The flowing water looks like smooth ice, and I rather see the flowing water than the slippery ice on my driveway as my vehicle slid on the slick surface the last few days.
The Upper Step of Two Step Falls
Picture of the Day for February 24, 2016
It may not be snowing today and the temperature is nearing the freezing mark, but spring and blooming flowers are still a couple months away. So no bright orange dotting the yard and the only color seen in the yard are the birds at the feeders.
Colorful Lily
Picture of the Day for February 23, 2016
The snowflakes falling this morning were huge and too bad they weren’t cotton candy instead of cold snow. A flake would cover my camera lens so I had to try to protect the camera while out in the snow squall. The little patch grass the robin was hanging around is now covered but at least it snowed on the robin’s tail so only twice more until spring comes.
Huge Snowflakes
Picture of the Day for February 22, 2016
In the late 19th century, February 22 was a celebration of the birthday of George Washington but by the time it became a federal holiday in 1885, many parades had petered out and people had time off from work with no events to attend. But the country was deep into the bicycle craze then and soon bike races were common and bicycle stores opened their doors on the holiday to show off the new spring line and offered sales.
Instead of Washington’s Birthday, many newspapers referred to February 22 as Bicycle Day as the new hobby had a lot of interest, although living in Wisconsin, I would not be thinking of riding a bike in February with all the snow and ice remaining on the ground and warmer day would be more appropriate. But as the times changed, soon bicycle sales moved to motorcycles and then to automobiles, but one thing hasn’t changed – the dealer sales on Presidents’ Day.
The Uniform Holidays Act of 1971, moved Washington’s Birthday to the third Monday in February so the holiday never lands on the 22nd anymore and although it is often to Presidents’ Day, the federal official name is still Washington’s Birthday so maybe Bicycle Day can make a return on February 22 as more people observe healthy activities.
Bicycle Day
Picture of the Day for February 21, 2016
This past Thursday, the Cathedral of Christ the King in Superior, Wisconsin, was filled with people to witness the ordination of the new bishop. The Most Rev. James P. Powers was ordained as the 11th bishop of the Diocese of Superior.
Cathedral of Christ the King
Picture of the Day for February 20, 2016
The wind blew in the rain yesterday as well as a couple of robins, so maybe the groundhog was right about the early spring. But since the only grass peeking out is the narrow strip along the edge of the driveway next to the tall snow banks, the robin kept looking at me like it was my fault there wasn’t more grass to hop on and he did slide on the ice once too so not a happy bird.
Early Robin
Picture of the Day for February 19, 2016
The squirrels apparently didn’t like the winter time rain this morning either as this naughty squirrel was enlarging the hole of the bluebird house to get inside out of the cold rain. So now I have more birdhouses to repair in the spring!
Naughty Squirrel
Picture of the Day for February 18, 2016
Although the temperature is supposed to get above freezing today, it won’t be warm enough to thaw all the snow and ice on the lakes, unless the lake hadn’t frozen over like parts of Lake Superior this year. This arch is called the Grand Portal located in the Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore on Lake Superior.
The Grand Portal
Picture of the Day for February 17, 2016
The sun is out this morning but it is not a warm summer day since it is still winter with below freezing temperatures. So the fields are not full of bright yellow goldenrod waving in the breeze as the sun is sparkling off the white snow instead.
Summertime Color
Picture of the Day for February 16, 2016
The last cold spell has allowed some ice to form by the Lake Superior ice caves but there large cracks and places where the ice is only two inches thick so still not safe for sightseers to walk under ice monsters and to explore the caves.
Approaching the Ice Monster
