A Winter Wonderland in the Glade

Yesterday morning, we woke up to some beautiful snow!!!! I'm the one in our family who loves snow, but George was the first one to wake up. He calmly woke me up saying, "I can't believe you are sleeping through this!" I answered him with, "Sleeping through what?" When he said SNOW--I jumped up like he had kicked me out of bed... "Holy Cow, isn't that gorgeous?" I asked... And it wasn't long before I was outside feeding the birds and taking pictures.
This is exactly the type of snow I love. It wasn't too cold outside (like it was during our last two or three little snows). The temperature was about 32 degrees --and this WET, CLINGY snow was SO beautiful. We actually only had about an inch of snow---but it was so pretty since it did cling to everything EXCEPT the roads. Best kind, huh? I think the picture above is beautiful since it shows the snow clinging to every single tree branch in the empty lot next to us. Click on it for a larger view. Below are some more pictures including some pictures of our birds at the feeders.

The picture above is of our two Azaleas and our Jasmine in the front yard.





Another thing I love about these clingy snows is how pretty the evergreens are. This big evergreen (above) belongs to one of our neighbors across the street. Pretty, isn't it?





Our Pine Siskins were out there waiting on their Mama (ME) to get out with some dry and fresh breakfast for them.. As hungry as they are, those little boogers are very nice to wait their turn (SOME of the time). HA!!!!





This is not the best picture because it was taken from inside a 'steamy' window--but I wanted to include it to show you one of our cardinals (the female) who took her turn at the covered house feeder also. GEE--the birds really eat (and eat and eat) on snowy or rainy days!!!!





I actually swept that part of the deck so that any birdseed that drops from the feeders above can be enjoyed by the 'deck birds.' The snow was coming down so fast, I couldn't keep the deck swept up, or the railings cleaned off. BUT--these three Pine Siskins above are still looking for that fallen bird seed.





Not only do the PIne Siskins enjoy the 3 hanging feeders; they also enjoy the house bird feeder (which is partially covered); AND--they especially like that open plate, the mesh thistle bag and the seed bell... Have I mentioned that we sometimes have 40 Pine Siskins and Goldfinch on the deck at the same time????? Yipes!!!!! BUT--we're good to them and to all of the birds.. And I think they are saying in their language, "Thank You." OR--maybe I misunderstood and they are really saying, "Give me MORE."
Hope you had a good day on Groundhog Day. Obviously, we will have at least 6 more weeks of winter here. Hope you have enjoyed our little Winter Wonderland today!!!!
Hugs to all,

A Cutie Pie and a Special Gift

Look at that precious picture above. That little Carolina wren is just precious!!!! These little guys come to our feeders usually one at a time. There may be 40 Pine Siskins, some Goldfinch, some Chickadees, Tufted Titmice and Nuthatch--and of course a couple of Cardinals on our deck and at the feeders ---but here comes that cute little Carolina wren. He's not afraid of any of the other birds---and just wanders around eating anything and everything he can get in his mouth.
Carolina wrens are small but very vocal animals. Males are especially outgoing and are the only ones to produce songs. They employ one of the loudest songs per volume of birds. They are apt to sing anytime and any place they happen to be. Carolina wrens are usually found in pairs, and each pair stays on its home territory all year long. They are the official state bird of South Carolina.





Carolina wrens are monogamous, and breeding pairs may stay together for years. Females lay about four eggs and incubate them for two weeks while their mates bring them food. Both parents feed their chicks for an additional two weeks before they gain independence. A mating pair of Carolina wrens may have several broods each year. Above is another picture of this cute bird--on our deck.

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On another note, I WON a giveaway from FIONA so I wanted to share it with you. If you know Fiona, she's a real 'book' person and reader. She reviews lots of books on her site, so check it out sometime. I received two books and a beautiful card from Fiona. Both books are by Karen Rose ("Die for Me" and "Scream for Me").. These are "hold-your-breath" suspense thrillers--so I'm anxious to dig into them!!! Thanks so much, Fiona. I've never won much of anything in my entire life--so this is special!