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 December 2, 2013
While shoveling snow this morning, I dreaming of a nice warm day at the pond, listening to the frogs and watching the dragonflies buzzing around, instead of seeing the falling snow.
By the Pond
Picture of the Day for June 12, 2013
It can be real relaxing sitting by the water watching the birds and ducks flying around the lake and listening to the gentle lapping of waves on the shore and the call of the loons.
Sunset by Lakeside
Picture of the Day for February 25, 2013
Maybe Punxsutawney Phil was right about an early spring, even if my groundhog predicted a long winter, since flocks of geese have been seen as well as the return of some swans by a friend of mine.
My pond isn’t big enough for the Trumpeter Swans to land in or raise a family, but there are spots in the state where they do. The Trumpeter Swan was hunted for its feathers throughout the 1600s – 1800s, causing a tremendous decline in its numbers. Its largest flight feathers made what were considered to be the best quality quill pens.
Trumpeter Swans form pair bonds when they are three or four years old. The pair stays together throughout the year, moving together in migratory populations. Trumpeters are assumed to mate for life, but some individuals do ‘divorce’ and switch mates over their lifetimes. Occasionally, if his mates dies, a male Trumpeter Swan may not pair again for the rest of his life.
I’m still think it will be a long winter because there are hundreds of finches attacking my bird feeders right now and that makes it seem like they are stocking up for another snow storm!
Trumpeter Swans
Picture of the Day for January 23, 2013
After some light snow this morning, the sun is out and it is a little warmer since above zero finally but not warm enough that I would head to a frozen lake to do some ice fishing. I didn’t go last weekend either when it was the free ice fishing days. I guess I prefer my fishing when it is 72 with a light west wind and a few puffy clouds in sky and if the fish don’t bite, I can watch the bald eagles, beavers and otters. I don’t like listening to the ice cracking, wondering how thick the ice is or trying to keep warm just to catch a fish so I guess I have to wait a while before I go fishing again.
Frozen Lake
Picture of the Day for November 18, 2012
With the above average temperature for this November day, it has me thinking of heading to a lake to enjoy the sun and sticking my feet in water on a warm, lazy summer day. ‘Thinking’ is the key word, since it is not summer and the water wouldn’t be that warm today so dreaming of a warm Sunday afternoon at the lake is all I can do today.
Summer Day at Lake O’ the Dalles
