A Day in the Life

SNOW! The routines of Winter have set in. We have about 2 feet of snow on the ground and most days are very much the same while waiting for Spring. Generally, I have never woke to the sound of an alarm preferring to wake based upon my natural cycle of time. I like to get a start just before the sun is up regardless of the time.

In Winter the first task is to start the day's fire in the wood stove. I heat with wood and generally the fire needs attention from burning overnight. If I forgot to restock the wood pile on the porch, that also means a quick (cold) trip to the wood shed for a few splits to get things going including the coffee pot! This time of the year, that also means I can sit by the fire and watch the local morning news and weather to see how the day will be. So far this year, that generally means more snow!

Once I get coffee into me its out to top off the feeders. Every morning the Blue jays are massed at the feeders awaking their daily peanuts, corn, and sunflowers to stash out in the woods. Unofrtunately, they (and the squirrels) stash more than they eat. Usually also waiting is the "new" Cottontailed Rabbit and my favorite Black Squirrel. I miss the chipmunk and Ground Squirrels scampering about, but I know they stored enough to get them through the Winter without having to brave the cold outside their dens.

I noticed that a White Breasted Nuthatch has taken to overnighting in a nest box outside my bedroom window and it doesn't take long for the feeders to be over run with Chickadees, both species of Nuthatches, Hairy, Downy, and my single Red Bellied Woodpecker.

The last to come in about mid morning are the five Turkeys who live in my woods. As the snows pile up, I figure the Turkeys need the easy food found under the feeders and will give them a cup of seeds each for their morning breakfast.

Through the day, the birds a few squirrels, and the Cottontail graze the seeds. By mid day the feeders will be nearly empty but I wait until late afternoon to replenish them. Otherwise, the Jays and Squirrels would cache food all day and the seed dependent birds would get little. A little top off of the feeders in late afternoon gives everyone a chance to fill up before dark.

In between watching the birds, I work on reading, writing, and planning for Spring. Some days bread making, baking, and the like keeps me busy as I work inside waiting for the arrival of Spring and the chance to work outdoors in the garden or woods, a chance to go fly fishing, or keeping up with the research projects I have going.