Black-capped Chickadee and Me

Sometimes when I am in nature, I like to listen to the birds, be quiet and just be present.

Blue Jay Feather

"Grateful"

Feathers are a reminder to count our blessings and be thankful for the goodness in our lives.

Barberries

Vibrant red barberries after the

snowfall looks pretty in winter!

Dandelion

My Little Sidekick

Hanging up the gloves after a hard days work!!

There will always be much to learn from nature, it just requires listening and watching.

"National Bird of Canada"

Meet our family of Gray Jays. Our feathered friends visit us and we hand feed them on a daily basis.  Blueberry pancakes is one of their favorites!!

Did you know that Gray Jays are actually shown

scientifically to be the smartest bird on the planet?

They are tough little birds and never migrate out of Canada, wintering in the boreal forest where they nest.  They've been observed sitting on eggs in temperatures as low as minus 30 C.

Gray Jay is also nick named Whiskey Jack

****50,000 online votes****

The Gray Jay was chosen the National Bird of Canada

My First Winter

It's not hard to tell it's this lil juvenile's first winter, and maybe a little more practice on his landing skills is needed in the snow, but he "got the peanut"!!

Underneath a Daisy

 

 

Expressing a little creativity with a common flower

**the Daisy**

 

Curious Squirrel

A Red Squirrel being curious in a field of buttercups.

Morning Dew

Rainbow

Rainbow ~ A symbol of magical blessings

This not so vibrant rainbow appeared for a few moments after the rain and in a blink of an eye, it was gone!

A rainbow is an arch of colors formed in the sky, caused by the dispersion and refraction of the sun's light by rain or other water droplets in the atmosphere.

Clouds

I must say it didn't take much to notice these spectacular, fast moving storm clouds forming in the middle of the afternoon!  It was very fascinating to watch them change shape so quickly. I need to confirm these clouds, but I am assuming that they are called ''shelf clouds".  Shelf clouds form at the leading edge of a gust or very strong winds flowing down and outward from a storm.  A shelf cloud should be seen as a harbinger of strong winds, so a reminder to take caution and understand that Mother Nature can be very powerful.

Happy Valentine's Day

Love comes in many forms ~ Embrace

Did you know:

Rabbits symbolize love, luck, family, harmony.  They are true earth element animals, which is why they prefer to be on the ground.

Chickadee Cuteness

I cannot get enough of photographing

my favorite little songbird!

After the Storm

Winter sunset in our backyard

Weasel With His Winter Coat

This Short-tailed Weasel, identifiable by its black-tipped tail, is also known to some as a Stoat or an Ermine. This little one was spotted around our bird feeders.

In a playful sort of way, he was darting in and out of snow tunnels.  At one point, he even peeked into our kitchen window!! I wonder if this is the same Weasel that was in our garden last fall?  Either way, this cool little creature is always welcome!

~ HAPPY NEW YEAR ~

May this year of 2016 bring you health,

happiness & good cheer,

love, laughter & and sweet surprises

to you and all your dear ones!
 

Wishing everyone a HAPPY NEW YEAR!!

Weasel

Cute? Yes!! But....

These furry little beasts are not the cuddly type.  Weasels have been seen killing prey up to four times their size!  They generally capture animals that are young or old, sick or injured, or less fit to survive.  They have a tiny face and sharp claws and teeth.

This little fella was merely playing in our rock garden.  Do you want to see what a Weasel looks like in winter?

Did you know:

• Minks and Ferrets are cousins of the Weasel

• The weasel's coat is brown in summer and white in winter.  Just the tip of the tail stays black

Red-breasted Nuthatch

This very active little bird is the only North American nuthatch that has an eyestripe and rusty underparts.

The Red-breasted Nuthatch gets a special view of everything, by looking at the world upside down. They are able to descend head downwards on branches and tree trunks.  This is how they search for food.

.... Or, if you are lucky and patient enough, like I was, they will come to your hand!!!!

 See video here:

Nuthatch eating from my hand!!

Little Red-Spotted Newt

The Red-Spotted Newt is also known as the Red Eft; a specific type of salamander.  They have three stages of life: (1) the aquatic larva or tadpole, (2) the red eft or terrestrial juvenile stage, and (3) the aquatic adult.  This little guy is a juvenile and is just about two inches long.

After two or three years, the eft finds a pond and transforms into an aquatic adult. The skin turns olive green, but they retain the black-rimmed spots.

This little newt is navigating through some freshly turned up dirt from the timberjack skidder blade.

They can live 12 to 15 years in the wild, and may grow to five inches in length.  Newts can coexist with fish, which also makes them common aquarium pets.