Winter Weather

With the lousy winter weather we've ALL been having it got me dreaming about...

Summer Hummers...Fat Froggies...Scary Spiders......and butterflies that wont hold still!We'll all be happy when these sights are back in view!

I'm a little FREAKED out

Who needs a silly holiday when your husband does sweet things for you at any time of the year!

We took a two hour drive to Rider's Harley Davidson in Trussville, Alabama yesterday, and they pulled this baby out of the box just for me. Believe it or not, my hubby found just what he was looking for too!

They sent a fellow to pick up our rides for trade.

I can't believe I'm saying goodbye to my good buddy that brought lots of smiles, but I'm excited about my new adventures ahead!

Discussions at the Feeder

It's a lot of fun to watch how birds interact at the feeders. You never know who's going to be at the top of the pecking order when size isn't that much of a factor.

The body language of the Goldfinch seems to be saying "I'm preparing for trouble".The White-breasted Nuthatch will wait his turn.Sometimes you really want to take a second look at the birds at the feeders. You never know what you might find. See the bird on the right. He's a little more yellow than the drab American Goldfinch. That's because he's a Pine Warbler taking his stance at the sunflower seed feeder.And a tough stance he's taken!You best listen too...my beak it pointer than yours!Now that we know who's boss...I'll let you back in. But aren't I still a cutie!The White-throated Sparrow doesn't have anything to do with them up there, but believe me he's no slouch when it comes to being top dog.Ok, we're all friends again now.Just as long as we know how to play the game.

Saturday Snow

The ice melted away on Friday afternoon but then Saturday the snow fell. No not a lot but enough to dust the ground.The little White-throated Sparrows were scouting for seed.And the Cardinal was braving the wind.On Sunday the sun warmed the world.

And on Monday I found this bright splash of sunshine in my garden!I think this means good times are on the way!

Friday Ice

The last weekend of January in northern Alabama had it's challenges.

But mostly it was just one of those semi-inconvenient works of art that Mother Nature deals out from time to time.No damage done here on the mountain.

Guntersville Dam. Revisited.

I'd heard there were eagles nesting over at the dam in Guntersville, so I jumped in the car yesterday to see if I could find them. Lighting conditions were not good, on this very overcast day, but the temperature was very nice. When I got to the nest, I found...

...no one was home!I could hear the water from a distance so went to the dam and, wow, the river was FULL!No one fishing here today on the ramp to no-where!I looked for birds and saw these vultures in the distance......and the gulls diving every now and then.It was quite a sight. Then I had a strange feeling I was not alone, when I looked up...I found I was surrounded and outnumbered!The one way up high was silently calling in his buddies for back up!Where's Snoopy when you need him!At first I thought they could be Black Vultures but then when this fella came in I could see by the long tail they were Turkey Vultures.Getting ready to GRIP! Click on the photo below to see his talons.I was starting to get nervous......so had to check to make sure my trusty steed was waiting for me in case these guys got to impatient to wait for lunch!!