Power Outage…

…just as I popped a couple of slices of bread in the toaster. Neighbors out, neighborhood out, much of town out, apparently. But, about an hour later, as I was thinking of Manitoulin hydro, and then of the cold snap in Texas, my toast resumed toasting. Interesting to note that even without electricity we always have heat in the house; our little gas-fired fake wood stove in the breezeway, though controlled by a thermostat, uses only micro-volts generated by a thermocouple, and thus functions whatever the state of the grid.

And then there are the “Tree Posts” I do every Sunday for members of the Starin Park Arboretum Committee. So far, twenty-eight of them. Thinking it might be worthwhile to keep track, I’ve uploaded them all to the IntoNaturalWorld website, under the “Ecological Empathy” tab (down a ways).

Signs of Spring

Some snow melt. Redwing blackbirds. Evening sit on the back patio for the first time this year.

Looks to me like a hawk got a jay

Up Twenty

The day started out at 18 degrees, but by evening we were at a melting 38. And it looks to be all up in coming days.
With weather like this it made sense to head for a car wash.

Meatloaf and basketball on the agenda for tonight.

A Little Bare Ground…

…perhaps enough to tide the early robins over.

A day below freezing, with a moderate north wind—but, sunny, and with a hint of spring in the air and light. (actually a perfect day for iceboating, of course.)

Pax felt like walking today, which was nice, although always hunting. He can find a tiny morsel of discarded protein in a vast field, under a foot of crusty snow. While he finds hunting enjoyable, I frown on it and try to discourage the behavior. Plenty food at home.

A Different Kind Of Iceboating

Once on the ice discretion discretion proved to be the better part of valor and plans were changed accordingly.

Ice Checking…

…and bike riding.

Clear ice (with boats on it) about half a mile out. The crud in between is sailable with a good breeze, and is melting. Tomorrow’s forecast—45 degrees with a stiff breeze. With luck, three of the four family iceboats will be sailing (and taking kids for rides, too.) (Nota bene, boat #4 is out on loan.)

On the way home we picked up Chicago-style hotdogs from Daddy Maxwell’s in Williams Bay and ate them in the car, overlooking ice. (Slightly less that half of mine ended up on my shirt, which I though was an accomplishment (given the nature of a Chicago dog).

Once back home my assistant helped me bring the E-bike up from the basement. And then I went for a ride, trying to avoid puddles and salt deposits, but enjoying it immensely.

Inching Forward…

…to spring and normalcy.

Sometimes

Sheenagh Pugh

Sometimes things don’t go, after all, 
From bad to worse. Some years, muscadel 
Faces down frost; green thrives; the crops don’t fail,
Sometimes a man aims high, and all goes well.

A people sometimes will step back from war;
Elect an honest man; decide they care
Enough, that they can’t leave some stranger poor.
Some men become what they were born for.

Sometimes our best efforts do not go
Amiss; sometimes we do as we meant to.
The sun will sometimes melt a field of sorrow
That seemed hard frozen; may it happen for you.

On The Straight and Narrow

Snow still too deep off the beaten path.

Nice restoration

Whenever Pax would attempt leaving the trail and going cross country he would do fine as long as the crust held, but when it didn’t, he would bottom out. There were times when I thought I might have to attempt a rescue, and I found that worrisome because I had no idea how.

St several places up on the hill I had to leave the plowed road because of frozen sheets of meltwater (no creepers). Unlike Pax I had zero chance of staying on the crust, so had to slog forward slowly, stepping lightly and then crashing down—almost knee deep—with every step.

The melting continues, but there is a lot more to go.

Sue got her second shot this afternoon.

Afternoon Outing

Looking for rural scenery and rustic charm, up towards Watertown, but finding little. Sun broke through the clouds as we arrived home, however.

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Cushing’s disease is pressing Pax hard, and it is hard to watch.

“The old dog barks backward without getting up.
I can remember when he was a pup.”
—Robert Frost

Melting

Lots of melting, but lots more to go. Pax and I enjoyed two long walks today. We had to navigate puddles, but neither of us minded that.

And, here’s remembering Lawrence Ferlinghetti and the City Lights Bookstore.
And now, watching basketball for the first time in a long time. Thanks to Bri for reminding me. Illinois is ranked #5, and March Madness is right around the corner.

Above Freezing!

First time in three weeks, and, with minor exceptions, in 5 weeks. Of course spring fever is overtaking COVID.
And, while some virus recluses are making sourdough, we here are doing molasses.

