Poodles in Winter...........

My poodles enjoy the snow in small doses. They get cold quickly because they have short hair. This year they have not needed their coats. They lay on a pile of blankets with a heater under it all. The cat still spends a good part of the day outside but comes in for a long nap in the warm (on a heating vent) but still insists on going out. Sometimes she goes out with the poodles.

Its hard to tell Brea and Bella apart unless they are next to each other. So this is one of them and Bijou (white) out for their morning constitution. Its probably Brea because those two are thick as thieves when it comes to going outside

Bodicea thinking of coming back in. She hates the steps.


Bella thinking of going back to have a bark with the others.



Defiance.......me yelling "Get your fuzzy butt back in here" Bijou saying "What?"


Three packages of trouble



Then to settle down for a nap



So this event took place a few days ago.







Cats can be so cruel..............

I am linking this with My Romantic Home Show and Tell Friday

Also linking with Camera Critters.............thanks to the host

Guardians......................

Guardians


Angels guard us as we sleep.
When we stumble Angels weep.
They walk with us throughout our day
Sit with us while we pray.
When the little children died,
All the Angels in heaven cried.
Evil hearts do evil things
This much sorrow to heaven brings.
God gave us a perfect land
What man has done, I don't understand.
We were made by God's own hand
Told us to guard and protect the land
The birds and beasts were in our care
We had a perfect world to share.
Now we mock we plunder and kill
not just for food but for the thrill.
God will not forever wait
Someday soon He will wipe the slate.
A new heaven and a new earth
Just for those who proved their worth
Then we all can live in peace
All the hate and horror will cease.
© JKS 2013




Sharing my poem with Keeping it simple at Motivate me Monday

Sharing with Inspire me Monday, create with Joy

Traverse City in winter......................

sometimes I see the most remarkable pictures on our local websites.(These pictures courtesy of the Glen Arbor website and the Traverse City one) This is my town in winter. A few things people do when it snows..........






This is a place of wonderful natural beauty. No point in looking at the town really,its a town like any other. Maybe more peaceful than most, but that is changing. Its growing and with that comes all the other stuff.
Here is the lighthouse out on the Peninsula all done up for Christmas


Point Betsy looks a little bleak.


I don't know why but I love this picture



The beaches are clear of people and if the roads are oK its wonderful to walk along them.



If the roads are not good. Well we stay home




So you wonder why the power goes out? Actually, here in town it seldom does. The trees sometimes come down because some trees are really old.




We are one of the top 10 destinations for winter sports. This is the VASA race.



Downtown in winter is pretty



Bummer.......our quiet town is busy all year now thanks to Good Morning America we are not the top destination for summer and so the "fudgies" dont go home anymore. Good for local business and thats why we need snow whether I want it or not. It is pretty............but......sigh!!!!!!

Linking up with Our World Tuesday with thanks to the host
Linking also with Timewashed Blissful Whites Wednesday

Birds of a Feather.........

Today is bitter cold and a new dusting of snow. The squirrels came in a herd it seems. Spent a lot of time waving stuff out the windows and chasing them away so the birds could feed.
Mr and Mrs C came in and a couple of Blue Jays but mostly the Chickadees. The squirrels kept most away. I am going to have to do something about that. Get something to scare them. I wonder what they do not like in the way of noise. Hmmmmmmm.
Well I did manage a few pictures. So here are a few for today. The dried up Hydrangea still looks beautiful








A few seeds left for birds.




Here she is, a bit worried about the squirrels and plotting their demise.



Plotting from a different angle...........


The Blue Jay got in after I scrammed the squirrels






So here is Mr C who came looking for Mrs



The same birds come every day. Some days I am lucky to see someone different. The squirrels have passed the news and I think every one of them within a block or two come to check out the feeders. When I scram them they run in all directions along the wires and over tree tops. They are soon back though.

Linking up with NatureFootstep meme........Thank you for hosting.

Linking with Our world Tuesday....and to the hosts Happy new year.

Sugar Plums...........

My garden is not cooperating so to heck with it.......we will talk about Sugar Plums seeing as I already did my other two blogs today.
Have you ever really wondered what they are. Sugar Plums? Well.......I am about to tell you. In a way they do belong here because it is, in a round about way to do with fruit. Dried fruit to be exact.



In our day and age we know more about the sugar plum fairy......



We read about them every Christmas......"The children were tucked all safe in their beds while visions of sugar plums danced in their heads"



Meanwhile what are sugar plums then?





So now you know. Dried fruits and other goodies, that back in the very ancient past were readily available as they are now.....I think I might make these next year.




sharing this with How sweet the sound and Pink Saturday.


Also sharing with Alderberry Hill at Make the scene Monday...........thank you for the party Sarah.


Linking with Masterpiece Monday............at Boogieboard Cottage.


Linking up with Inspire me Monday.............

Nothing going on in the garden.......nothing.
Mr Cardinal was in today. It was so cold outside. I just didn't get out there, nothing to see or do. I yelled out the window a couple of times at the squirrels. Why the hell arent they hibernating?



Sorry this is boring. I am boring myself. They are cute though. No one special stopped by.




The poodles lay on the heating pad and slept. Yawn!!!!!



Maybe I will move on to other news.............another post
Linking with Our World Tuesday.

Stormy Bird friends..............

We cleared off the feeders and had a lot of activity today, The Cardinals must have stuffed themselves yesterday, either that or I just missed them. The Tufted Titmouse came back. One of my favourites he is soooooo cute.



The woodpecker decided to spend some time actually working on the tree, probably just waiting for a turn. His head is blurry because it was jackhammering on the tree




The usual visitors, the Chickadees come in families. They are so small I worry about them. Their feathers are fluffed but I bet they really have to huddle to keep warm. I wish they could come inside for the winter. I would take care of all of them.



The House finches flocked in today.





They are male and female and some are yellow.


Some are shy and some are bold



Here is the bad kid



There were 7 here yesterday. They love the walnuts

linking with Our world Tuesday

Mr Cardinal......

Mr Cardinal came today and it was snowing. He sure shows up nice against the snow. We are supposed to get a real winter storm tonight through tomorrow. We shall see what happens. Meanwhile I put out a lot of food, but the squirrels are still out eating their hearts out instead of sleeping. Darn things. Well, they are cute but...........I want bird pictures and I missed the Tufted Titmouse this morning.


The other pretty visitor today



The Red Bellied Woodpecker. No idea why its called that? I do not see a red belly only a red head. He is becoming a regular visitor. There were two small woodpeckers this morning but I didn't get pictures because the dogs were outside at the time.

Linking up with Mosaic Monday at the Little Red House.
I have missed joining up with Mosaic Monday so I am glad to be back.

I am linking up with Paying ready intention

A Few Birds.................

Not much is happening outside. The snow has about gone. Its been raining the last couple of days. I have been filling the bird feeders constantly but the darn squirrels have been raiding them. I put out a load of old walnuts and they have loved them. These are a few birds I saw today. The Cardinals are so bright that they are hard to miss.



He was sitting in the tree for quite awhile. The next time I looked he was at the feeder since the squirrel had left.


His Mrs was in the bush and on the ground. She didn't seem to want to come to the feeder.



The Mourning Doves are always around somewhere and hard to spot when on the ground. They blend in really well.



If I had gone outside I could have got some pictures of the pansies that are still blooming and there are still a few mums out there. Nothing great to take pictures of though.