This is what greeted me when I got up this morning
and it continued to snow for another three hours or so. The rain gauge showed two inches but it seemed more like an inch and a half on the ground. I’ve seen enough snow down here in my lifetime to not have any desire to go out in it, only to refill the bird feeder and take the dog out who won’t go out in it without me. Later I’ll have to go across the street to feed the cats and try and entice them into the shed with food for the rest of the day and night. The only good thing is that the low has been revised upward from 12˚ to 19˚.
Snow here used to be a rare event and when we do get some it’s usually only an inch or two. My first experience with snow was when I was 10 in 1960 when we got a little over 4” of snow. I was home sick from school that day but my mother, after lots of begging and pleading, bundled me up and let me go out and play in it. The next time was about an inch in 1968, then another snowfall in 1973. I remember that one because I was still married to the Rat Bastard and we had been in Chicago visiting his family and convinced some friends of ours, who were sick of the snow and harsh winters of Chicago, to move back to Texas with us as we lived in a two bedroom house. On their second day here we burst into their bedroom waking them up. They couldn’t believe we woke them up to come look at 2” of snow when they had just moved to get away from snow. Snowed in 1989 and again in 1994 (these are the only years a search turned up between 1973 and 2004) but from 2004 and this year it has snowed six times; 2004, 2008, 2009, 2017, 2021, 2025; so it’s definitely getting more frequent.
I filled the bird feeder around 5 PM yesterday and I have filled it twice more already today. There’s been a big flock of brown headed cowbirds (at least I think that’s what they are) the first I have seen on the feeder this winter and the snow must really be confusing them reflecting in the glass because they keep flying into the window and the glass in the door. Besides the brown headed cowbirds the cardinals, sparrows, chickadees, titmice, house finches, goldfinches, white wing doves, little warblers, bluejays are all vying for space on the feeder. They’re all puffed up. A little warbler just fought off two much larger cardinals.
Major drama right outside your window. Love the tiny feet.
ReplyDeleteCodex: Alright stubborn Ellen. Please listen. This might freeze overnight. Whatever concrete path you take, I'm assuming you have no snow shovels, if you have any kitty litter or sand sprinkle it for traction. This is a sprinkling of snow for me but you're not used to it.
ReplyDeleteIf you care about those birds put something up on the glass so they know it's a barrier. Cut out some dark shapes, tape it with something you can remove easily. Birds don't just stun themselves, they can break their necks. Told you to bring the cats in.
I feel for you. I hate snow and I hope it's gone soon.
ReplyDeleteThey do look like Brown-headed Cowbirds but there’s not quite enough definition to be sure.
ReplyDeleteEnjoy your snow. Daylight is longer every day and soon it will be DST.
ReplyDelete