Where's Winter?

It has been a very odd winter. It snowed a bit then it got warm then it rained then it got warmer (68 degrees on Christmas Eve day!) then it snowed a little again then it got cold (about 7 degrees, so not really cold) and now it’s warm and raining again. The other day I actually saw a forsythia bush blossoming! Sheesh. I wish the weather would make up its mind.

A little frosty

Just a bit of snow

The snow blower anxiously awaiting snow

Our house has a nice little fireplace. Unfortunately it has been rare to have a day cold enough this season to warrant a fire. There were a couple of cold evenings, though, when we could have a fire. There’s nothing like sitting in front of a glowing fireplace, watching the dancing flames, soaking up the heat. We’ve found a combination of pressed wood “logs” and actual wood make a nice balance of heat and flames.

So many pretty colors: oranges...

...purple and yellow...

...pinks and reds.

This fall my husband took down a couple of trees in the back yard to use for firewood. While it’s far too green to burn this year, it should be very nice for next winter. I grew up with a variety of wood-fueled heat sources. By the time the first snow fell, the cellar was filled with firewood. Row upon row would be stacked from floor to ceiling. I never cared for the creepy-crawlies that would come out of the wood, though the tiny pocket snake was rather cute. Still, I’m glad our home-cut firewood is stacked out in the garage.

The pile waiting for next year

Some nice cherry and locust wood

We finally put the bird feeder out for the season. Normally, we wait until there is snow on the ground but who knows when that’s going to be. The chickadees found the feeder within minutes. I love chickadees! Soon after that, a titmouse showed up. Mr. and Mrs. Cardinal now frequent the feeder along with a tiny wren. A small flock of finches stops by on occasion as well. I love watching the birds and it’s much easier to get photos of them when they come to you. Of course the bird seeds have also attracted Tubby McSquirrel and his friends but if I want to feed the birds, I have to host the squirrels as well.

A chickadee being tall

A titmouse and chickadee sharing the feeder

Squirrel!

It just doesn’t feel like winter without the snow. Sure, the wind is cold and the trees are bare but the grass is still oddly green. I enjoy the snow. That’s why I still live in New York State. I get tired of it after a while but it just doesn’t feel like winter without a white blanket over everything. The snow will come. I’m sure of that. Until then, I’ll just have to look back at pictures from winters when we lived on the mountain.

Looking back at winter in 2009 in the Adirondacks