The landscape was still covered with heavy frost today leaving very little color besides white and at times when the wind blew stronger, it looked like it was snowing.
Frost Covered Landscape
Picture of the Day for January 10, 2014
The slightly warmer day (still below freezing) but above zero, was very foggy and with mist in the air, the trees and many objects were coated in frost. It always amazes me how the frost can build ten times or more in thickness than the object or limb it is forming on. It looks like rigid ice but if you bump the branch, the frost quickly falls off and the photo opportunity disappears until the next frosty winter day.
Frosted Branch
Picture of the Day for January 9, 2014
Although I had filled the bird feeders frequently during the arctic blast, I saw little bird activity during the below zero days. Today, with the temperature finally above zero, even though below freezing yet, the bids were more active and coming to the feeders and some birds add some nice color contrast to the winter landscape like the cardinal.
Male Cardinal
Picture of the Day for January 8, 2014
The predawn landscape may be very muted in color, but the pink glow of a foggy morning seems more colorful than a chilly winter day, or at least seems warmer!
Morning Fog Rising Off Lake
Picture of the Day for January 7, 2014
The deer left tracks all over my driveway so I’m not sure if they wanted in the garage to stay warm over night or they wanted a handout but they would have had better luck getting something to eat from the corn shocks in the field.
Snow Covered Corn Shocks
Picture of the Day for January 6, 2014
With wind chills near -60ºF this morning and near -50ºF tonight, these horses might want to hide in the barn because I am definitely hiding indoors as much as I can today.
Out in the Frigid Winter
Picture of the Day for January 5, 2014
Winter activities like cross country skiing, snowshoeing or just walking in the snow is enjoyed by some and one can hear the birds singing in the winter sunshine except when I was outside this afternoon, the squeaky snow was scaring any birds away. You know it is cold when the snow squeaks when you step on it.
There are three physical factors which lead to one mechanism cause snow to “squeak” when it reaches a certain cold temperature; lubrication of snow. No lubrication, then squeaky snow and with lubrication, quiet snow. Temperature, pressure of stepping on the snow and the shape of the snow crystals play into whether the snow has lubrication.
If the snow was squeaking today, I wonder what it will do tomorrow when it is really, really cold. It probably will be screaming instead of squeaking; screaming it is too cold!
Squeaky Snow
Picture of the Day for January 4, 2014
Falling water, a babbling brook, and the gentle breeze on a warm summer day is more appealing than falling temperatures, frigid wind chills and blowing snow this winter day. Nature sounds of the glen erases all the modern world sounds and remote waterfall is a nice place to spend the afternoon.
Glorious Glen
Picture of the Day for January 3, 2014
With predicted wind chills of -40 to -60 later this weekend and early next week, I don’t think I will be staying in this building as it might be just a wee bit too drafty.
I wonder the history of the building as it looks like there was a stove pipe opening on the front which is now covered over with a piece of tin. Was it the original homestead of the settlers or a bunkhouse for the hired hands? Did it later become a chicken coop or storage shed? Has the old building seen the late 1800s and now the early 2000s? The answers are probably locked up in the timbers never to be revealed.
A Wee Bit Drafty
Picture of the Day for January 2, 2014
The sun is out bright this morning, but all it reveals is a very white, cold landscape and all one can do is dream of a warm, green summer day colored with yellow even if goldenrod is considered a weed, it is still nice to see instead of white.
Goldenrod is in the aster family and is often blamed for hay fever but since the pollen of goldenrod is too heavy to be blown far, the ragweed that blooms at the same time is the main culprit. Goldenrod is a good sources of nectar for bees, flies, wasps, and butterflies and Native Americans used the seeds of some species for food and leaves are edible from young plants and some herbal teas are sometimes made with goldenrod.
While the golden plant might provide food, like the amber honey, just seeing the golden color is food for the soul on a cold winter day.
Golden Delight
