Lytes Cary Manor UK

The arts and crafts-style gardens at this National Trust House in Somerset must be spectacular if these topiaries are examples. Lytes Cary Manor website. Have a great weekend. Mine is off to a lazy start but I am doing things mentally and hope to accomplish something productive later today.

Abbotsbury Swannery in Dorset

Abbotsbury Swannery This is unique not to be seen anywhere else in the world; 600 mute swans on the site of an 11th-century monastery. Isn't this breathtakingly beautiful? Perfect for my good night post. xo

Sparrows and More Birds

Sparrows for tammy j

Click photo to enlarge. Several sparrows on the railing and one perched atop the suet. They are surrounded by Juncos, a bird in flight and finches at the feeder. A typical day at Rosemary's Bird Station. xo

My Overnight Snow

If and when I go outside, I will have to stoop to avoid running into these icicles hanging from the gutters over my front door.

This accumulation is doable. The seat of the chair was cleaned off down to the bare wood yesterday so it illustrates the light overnight dusting of snow. We are into a weather pattern, aren't we?❄️ xo

First Winter Sighting: A Little Wren

Little Jenny Wren

I went out to Ace Hardware yesterday and picked up two suet cakes and they created no bird activity whatsoever. My feathered friends didn't seem at all interested in this rare treat. Installing it was no easy task either. But today I spotted one of my favorite summer birds pecking away. The little house wren found the suet and knew just what to do. Then a Downy Woodpecker followed suit and was able to latch on as well. I honestly thought there would be a flurry of activity but I was wrong. I didn't realize the wrens were year-round residents but I guess they are hardy little birds. I hope Jenny returns soon. Click my photo to enlarge. xo

Sundown at My Cottage

My cottage hasn't changed much but there's a little bit of color over my red barn indicating the golden hour. I've been researching snow on roofs around me and on all houses when I drive around (seldom lately). Snow on the roof is a sign of good insulation. Mine takes forever to melt front and back so I don't have much heat loss in my attic. I don't have many icicles either. The ones I do have are coming off my half-round copper gutters when they get a bit of sun. My house is far from cozy because I have large windows, my radiators aren't big enough, and I keep the thermostat pretty low. I dress for warmth inside my house and have actually gotten used to a cooler house. I turn my thermostat down to 60° at night and I love sleeping in a cold room. My eiderdown comforter keeps me very warm. That's about it for today. xo

Cornell Lab of Ornithology | Website for Bird Lovers All Over the World

So Many Bird Feeders

Snow Update

UP WITH THE BIRDS

I was actually up before the birds this morning. We got another foot of snow yesterday and I started my shoveling at 3:00 in the afternoon when it started to diminish. My car was already melting and that cleanup was relatively easy. The undisturbed snow was like powdered sugar and not at all heavy except at the road where the snowplows dumped the ugly wet stuff. I was almost up to that point when an angel appeared! My newest neighbor across the street walked from his driveway to mine with his snowblower and cleared the stuff I was dreading in a flash including digging out my mailbox. You can't imagine how much time this saved me. I was back in my cottage at 5:00; without his help it probably would have taken me another hour or or two to dig myself out. I am going to ask him to help me pick out a snowblower for myself for next year. I went to bed extra early and woke up refreshed just in time to attend to my feathered friends with my outside thermometer reading single digits. xo

Red-Winged Blackbird Portrait

Bye, Bye, Blackbird!

He just stopped by for a short visit and I'm glad I had my camera handy. I have always admired the colorful epaulets on the wings of red-winged blackbirds. That color disappears when the wings are tightly closed but I managed a good photo today because he had loosened his wings ❤