Sunday, February 2, 2014

The whole story doesn’t show

I’m writing this on a Sunday morning and I have no set plans for the day, which is unlike me. I always like to have a plan, even if it’s just a loosey-goosey kind of thing. And I never say loosey-goosey so I have no idea where that came from. It’s cloudy today and I had thought it was forecast to be much nicer but as it turns out, yesterday was the prize of the weekend as far as weather is concerned. So I’m glad that I spent as much time outside as I did.

After my chores, and my grocery shopping, and my soup making, I went outside and sat in the snow and the sun with my camera and shot photos of my bird friends. Surprising, isn’t it? Hahaha.

I also did several loads of laundry and hung a couple of them on the line because it was so sunny. Hanging laundry on the line is a very calming thing. At least, it is for me. Plus, why waste power when the sun can do it for you, right?

These are some of my favorite images from yesterday ~

 

 

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Tufted titmouse eyeing up one of the feeders.

 

 

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A male cardinal who refused to come to the feeder because of my presence.

Cardinals are very skittish.

 

 

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Tufted titmouse? Not so skittish.

They are no fools. They knew I had the good stuff in the one feeder.

 

 

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The black-capped chickadee makes a lot of different noises for such a small bird.

The vocalizations of the Black-capped Chickadee are highly complex.[14] Thirteen distinct types of vocalizations have been classified, many of which are complex and can communicate different types of information. Chickadees' complex vocalizations are likely an evolutionary adaptation to their habitat: they live and feed in dense vegetation, and even when the flock is close together, individual birds tend to be out of each other's visual range.

~ Wikipedia

 

 

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Hiding in the brush.

 

 

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Chickadee on the wing.

 

 

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The prize seed.

 

 

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And the prize shot.

 

 

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Tomorrow it’s supposed to snow again.

I am not crying uncle yet. It’s winter, people. It snows in winter.

It sure is a lot of work though, isn’t it?

 

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Hope your weekend is going well ~

123 Signature[5]

I prefer winter and Fall, when you feel the bone structure of the landscape — the loneliness of it, the dead feeling of winter. Something waits beneath it, the whole story doesn't show. ~Andrew Wyeth

59 comments:

Anonymous said...

Fabulous birdy shots! I'll bet the laundry smelled wonderful from drying outdoors!

Jill of All Trades said...

As usual the photos are fab! I am a bad bird Momma as I have NOT fed them at all this winter. Just not like me. We are snowed in today too. Came up quick.

Gail said...

I love line dried sheets to snuggle in fresh on the bed. The smell takes me outdoors to childhood where I sleep like an exhausted child after a day of play.

JaneK said...

If I loved in the country I would hang my clothes out as often as possible :-)
Have a lovely loosey-goosey day!!

Mersad said...

I really like the color edits you made here. The warm looks combines with the excellent depth of field, makes this for nice animal images. Love it!

Mersad
Mersad Donko Photography

Country Girl said...

Mersad, I used Florabella's Tea Time action, and lightly brushed it off of the birds, and leaving it on the background. I also used Florabella's Allure texture in warm from Set 1.

~ C.G.

Country Gal said...

Awesome post and photos . You and I would get along just perfectly as I also sit in my birding /photography chair close to our birdies and just snap away lol ! I could see the both of us sitting out side together in our chairs taking photos of birds or what ever catches our eye , George by your side and Miggs on mine , perfect ! It rained most of yesterday the temps are very mild this morning it snowed but very light and now the sun is almost out and snow is melting and dripping every where . Thanks for sharing . Have a good day !

RURAL said...

I like that you refer to the other day as the prize of the weekend. We are in very cold temps..and they promised us sunshine. Well, we had one absolutely glorious day...I would like to relive that day, over and over again...and maybe I will during the cold cloudy days following it.

Stay warm, keep taking your lovely shots of birds.

Jen

Chrissykat said...

I have ALWAYS loved your bird photos but never so much as now. We moved a few months ago & I no longer have any birds. I miss them so much. Your photos are bird therapy for me.

Ela said...

Beautiful photos of the birds
Greetings

Karen thisoldhouse2.com said...

Love the wing shots!... you do this well :-)


Kerri Farley said...

My favorite kind of post .... the one with birdies in it :)
Absolutely beautiful captures!

Ellen said...

Lovely post. I always love your bird pictures.

I so miss hanging out the wash. Allergies prevent it, but there is nothing like climbing into bed with sheets fresh from the outdoors.

Happy February.

Debbie From Illinois said...

I would love to be able to hang the sheets on the line outside but I would have to drudge through two feet of snow! The snow just keeps piling up, just too cold for it to melt.

Once again, the birds are lovely!!! I put suet out this weekend and the woodpeckers are so happy.

beth said...

during the week, i still always feel like i need a plan, but our weekends are a free for all, wide open, loosey goosey and then some :)

love your birds :)
xoxo

thecatalanway said...

Love 'loosey goosey'!

I am one of those people who likes to not have a plan! Of course I do have them and some structures but I get panicky if I don't have enough days for pottering or just doing as I please. I love the feeling of a quiet day and a big space around me - it gets me to sit down and paint or read or write. But I was thinking only yesterday that a lot of people I know don't have lives like this - I know because if I ring them up they are always busy or just about to do something or they are out! But I am one of those people who are often in if someone wants to drop by. Sometimes I wonder if I need to get out more!

