early march

_LME9788A meteor pierces Orion.

Willow and I set out to try and spot zodiacal light. False dusk as it is sometimes referred to. We sat on an eastern ridge. Unfortunately, the light from the valley bottom interfered. We did the only logical thing, headed higher and around, trying to put a range of mountains between us and the light of town. It can be tricky in the snow. Willow was happy with our new perch looking towards Orion. She caught a whiff or sound earlier that made her uneasy, started her barking and tighten the perimeter. In a world that shifts it is lucky to have such a trustworthy companion. Perhaps she was only barking at Orion’s dog Sirius, warning, ‘You are not so big.’

CRW_0023Female Red Crossbill

Earlier in the day I took some lovely pictures of a Hairy Woodpecker beating on a rotten birch. It was pounding the bark off and getting at the frozen bugs hiding in the punky wood. I would have posted a picture or two here if I hadn’t forgot to put a memory card in the camera.

CRW_0025Winter Starlings ducking the chill

The last week we have had snow, cold temperatures and also brilliant days that stay cold but feel warm from the sun higher in the sky. It feels good to be getting some shovelling and plowing in. I took a selfie of myself (strange indeed) with my cell phone. From sweating and breathing deep my hair and beard was covered in frost and my nose had a perfect icicle hanging off it. I thought it was hilarious! Lisa and my daughters said it was gross. Still it seemed only proper that I share it, so I sent it to my grandson Cooper via his mom’s phone. He thought it was very funny and asks his Mom regularly to see the photo over and over again.

CRW_0011Facing skyward

March brings spring. The other day I saw my first spider of the year and it was a dandy! I got home from work after a long shift of shovelling and sweating and headed for the shower. I shed my toque, glasses, boots and clothes. Before I stepped into the soothing shower, there on the bathroom floor was a spider at least an inch across. Luckily it wasn’t moving fast, probably from having just woken up, but it was moving, each leg stretching, it was only a matter of time before it regained it’s strength and ran down the drain or up my leg! Naked, and feeling it, I grabbed my glasses and a boot to protect myself. Once my glasses were on and I could see clearly I realized the spider was only a ball of black lint, it’s movement caused from a draft under the door. I felt doubly foolish coming to the realization the lint that looked like a giant spider had fallen from my belly button while undressing.

It seems like the entire winter was packed into February. March brings spring.

_LME9793Fir, Spruce, Tamarack, Cancer and the Beehive

8 thoughts on “early march

  1. Jim R

    Good try at seeing the zodiacal light. No chance of it for me here. Too many man-made lights. I’d have to drive to the next county or two.

    I watched the Canadian astronaut on ISS be the first to enter the SpaceX Dragon 2 capsule this morning. It is a big deal to have that become operational. It will mean not being 100% dependent on the Russians for human space travel.

    You can always count on little kids to enjoy gross and snot and boogars and farts. Cooper came through.

    Like

    1. Jim R

      One more thing…when Melanie shampoos her hair, she gets a few long hairs on her fingers. She sticks them to the shower wall and twirls her finger around to wrap up the hairs. They look like big spiders or something nasty when I see them out the corner of my eye.

      Like

    1. underswansea

      We have a few nasty spiders. My nieghbour was bit by one and he was sick for a year. If you are ever out this way I will take you up that mountain. It’s not as bad as it looks. Take care.

      Like

    1. underswansea

      Nice to hear from you Julie. I used to even take pictures without film on occasion. we can see signs of spring here so you must be heading into fall. I am sure you are harvesting plenty of veggies. Take care. Bob

      Liked by 1 person

Leave a comment