my colourful world for mellow yellow Monday

Seeing the world through cellopane wrap. While driving home today, eating candies wrapped in colouredcellopane , I decided to experiment and placed the cellopane over my lens to use as a fulter. I liked the results. The drab wet woodsy world surrounding me brightened up considerably. I had already eaten enough candies or I would have experimented with more colours. Another day I guess. To learn more about mellow yellow and to posts by others or to post your own contibution, just click on the mellow yellow icon on the right hand side bar. Happy Monday to all.

Wingprints in the snow

Transitory wings gave flight to hopeful dreams as I lie on the snow spreading my arms in imagery flight, an impression of a snowy wish. If I had wings...

Wing prints in the snow

stir my imagination

reading a tale of pursuit and flight

a transient record in the snow.

Pounce!

Finding the Excitement of the New Year revisited

Last evening, the same as a year ago we were treated to a wonderful, exciting, colouful display of foreworks ;One photo of which is shown above. The red explosion to the left was taken one year ago.: This neighbourly display is an annual event.

This is a post which I posted on January 2, 2009, just a year ago this morning. Last year on January 2nd I had written :

" I found myself searching through my photo archives for something appropriate that might recognize the new year with an explosive sort of welcome, for the view from my window had afforded only the commonest of winter visitors, searching for sustenance upon a wind blown, rough edged, tattered looking wintry landscape.

But then, with the early morning light of another cold, below freezing dawn, while reviewing my photos taken yesterday through my window I started to see the explosion of colour I had been searching for. Not the kind that lights up the night sky in an explosive display of immediacy, to then fade to nothingness. But, within my photos I found the enduring kind, the kind of colour that shares and spreads its beauty throughout the year, sometimes changing its hues and patterns with the seasons while adjusting to the intricate cycles and demands of nature. I was taken by surprise when I noticed an American Goldfinch displaying such a strong intensity of yellow among the trees. Goldfinch display a variety of shades and hues, changes being brought about by their stages of breeding and non-breeding cycles and their maturity being a factor influencing their appearance also, but this golden one yesterday seemed to be shouting of spring and optimism with what appeared to me to be a flamboyance of colour. Have you ever really looked at an American Tree Sparrow in detail? We are fortunate to have these little northern sparrows winter in our region and I find them an absolute visual delight to study. They have two distinctive markings which separate them easily from other sparrows. Their bill is bi coloured and they have a dark little spot centered on their breast. If you are at all inclined to sketching or painting these little sparrows just seem to urge one to get out your art supplies. The unusual pose of the photo below reminds me of a positioning Audubon might have used for one of his watercolours.
The contrast of black and white patterns are always striking and in winter they are especially so, standing out against the winter white landscape. I find much beauty in the winter plumage of a Starling and the Wood- peckers that frequent our feeders are fascinating to study in their detailed patterning. The additional red on the back of the head of a male Hairy or Downy Woodpecker is an added flair to a bird already feathered with much beauty.This photo above of this Downy Woodpecker might at first appear confusing but I have enlarged a portion of its side view and the red dash on its head. Look at all the possibilities for stitching or sketching or just doodling with a sketch pad and pencil!

Well, there you have it; my explosive greeting to the New Year!! Isn't it all so wonderful!! What ever the shapes, the sizes, the colours, the patterns ..... its out there, waiting to be discovered. Happy New Year everyone.

If you keep a green bough in your heart,
the singing bird will come... an ancient Chinese proverb"

Tomorrow's post might be a bit different in nature. Our region is expecting quite a winter storm. We have both snow and wind warnings. Snow is expected between 20 to 40 cm. and winds from 90 km/hour up to 120 km per hour. I think we had best get our grocery shopping done early today! and I shall fill my bird feeders really full.

Happy New Year.

May the beauty and tranquility of this scene find peace and happines in your heart at the close of this year. Several years ago when we lived at this location shown in this photo it was a New Year'sEve tradition for my husband and children to go for a walk in this snowy meadow to welcome the New Year. May the peace and tranquility of the memories of those earlier years message across the miles . The kind elderly man who owned the meadow was referred to by my children as Grampy. May the memories of those New YearEve walks in Grampy's meadow renew peaceful feelings and happiness as we enter this New Year with hope and optimism that 2010 will prove to be a better year than 2009.

