The End Of February

 

WOW ! I cant believe how fast this month flew by . I guess having a break from winter weather that we really didn't  get this year has helped a lot to and the fact that last week and this week so far has been  lovely  .

So we are in for some more rain tomorrow and thunderstorms tomorrow night ,  there is a special rain statement out for a rain fall of 15 to 25mm  YIKES  thank goodness our land here has thawed or we would be flooded  , still strange to have so much thunder and rain this time of year as the other night we had three thunderstorms roll through  . Both Papa and I like a good thunderstorm , Miggs not so much !

Miggs and I have been enjoying the nice sunny days we have been having out side playing , going for long walks and watching the odd bird at the feeders and in our trees and cedar hedge . My feeders have been quiet all though the area trees and marsh area have been buzzing with Grackles , Red Wing black birds , Robins and few Morning Doves  so far . I think they are all in the transition of migration back to the area and the others are transitioning out  and that's why my feeders are so quiet for now , I get the odd Chickadee and Juncos and I have noticed all the Chipping Sparrows, White Crowned Sparrows and White throated Sparrows have all disappeared    but really I haven't had to fill my feeders for a week  and that's unusual for me , but come nesting time I know the feeders will be very busy in the next few weeks then I will be playing catch up with them all  all spring and summer lol !

Early this morning Mrs Robin sat in our birch tree in the back and serenaded us with her beautiful song and chatter , they sometimes sound like they are giggling the way they talk makes me smile every time .

 

                                             Miggs and I were having a ball playing in the yard this afternoon .

She certainty loves to perform for the camera , as soon as I come out with my camera she grabs her toy and prances about as if to say look at me Mama .She is quite the show dog when there is a camera in the picture haha  lol !

Well  …March is upon us now and spring is just around the corner and down this way southwest of the province near lake Erie things start to sprout early and  faster   then it did when we lived farther north , one reason we moved down this way , less snow and warmer climate and being smack in the middle of the migration path is awesome .  I hope to have lots more nice sunny days and are able to enjoy them out side for the month of March  .

                                                        The month of spring and clocks going one hour ahead !

                                                                                      Happy March

                                                             Country Gal

Things Are Springing Up Here

 

Early this morning  as I looked out our window there  was Mr Robin singing his good morning song on the wire across the road  , it is so nice to hear and see them again . I saw a Bald Eagle soaring high above the house today so they have returned to tree tops in the forest in the valley no doubt   and most of our spring birds are back, now I am just looking and listening out for our Song Sparrow now and to see when our Turkey Vulture's return as well  .

The sun is shining all though the winds  are cold today  , Miggs and I wondered the yard to have a look to see what is springing up if anything in the gardens since we had that week of  record breaking warm temps and lots of sunshine .

                                                   I found a pansy here and there ready to bloom .

                                                           A couple of Hyacinth's slowly pushing through .

                                                                           Wild Grape Hyacinth's to .

                                              Then I noticed this , my Bleeding heart bush also pushing through .

                                        This is another but for the life of me I cant remember  what it’s called lol !

                                                        The Forsythia bush is budding as are some of our trees already .

                                     Miggs was following me about playing with her toy and enjoying the sunshine .

Things are beginning to spring up  now as we are in the last few days of February already . WOW ! time fly's doesn't it ?!

I will be keeping an eye on all the other things in my gardens springing up in hopes all made it through our mild and practically snowless winter , one never knows how dormant theses plants need to be over the winters or how much of a winter we need to have for them  to come back to life .

         I am looking forward to March 12th when we bump  up the clocks one hour ahead then the sun sets later in the evenings and eventually rises earlier to . Then.. well .. the ultimate and official arrival of Spring  March 20 th , 6:29 A.M. EDT   or March 21st . In Canada and the rest of the northern hemisphere, the first day of the spring season is the day of the year when the Sun crosses the celestial equator moving northward (on March 20^th or 21^st). This day is known as the Vernal Equinox !  either way WOOHOO ! I cant wait .

                                                                                  Until next time .

                                                                                           Country Gal

Record Breaking Temps

 

Yes we have had record breaking temps here in Southwestern Ontario for this time of year and the month of February . It has been sunny with  cloudy  period's  . This afternoon was lovely and sunny and warm so warm the bugs came  out .  Rainy with thunderstorms for tonight they will be the  first and earliest  thunderstorms of the year  for us to .

This is the temp in the shade under our porch it is at least 5 degrees warmer in the sun . WOW ! I am loving it .

                                                                                   And so is Miggs lol !

                                 I noticed I have a few pansies growing and close to blooming in my garden already .

Our Red Wing Black birds and Grackles are back as are our Killdeer and of course my fave the Robins  , next is to look out for our Cow birds and Song Sparrows ,  it feels like spring here already   this weather is such a tease for all here and we hope it sticks around till the official spring on March 20th that is only 3 weeks away  and just gets better . March 12th is when we spring the clocks one hour ahead  and I cant wait for either hehe ! But for now I will take what mother nature has in store for us for these record breaking temps are amazing .

