Category: Picture of the Day

Well since it was cloudy this morning because of the snow storm coming, Jimmy the Groundhog from Sun Prairie, Wisconsin, did not see his shadow so supposedly spring will come early. Although by tomorrow morning he would have to climb up through a lot more snow.

The more famous groundhog, Punxsutawney Phil, also sees early spring, but Jimmy received more notice last Groundhog Day when Jimmy bite the mayor’s ear when the mayor leaned in to hear the weather prediction. Afterward, authorities told Jimmy’s owners they needed a license to own a groundhog and the decision was made to release the groundhog back into his native habitat.

But a new Jimmy, Jimmy XII, made the prediction this year, as someone with a license for a groundhog, brought a groundhog for the celebration, but Jimmy stayed in the cage this year so no chance to bite the mayor’s ear for waking him up early in the morning.

Groundhog Predicts Early Spring

Picture of the Day for February 1, 2016

February 1, 2016

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Yesterday, the end of January was greeted with an above freezing temperature, so there was some snow melting off the roofs and compacting the blanket of snow. My pond had a new layer of water on top of the old ice from the melting but there wasn’t enough melting to cause it to overflow and no rushing water like the Eau Claire River flowing over Big Falls in the late summer, especially since it dropped to below freezing over night. But this morning, the fog from the melting snow covered the trees in a pretty frost again.

Flowing Over Big Falls

Picture of the Day for January 31, 2016

January 31, 2016

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The stars normally seem brighter during the cold winter nights, but this January it has been hard to see the stars with all the cloudy days and nights. And even though I have taken photographs of the stars in the winter time, it is more fun to do it in the warmer weather when you don’t need extra batteries warming in your pockets and don’t have to try turning camera knobs with heavy gloves on. But I do know the winter star constellations more than the summer ones due to all the trips to the lambing barn in February, but I took this nighttime church picture before the snow came.

Star Constellations and a Church

Picture of the Day for January 30, 2016

January 30, 2016

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In the past, on a Saturday morning in the snow belt, you would probably spot a hillside full of kids on toboggans and sleds as they raced down the slippery trail. And since today is a warmer day, there may be some kids outside enjoying the winter activities but a majority will be inside playing with their electronic gadgets.

Old Time Sleds

Picture of the Day for January 29, 2016

January 29, 2016

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The forecast calls for freezing rain tonight which is never good during January in Wisconsin as I was slipping and sliding on my path today and it felt almost as steep as this waterfall. The Native Americans, who originally settled in the area around this falls, believed they heard the voice of the Great Spirit within the roaring of the falls and gave it the name “Gitchee Manitou” which means Great Spirit, but it is now known as Big Manitou Falls.

Big Manitou Falls

Picture of the Day for January 28, 2016

January 28, 2016

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I heard on the news last night that they didn’t expect the ice caves near Cornucopia would open this year since the ice isn’t forming very solid due to the warmer temperatures caused by the strong El Niño. So it was a good thing we braved the cold two years ago to see the caves.

Enjoying the Ice Caves

Picture of the Day for January 27, 2016

January 27, 2016

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The wind was blowing the snow around today, so it probably could have turned this old windmill which was built by a Finnish immigrant and homesteader, Jacob Davidson. It is one of a very few grist mills in the Midwest, and the only one in Wisconsin known to be of Finnish origin. The mill built in 1900, sitting on a bluff overlooking the Amnicon River, was used for milling local grains from 1904 to 1926. The windmill located near Lakeside, Wisconsin, was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1979.

Davidson Windmill

Picture of the Day for January 26, 2016

January 26, 2016

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The other day I had a lone Redpoll at my bird feeder. Normally they come in a large group but only stay for a short time so I don’t know if this female was on a scouting trip to see where there are feeders and if I will be invaded soon. At the moment, there wouldn’t be room for anymore birds as the finches are stocking up on seeds while it is snowing.

And while a lot of the birds go south for the winter, the Common Redpolls do to, but their southern range is here in the cold winter areas and not the sunny warm areas. Their summer range is on the lands around the Arctic Ocean. Common Redpolls can survive temperatures of –65 degrees Fahrenheit and will tunnel into the snow down four inches and more than a foot long to stay warm during the night.

Common Redpoll

Picture of the Day for January 25, 2016

January 25, 2016

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Sitting by a river in late summer near the top of a waterfall is a more pleasurable way to see water falling than the possible snow and freezing rain coming this evening.

Top of Snake Pit Falls