I'd miss so much if I didn't get out every day. Yes, we have to bundle up a bit, but the winter landscapes are so worth it. Baker and I are about to go out now, in fact, after waiting half the day for the sun to come out and melt off the ice.
The recent fronts passing through dumped a lot of rain on us, followed by snow. When it's rainy, our road turns to mud, and running with Chet means I have to bathe him immediately upon returning. It's a drag. So we drive to one of the paved roads where we won't get so muddy.
We've been running this one a lot lately.
We've found a couple more leaf stencils from the 2013 fall line painting to admire. When Chet sees me hunkered down photographing one, he moves in to improve the view. He always improves the view.
I find a pile of logs that I call "Oh no you don't." It's meant to keep cattle from squeezing under the barbed wire fence in a low spot. The deer start such ruts and the cattle follow suit. About all the Warrens can do is build the rut back up with wood. Resetting the posts is the path to madness.
Skies have been glowery almost all the time. Standing at this spot, though, I heard a call from a red-headed woodpecker who's spending the winter on this road. Every once in a while I am lucky enough to see it when it changes trees, this banner of black, white and red churning through the gray trunks. I first heard it in October and I've heard or seen it four times since. Now my runs on this road are the stuff of pilgrimage, hoping to have another encounter with a bird I can never see enough.
I heard a red-head
not far from here. Its call
punched
a smile in the clouds
9 comments:
I hope you see the Red-head soon! I try to get out everyday, too, though I'm not a runner. Your landscape looks much the same as ours here in rural north-east PA. It can be quite dreary this time of year weather-wise but there is still so much beauty! We need our splashes of color though... like your red-headed woodpecker and our red-bellies.
Julie, I love your descriptions of "everyday" things that few people take the time to notice. I too love the winter skies, although ours today is a bit ominous as a pending nor'easter approaches.
I wonder who Nancy (first comment author) is as she too is from rural northeast PA.
Resetting fence posts ... a path to madness ? ... This explains so much.
Hi Mrs. Zickefoose!
It has been a while since I saw you last at Tybee! How are things going with you and your family? I am commenting because I would like to nominate you for the Versatile Blogger Award! I have nominated you because I believe your posts are truly unique. If you would like to accept this nomination, you can find more information about the award in my blog post I wrote about it: http://apassionforbirds.wordpress.com/2014/01/02/versatile-blogger-award/. Hope all is well and hope to see you again some time soon!
Marshall Weber
I do hope the red headed one has a mate - Santa brought me 2 special woodpecker [as in redhd] houses which we have put up all ready Just need the chips they suggest putting in the bottom. Our snow is much deeper in central Ohio !
Julie, your posts and photos are a bright spot in the day, last photo glorious!, Chet is the best photo bomb! Thank for sharing your great family. Will be thinking of you, mother to mother as your first young fledges..enjoy every moment of the next few months....
That last one is surely a painting. Love it.
Red-headed woodpeckers are so much fun to watch. I remember reading your accounts of having Garrett, the Red-headed Woodpecker coming to your birch snag and eating Zick Dough, and wishing that I could have such a glorious bird in my yard. Well, as of December 24th, an immature male has been dining at my suet feeder. I live in a suburban neighborhood, so this was a welcome surprise for me. I have a declining maple with roost holes that he has been hanging out on. I hope he stays around all winter. The photo can be seen at www.indybirdphotographer.com
That last photo is spectacular!
I see many more red-bellies than red-headeds. You too?
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