Snow Robins

A flock of about 50.

Photo by Sue

Hard to photograph them all, but there were many. Mostly stripping a crabapple tree up the street a bit from us. This tree has nasty fruit, and nobody eats it unless necessary. (Vi’s tasty crab, on the other hand, is bare by October.) This robin flock is a puzzle. I don’t see how they can be year-round residents, but if they are migrants, why are they here now and what do they know that I don’t? Obviously, they are reduced to eating sour apples.

And then there are the cardinals. As afternoon light faded to dusk, our (I assume) regular dozen or so came in to the feeder through the flying flakes. What about them? Do they stick together all day, or do they just gather at dusk for dinner and then perhaps a communal roost?

Wish I knew.

Photo by Sue

Winter Mysteries…

…also known as snowy whodunnits.

What kind of a trail ends like this?

And, what happened here?

Photo by neighbor, Anna

Comments welcomed—or, hop over to Into the Natural World and post an answer there.

Living It Up…

…a little, now that we’re a little less scared of the virus. Teacher institute in Cedarburg, so while the teacher was institutionalized, we got to hang out with the kids.

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Into The Natural World

Commercial Break

Now that both Tamia of the Forest and Tig of the Marsh and Wetland are available in book format, I’ve decided to convert my experimental/practice website into a commercial store. (And I think I’ve got it working.)

So, here is a plug for my site. Into The Natural World.

It’s an odd site, admittedly—a place to try to sell books, yes—but also a bunch of other stuff you might find in a dusty old attic—ramblings and ruminations. I plan to keep adding things I find interesting, and some day to try to organize it. Ultimately, I would like it to be a place to which I can refer young people curious about everything. Please feel free to check it out, and to buy a copy of either book. I would be appreciative of all efforts to spread the site around to anyone else who might be interested in purchasing a nice science story book. I’ve checked a number of local libraries, and I’m quite certain that Tamia and Tig are better than at least 87% of the other kids books on the shelves.

Thanks for listening. And remember: Into The Natural World.

Looks Like Frosting On a Cake

With the warming temperature it’s possible to slow down enough to look around.

And, in addition to pleasant views, we have electricity.

The situation in Texas sounds grim. However, we have it on good authority (elected Republicans) that the the reason for the power grid failure is the Green New Deal (which at this point is nothing but an idea), and windmills, (which is astonishing because windmills are already fully occupied causing cancer).

I keep thinking that the situation in Texas reminds us all that electing competent officials is important, and that, when push comes to shove, government matters.

When Does 18 Degrees Feel Good?

Shortly after you’ve experienced -18.

Pax got a long morning walk today and a long afternoon walk, and we all enjoyed getting out in the sun and warmth.

In other news, second Pfizer dose this morning, and no deleterious side effects so far. According to recent CDC guidance (I believe), in just two more weeks I should be able to leap tall buildings in a single bound.

Thanks to the scientists, the trial participants, the distribution workers, the U.S. government, the Mercy Health system, the nurses, and everyone else who contributed to providing me with super powers.

Two Score and Ten..

…or thereabouts, on or below the feeder this afternoon.

Approximately 50 birds all at one time. It was possible, with close observation, to actually see the grain descending the central tube of the feeder.
I like to think we are helping the avian survival rate in this neck of the woods.

I know the weather has been awful pretty much all over. Here, our long walks have become short walks that seem long; this morning’s wind combined with the negative temp was—painful. Snow forecast in a few minutes, but above freezing temps moving ever closer on the long-range prognostication.

45…

…and counting.

Takeout banquet from Black Sheep

Antique memory stick. No more room for notches, so now holes.

Warm wishes on this extremely cold Valentine’s Day

It Just Keeps Coming

Cold stays deep and snow gets deeper.

Beneath this pile are daffodils and tulips.
Looking ahead at the forecast, I see more below zeros and more snowy flakes, but for the first time in a long time, when I get 10 days out I see a temperature above freezing. Could daffodils and tulips possibly dig out of this heap?

Another day hijacked by the insurrection trial. I find it impossible not to watch.
One obvious fact is that Wisconsin’s senator, Johnson, has, by his words, actions, and votes disqualified himself from holding elected office. He has made it clear that he does not support the constitutional process of counting votes, that he does not believe in majority rule, and that he supports violence and insurrection if the vote does not follow his preference. He is clearly anti-American. Might be a spot on the Politburo, Ron.