                                                                                     Until next time .

                                                                                      Country Gal

Some Of This & That

 

      Above are the Tundra Swans flying over . The Canadian Geese have been on their Spring flight path as well landing in the fields and river where they like to nest.

           The weather has been glorious . This morning was foggy but the sun took care of that ,  sunny and temps hitting highs of 14C or 58F .

                                                                      Fungi popping up everywhere !

                                                                                       Grackles are back .

                  As are our  Morning Doves , Robins and I heard and saw the Killdeer and Red Wing Black birds already down in the march at the end of our road  .

                                           Miggs and I have been enjoying long walks and playing in the yard .

                                                Then  rest time and watch the yard  and enjoy the weather .

                              Well that's all for now  . Hope you are enjoying the outdoors in nice Spring like weather like we are .

                                                                                             Until next time .

                                                                                      Country Gal

It Has Been A Nice Long Weekend

 

This weekend was our Family Day long weekend holiday and the end of Papa’s work shut down midwinter break  to , back to work for him come Tuesday BOOHOO !

The weather has been wonderful considering it is still February . It has been  sunny all weekend  with blue sky's and the odd cloud here and there  and fairly warm to but I find the land still a bit damp and there fore makes the air damp as well but better then snow on the ground and freezing cold .  I will take the spring like weather we are having now over  what it could be like for this time of year that's for sure .

Papa finished my cabinets for my laundry/mudroom  Saturday in my last post , then we went to a nice horse farm after to see and pat some horses and had a nice visit with the owners  , one of who Papa worked with , then the rest of the weekend we just puttered .

                  Earlier today we had a nice campfire going to burn all the extra scraps of wood from Papa’s shop .

                                                                                      I like having campfires .

Our Robins are back but strangely haven't come into  the yard as of yet they have been hanging about the forest  and field edge more for now and so have  the Grackles that returned the other day with the Morning Doves , we have quite a few feral cats about so the birds may be on the caution for now but it is nice to see and hear the birds back and about the area again .

                    Miggs has been enjoying her new do and the spring like weather we have been taking nice long walks .

                                                        Not a drop of snow left here anywhere now .

          This winter has been so damp this year that tons of Fungi of all types have been sprouting up everywhere

                I like photographing Fungi as there are so many different looks , textures,  shapes and colours in each one .

Since the weather has warmed up our feeders have been fairly quiet but the odd few hang about , they  know food  and water is always there when they need it !

                                        I love sunshine with  deep blue sky’s with the contrails from Jet air craft floating over head .

Some trees and bushes are starting to bud already , it is nice to see all this again spring in to action , hope old man winter has left us but some how I doubt it , this spring like weather is  just teasing us for a bit I think  but would be nice if it were to stay around till the official  arriving of spring  in 4 weeks on  March 20th , but for now I will take all the sunshine and nice weather I can get and get out there and enjoy it all .

                                                                            Well that's it for me for now  .

                                                                                    Until next time .

                                                                                   Country Gal

Cabinets Are Done & Lots Of Sunshine

 

Papa finished building the last few cabinets and put them up yesterday . I have lots of storage now and all put away nice and tidy behind closed doors . I didn't get before pics .

                                        Above  left is the broom closet  then coat and boot closet and over the freezer cabinet

Laundry cabinets to the left and to the right cabinets for Papa’s wood working stains for now till he gets heat in is shop over the winters to keep them in  and his  indoor tools.

And over our laundry sink cabinets the sink cabinet below  will be painted white soon to match the cabinets above . Before all the cabinets Papa did the walls  ,took all the dark  paneling that was on the walls off and put up gyproc /drywall . Papa has to plaster /mud the few areas of walls that are exposed with screws  and then paint them white,  that will be done soon to . So all in all I am very happy with all my new laundry /mudroom cabinets .  Thanks Papa

The sun has been shining and I am happy about that as well  . . The sun set was pretty  yesterday evening .

These clouds remind me of ripples of water on a beach with the sunset reflecting off of them . The sun set at 6 PM and  is setting later and later  each day   .        

                                                                           A perfect end to a perfect day .

                                       Then early this morning the  sun rise  below which is rising earlier now to .

                      Today  the temps  are to be rising up to 12C  or  54F with warm southwest winds a recorded for this date .

Mid morning today we are going to a  horse farm  that is a 10 min drive from us , to well , horse around  for an hour or two. Papa knows the person of the horse farm  from his work . So we are going to go and see the horses , kiss some soft noses and spend some time with them , it has been a while since I have been around horses . We had them on the farm . I had my own horse . I also worked with them  did lots of riding , jumping  and trained them   many years ago .  This horse farm does birthday parties and trail rides . I don't know if I can ride anymore as my knees are a bit wonky these days but I will enjoy being around them and having good horsey talks and cuddles and maybe the odd treat or two  and photo .

                                                      So here's to another lovely sunny warm spring like day .

                                                                                 Until next time .

                                                                              Country Gal