Feathered friends of April

The last few days have been overcast and chilly with early morning frost. There is still snow in lots of places but it feels like the first day of spring today. Warm and sunny! Yeah. The birds that we love to see and photograph are returning daily. Someone new everyday now. Red Winged Blackbirds rising from the willows at the creeks edge. David got a couple of pics of two Sandhill cranes on the meadow this morning though this is not the first sighting this year. And our little finches are back at the feeders; pine siskins, house finches and purple finches ... Yellow headed blackbirds (just a few) and Red winged Blackbirds (abut a hundred who stay all summer and serenade us with their beautiful songs ) Flickers Robins, of course. And shorebirds in the shallow pools of melted snow on the hay fields ... a pair of Lesser Yellowlegs have been visiting this week.Lots of delightful Junco's and Sparrows ... and last but not least; a soft spring sunset over the meadow last night. Life is good and we count our blessings!

Mid March on the Meadow

A walk about with camera in hand . . . time to enjoy the disappearing snow, the blue sky with cotton-ball clouds, songs of the Red Winged Blackbirds and that sweet spring bud; the pussy willow.

An early February Sunrise over the Meadow

Good Morning Meadow!

and a soft sweet sunset at the other end of the day.

Snow blankets

January snow falling

Our roadThe 7 km that David looks after... this was the view ahead of him as he plowed last night.

Along the way he snapped a few pics

Here's the 'homestone' under a blanket of snow; the boulder at the top of our driveway that marks the entrance to our place...

Here's the same scene in August.But for now, we are deep into winter; enjoying the contrasts and the quiet. And thankful. Ever thankful.

Bright Blessings

An Irish Blessing on this first day of the new year.

May you always have walls for the winds, a roof for the rain, tea beside the fire, laughter to cheer you, those you love near you, and all your heart might desire.

A new year ~ let the bells ring out!

New Year's Eve on the Meadow. It been quiet and sunny although pretty cold ... but warm and cozy inside. We had friends over last night for dinner and a visit. A rare thing indeed when we live so far from most everyone we know. It was a great evening ~ full of laughter and good conversation and a rousing game of scrabble too; which I lost to our 7 year old visitor much to his delight. A rematch has been requested. Did you know ... that before midnight on New Year's Eve, temple bells across Japan begin to toll slowly 108 times. It's called joya-no-kane. According to Japanese custom, this symbolically welcomes the New Year and curbs the 108 bonno (mortal desires) which, according to Buddhist belief, torment humankind. It is hoped that with each reverberation the bad experiences, wrong deeds, and ill luck of the past year will be wiped away. Thus, tolling heralds the start of a joyous, fresh New Year.

And so with that; let the bells ring out ~ and with the tolling of the bells we send our love and our very best wishes to all for a fulfilling, happy and healthy new year.

From all of us here on the meadow; two legged and four legged alike.