I never heard of a tufted titmouse before you - now it is one of my favourite birds - only through your blog. Thank you dear Kate

alphabet soup said...

The blue ribbon today goes to the top (in every sense of the word) photo of the tufted titmouse.

Ms Soup

June said...

Loved these shots of your feathery visitors Kate. Yep, it sure has done a lot of snowing where you are this winter. We usually have about 3 feet on the ground by now here in the mountains of Idaho and we don't even have an inch. Higher up in the mountains we have about a foot. This is getting serious here...but I'm still hoping we will get some of the white stuff yet.

it's me said...

Such great bird photos --always love when you catch the action.

Clothes on the line--used to enjoy hanging them and the fragrance when I brought them in--considering putting a line up again.

Nice quote about the bones of winter--took a few photos today as I noticed the bones of the trees.

barbara l. hale said...

Lovin' your birdy pics!

Bluebird49 said...

I love ALL the birds, but I have to smile a bit more for the chickadee--they're soooo cute! My neighbor hung out clothes until she passed away in her 80s--she only used the dryer if she had to. The rain last night about washed away our snow--I hope we get a little more snow--I love it, and hate to see it go, but I don't have to get out in it, so I understand some people's feelings about it.
Thanks so much for the Wyeth quote--how I love that man and his art--what a talented family.
Have a good week, Kate!

~Pam~ said...

Love all of your gorgeous photos!!

Have a great Monday.
:)

Jeanne Walker said...

Your photographs are always awesome, but these of the birds are particularly so. Have a blessed week at work, my friend!

Sabrina Steyling said...

Beautiful photos! But too much snow. I'm so done, but yes, I heard the forecast. Both my father and I have off from work tomorrow so it's not going to be much of an inconvenience, although I had planned on getting a much-needed haircut so I might do that regardless.

Cloudia said...

Cardinals ARE skittish, aren't they!
Being so bright and visible might do that to one.

Yes, mundane tasks organize our time leaving our mind and soul free to wander and heal.....

Nice photos. Enjoy your days



ALOHA from Honolulu
Comfort Spiral

=^..^= <3

Marianne said...

While I have hung clothes on the line when it was 110 degrees plus (they dry so fast that you can take them right down again!), I have never hung clothes outside in the snow. Your bird photos are great.

Lee Owenby said...

Great photos as always. I follow you on Facebook also, but photos look so much better on your blogger page.

The JR said...

We started getting heavy sleet on Tues. that turned to snow. Was a nightmare mess!

Beautiful pictures.

It rained all day yesterday.

Daryl said...

i agree .. its winter its more likely it will snow than it will be spring-like PLUS February is usually far snowier than any other winter month ... whiners need to move south and/or get over it

Nancy said...

I couldn't help but laugh when you used "loosey goosey"....My grandmother used to use this term for an upset stomach...She would ask us do you have the loosey goosies.....hahahah
On a more serious note...your shots are just awesome. They are so pretty one can just hear them singing away....

thotlady said...

I agree with Wyeth, I prefer winter and fall too.

Unknown said...

All lovely....thank you for sharing.....smiles!

Lili said...

I have two questions 1) did your sheets freeze? and 2) what did that tufted titmouse have in his claws from the good stuff feeder? I think I want some too. Your shots of the birds are glorious as usual! xo

Anonymous said...

Seriously...what a lovely day. We should all be more loosey goosey!

Hilary said...

Love the bird chickadee on the wing. I love those little guys. They're the most fearless among our winter birds.

Lisa Gordon said...

These are gorgeous photographs, Kate!

sharon said...

love the third pic of the titmouse holding a piece of food. very nice camera lens. we received snow today, I was so hoping to stay home but it was not enough to make a mess. Dang it! I want enough snow to make a mess!

Tiggeriffic said...

I love hanging my sheets outside.. They smell so good when you climb into bed at bedtime.. sniff sniff I can smell them now..
That black capped chick a dee dee looks just like the one I thawed out couple weeks ago...They are such a flighty bird and their songs are a treat to hear... Won't be long and we will be hearing all male birds belting out their love songs to their mates.. can hardly wait~!
Lots of snow here in Iowa::good thing I love snow as we have lots...it's 12 degrees right now (4p.m.) sunny and the birds are attacking the birdfeeders like they always do before the sun sets..
Ta ta for now from Iowa:) You are Tiggeriffic~!~!

Andi said...

I love the process of hanging laundry and the beauty of it hanging there. It is very therapeutic for me. I know it is winter, and it snows, but we have had more of our share up here! One on top of the other.....

Unknown said...

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Uhu work said...
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mrs mediocrity said...

I'm trying, really hard, not to whine about winter... and some days I am better at it than others. Your bird photos always make me smile, and these are no exception.

And, I have secretly been wanting a clothesline for the past few years. I just don't have a good place to put one. Maybe someday.

The sun has been out here for the past few days, it's a blessing.

Georgianna said...

I do love your bird photos, Kate!! And what an interesting quote – sheds light on Wyeth's work, I think.

Even when it's raining, I still prefer to hang the clothes to dry. Inside, of course. :)

GailO said...

I've been waiting so long for a sunny day to hang out the sheets on the line it is getting a bit embarrassing and I may just have to wash them and dry in the dryer...which I hate!

forgetmenot said...

Beautiful shots of the birds. Something quite calming and peaceful about sitting in the snow quietly and capturing the beauty of the season. Mickie :)

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