Rewards

Winter days start late and end early. The sun is far to the south, described by an Australian friend as a golf ball arcing briefly across the southern sky. When it's clear, it's cold - beautiful, but I find it difficult to convince myself I want to actually go outside in the mornings.

Then I open the door.

When someone this beautiful is waiting for you, life immediately gets brighter.

His sweet demeanor urges me to hustle to the grain bin for food for him and his chicken friends.

And as I step down and glance right, I see the chickens racing over to join us and the hooved crowd waiting patiently for their breakfast.

The wild birds join in the feast. The jaunt into the cold is well worthwhile.

Mountain Scape

Today was another perfectly clear, crisp winter day, with all the mountains standing proudly covered in glistening snow. These pictures start a little north of east and continue to the southeast - the ring of mountains.

Mount Rainier behind the foothills

Mount Adams

The Cascade peaks

Mount St Helens

December Moon - New Mexico

Ken Stallcup was driving to New Mexico when the full moon rose. Many thanks to him for allowing me to share his series of moon shots.

December Moon - Alberta

I love full moons, and it seems to be a common feeling. A couple of my friends were also out taking pictures of December's full moon, Dec. 1, 2009, and have given permission for me to share them.

This series is by Louise Liebenberg, High Prairie, Alberta. For more pictures and great information on sheep raising, working dogs, and life on a large farm in Northern Albert, check out their website.

Isn't this one priceless?

And now it's light enough to see the beautiful farm, blessed by the glowing moon

Thank you Louise for allowing me to share.

Christmas Morning

It has been foggy, and Christmas eve the temperature dipped into the 20s. Fog freezes onto any nearby object. When the sun came out Christmas morning, the world became a shiny winter wonderland.

On my way to Seattle, I enjoyed the crystal-encased trees until I dropped into the valley. The day remained clear and sunny, the perfect background to a joyous family gathering filled with good food, good wine, and great people.

Winter Dogs

Frosty Dog

Toasty Dog

Dramatic Sunrise

Clouds in the Cold

It's supposed to be warming and heading towards rain - in other words, getting back to normal. The cold isn't so eager to go away. This morning there were light low clouds and the world was limned with frost.

9:00 AM, 24 degrees. The very small yellow ball in the midst of the clouds really is the sun.

The sky looks like it's made of ice. St. Helens is barely visible through the mist.

Little chicken perhaps finding some warmth in the tall grass. The sun is burning off the clouds, and the temperature has gone down a degree.

A Cold Winter Night

I bundle up for the last animal/water/food check of the day. It's been dark since 4:00, and is now 15 degrees. I grab the flashlight and head outside. A bit away from the house I turn on the flashlight, and stop in my tracks. A thousand diamonds glitter back at me. The ground is covered with ice crystals, glistening and sparkling in the light. I spend a moment in awe, appreciating this newly discovered beauty of very cold weather.

Baby It's Cold Outside

Ice is forming at the rate of about an inch a night. Two night's worth here. I refill by hauling hot water out. People from places where it routinely stays below freezing have neat things like in-tank water heaters. That may become necessary if this kind of extended freeze becomes the norm here. Usually it warms up above freezing during the day, melting the night's ice.

My pond is frozen over, still decorated with the dusting of snow from Saturday. Some creature has walked out on it, but I didn't brave it.

The area around the pond is usually marshy. I didn't realize until today that there are streams of water feeding the pond, rather than a broader seep. Now the streams are frozen.

There are birds warming in every protected sunny spot. The peacocks appear to be standing guard...

a thought reinforced when they suddenly changed sides, and took up position again. The changing of the guard?

Millie, Applying Perfume

Morning Visitors

December Freeze

The air is crisp and clear the way it is only when the temperature is below freezing. The stars are shining brightly, blinking in and out of the black sky. It is still and quiet as I stand in the woods, and then I hear a gust of wind in the trees on the other side of the hill. A chilly breeze slips inside my hood and caresses my cheek. I continue walking. Quiet resumes, then I hear another gust, this time to the north. Each gust seems to come from a different direction, heard first, then felt, as the wind travels through and leaves us behind.

My bantams, trying to stay warm and out of the wind. The chickens are not happy with the cold weather.

The Best Owl Photos

I recently received another email forward of wonderful pictures without credits - this time of a fawn and rabbit. The pictures had copyright information on them. I looked up the photographer - and what a find that was!

Tanja Askani is a professional photographer in Germany, specializing, it seems, in animal photography. She shares her amazing pictures on her blog. While the site is predominately in German, language isn't necessary to appreciate her work. Follow the link to Fotografie, and then click on the titles to get to the pictures.

The best owl photos I've seen are here. The deer and wild rabbit series that got me started on the search does have English translations. These are all well worth viewing.

Moon Over Mt Rainier

Full moon at sunset, a clear day in December. The mountain looks lit from within. The sad part is this was taken at 4:30.

Mt. St. Helens also lit in pink against a mauve sky. The gift of two weeks rain is the surprise, joy and appreciation of seeing white clad mountains standing tall and majestic against a clear sky.

Santa?

This unintentional Santa (Ms Claus?) was spotted outside the Senior Center in Olympia.

Whispers in the Wind

It's been windy here for a couple weeks, one storm after another. Last night the wind was again filling the air with sound before tangling with the trees. I was about to walk up the hill on a path that takes me through the woods. I paused, hearing something in the wind. I didn't know until that moment that it was a sound I recognized from previous windstorms. It was the sound of trees about to be blown down.

I stood there, thinking it might be dangerous walking through a section of trees that has been losing members in almost every blow. I listened carefully. The brunt of the wind was currently further up and to the west. It was safe to walk through right now. I continued up to the house.

Today I headed down that same path, and found a tree had fallen across my two path alternatives, the fence and the road.

The largest section of tree is across the fence and road. The fence path is the one I often take at night.

The other section is across the inner path, the tops of the branches tangling with another tree that fell a bit further up. This is where I walked up the hill last night. I heard these trees. They whispered to me that they were about to fall.

Wind

Wind sings its way up the hill.

Raven flies across the slope, turns away from the wind, then into it,

Playing in the sky, flying joy into the air.

Trees catch the wind for a moment and learn it's song,

Then join in with a bass note.

Wind moves on.

Air is filled with song.

Jesse's Shelter

Another shelter retarped - and just in time. Didn't get to dry out the bedding, but Jesse doesn't seem to care. Like Charlie, he's quick to show appreciation of work done in his benefit.

Autumn Blows In

We're late! We're late!

It's November, and still sunny in Cascadia!

Come clouds,

Come rain,

We'll fly.

Wind knows the way.

Wind is swift,

Wind is sure.

Wind will carry us,

move us,

and let us settle.

We know we've been missed.

Welcome wind. Welcome clouds. Welcome rain.

Winter has begun.

Car Shelter

I got a propane barbecue through freecycle (ongoing preparations for potential power outages), and decided it needed a dry place to live. The perfect excuse to get a Costco carport for - gasp - my car.

My friend came over again, and this time we got the shelter up in 2-1/2 hours. I believe we are now experts.

And, besides the barbecue, gas canisters, and some charcoal for my hibachi, it also fits my car! I've already experienced the pleasant sensation of unloading my car free from rain and wind.

Mountains in Autumn

Mount Rainier

Mount St. Helens

Driving into a Cloud

On a beautiful, sunny day, driving south towards Olympia. Clear skies, bright sun.

Then, in the distance, a gray-white smudge.

Getting closer, it was obviously a low-flying cloud.

Which enveloped the world, and became fog.