came to do evening chores, I found this. 

Actually, the cedars were still standing, and the two workers asked me if I wanted them down.  I said "YES"... they overgrow fencelines so. 

Here is the view today:

They had the debris picked up by 9 AM. 

Keith will cut these stumps down to the ground, along with the only other one left to the left of these. 

This beautiful red tail was on the levee at County Road Five this afternoon. 

Notice the color of this hawk's head. 

He flew across the road in front of the car near my friend's this morning. 

Now look at the red tail above it. 

Here's a closeup: 

See the bands on wings and tail, and the lighter head? 

This is a juvenile red tail, the only one I have seen hunting around here, though there 

must be many more, since it is the most prolific hawk in this area.  

I have been seeing many, many bluebirds drinking on the porch.  I'm going to take care to keep that heated water bowl full for the next few days, as we dive down into single digits again. 

I have to admit that this is the FIRST bunny I have seen on the porch camera! 

Plenty of kitties, though... look at the eyes BEHIND this one!  

I've switched the camera view around so you don't have to see all the junk still on the porch. 

The wheels of remodeling move slowly. 

Keith has been kind enough to run out and check on the birds tonight and fill the water bowl on the porch for the wildings as I am so under the weather. 

Thanks, honey! 

And... Winter is BAAAACCCCKKKK

Well, somehow, despite the 40 degree days, winter has come back to us. 

We are facing a week of temps at night below zero... and I am going to make the ducks as comfortable as I can outside. 

They have a duck house... they have a fort under the little henhouse... a tarped pen, and a deep bed of straw and hay.  They are clearly miserable inside. 

We laid in 8 bags of feed yesterday, preparing for a week when I know the starlings are going to try to 

eat us out of house and home! 

I'll be hauling a lot of water, too, methinks. 

The henspa chickens came over to see what I was doing. 

I drove over to the henspa to unload there... and Ferdy the big rooster came in to 

see what I was up to.  He went back in the corner to investigate... he has never done this before! 

One of the hens has been coming across the top, where there is an opening in the wire... and laying there, off and on. 

He looked pretty embarassed when he came out! 

He posed very professionally for me at the top of the stairs when he went out. 

You see I drove the bags over to henspa with the car... and then schlepped them up the stairs in 

buckets.  I have to admit I was pretty worn out when finished. 

The Farm Asistant was snitching some of the chicken's treats... but I caught her. 

I put the water in the fortex on the deck this morning, and within maybe five minutes, it was down and inch and a half! 

Then, this afternoon, I had to go to the doctor... and when I got home, there was only slush in the bottom. 

That's how thirsty all the birds were on this cold day. 

And speaking of the birds....

Fill 'er up!

Stay warm and be careful out there, everyone!  

You can see we have a wintery mix today, and expect much more tomorrow. 

A Cold Start to the New Year

I should NOT be complaining.  

I just read Donna's post at "Our Forest Haven" and it was 

35 degrees (Fahrenheit) BELOW zero in Ontario today. 

I salute you!  I do not know if I could cope with it at 

this stage of my life. 

Oh... and they found Bigfoot trail on their 

property.  

:Thank you for bringing us some warm water this morning, Maa Maa."

"You're welcome, Winnie" 

The thermometer said 25, but I did not let the old henhouse 14 out this morning. 

You see the producing girls ganged up at the door, expecting me to open it... but 

it would have invited the starlings in by the score.  You see their handiwork on the sides of the drywall.., remember, this was a little building used by the pickers here at the strawberry farm before it was a henhouse.  They sulked. 

What's left of the bantams in this house were up in the rafter, Black Tail the hen, and the 

three elderly roosters. 

The sun struggled to come through, to no avail, so we will miss the historic full moon of January 1. 

But the Northern Flicker's visit cheered me up! 

Well, it's 6:03 PM and I have just spent fifteen minutes looking for the pictures I took this afternoon.  They are imported, but I cannot figure out where the camera program for the Canon put 1/1/14.  

It is snowing out, and now is iffy if Abby will make it to her appointment for her dental tomorrow, as I may not be able to get the HHR out of the driveway early, even with 2 inches of snow. 

The camera picture above is from the Wildgame critter cam... and the above pictures were taken 

today, but for some reason, my camera reads the morning picture's as yesterday's.  

Hmmmm. 

If I find those pictueres, I'll add to this post!  

Everyone stay warm! 

Spring is Back

And the birds were out in force this morning on the deck. 

That's it for today from Calamity Acres!