Sreetlight on snow for mellow yellow Monday

There is no warmth from this yellow light scene, there is just the beauty to enjoy This photo was taken on a cold winter'snight . But I feel optimistic today."If winter comes, can spring be far behind?This is my favourite line from Percy Bysse Shelley's"Ode To The West Wind" Happy Mellow Yellow to all! The complementary colours of purple and yellow in the photo remind me of the promise of Easter, a season of rebirth and spring.

Winter in the Woods, Oh Deer!

Ater the Snowstorm

This statusstorm was more than a few shovelfuls. It definitely was a heavy equipment snowstorm. Next, we must bundle up and venture outside to clean off our vehicles. " brrr." The street looks good: black and clear, making it possible for us to plan on doing some Christmas Day visiting tomorrow. We are having Christmas dinner tonight so the festive days are definitely beginning A sunny day is forecast for tomorrow and the next few days! Hopefully this storm system has rid itself of all of its snow by now. All the best of the season to all. Have a safe and Merry Christmas! Hopefully some little northern bird visitors will make themselves known to me today in Bird Alley.

Northern Shrike today

Today has been and still is a very snowy day, fulfilling the weatherman's winter storm warning prediction of up to 25 cm of snow for today!making our trees in Bird Alley a winter wonderland scene! Whwn "lo and behold", much to my surprise I saw a handsome first winter sighting of a Northern Shrike in our trees in Bird Alley. Thses pictures are from an old 2007 photo file but they show the bird and trees exactly as how they looked today. The only action we saw from this predataor was of it flyingabout from branch to branch,. Th only other birds we saw today were little Tree Sparrrows and Goldfnch. I'm wondering where all the little Redpolls are?Tomorrow will be a very busy day digging our vehicles out from under all this snow!

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A ANorthern Cardinal for Ruby Tuesday

This Northern Cardinal is very beautiful and seasonal but yet its not a recent photo. Cardinals are rather infrequent visitors to Bird Alley but it is always a special occasion when I do catch a glimpse of one among our trees. We have not fared too badly from the recent snowstorms that visited the New England coast. The bare street I see outside my window gives me an invitation to venture out today to get my Christmas shopping done. I have been having big computer problems recently so have not got around much with individual season greetings and wishes. So I wish all a very happy and safe holiday and extend all the best wishes of the season to you all for a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. Thasnk you to all for your support during the past yera. Ann

To check out other postings on Ruby Tuesday just click on the Ruby logo on the side bar. My appreciative thanks to Mary/the teach for hosting this meme.

Spider Web for OSI

This is an old, but favourite photo of mine, of morning mist beaded upon a spider web.

I caught a glimpse
of nature's jewels
beaded on a web so fine
these translucent crystals
these watery orbs
their transitory beauty was mine!

This post was created in response to the word, 'spider web', which is this week's prompt at One Single Impression. For more poetry on this theme please visit the hosting site
.

Chickadee outside my window for Camera Critters

A little Black-capped Chickadee is always a welcome sight outside my winfow. Its soft pastel breast colouring adds a gentle tone to the view of cold snow and harsh black of the ever popular peanut feeder.

My appreciative thanks to Misty for hosting this site. To see other participant's photo contributions just click HERE or on the Camera Critters logo on the side panel

GreySquirrel for Monochromne Weekley

Thr black and white format enhances the natural colour of this grey Squirrel outside of my window!
The theme for this meme is monochrome, no colour. to learn more about this theme or to maybe post your own contributionplease click here.

At the end of the day for Skywatch Friday

At the end of day for Skywatch Friday

The street lights have come on, workers are returning home for the night and the sky suggests it still may continue to storm as it has earlier today
Happy skywatch Friday to all. My appreciative thanks to Sandy, Klaus, Ivar, Wren and Fishing Guyand Louise for hosting Sky Watch Friday

MyWinter Bird Wish List: Tree Sparrow

I have been waiting for this little species: 5 American Tree Sparrows visited Bird Alley today To see what other species I am waiting for, you can see my winter bird wish list at the top of the right hand coloumn on this page. I will include the date when I first see each species

Streams freezing over for Watery Wednesday

A quick drive over my area this morning looking for winter birds revealed very few birds to me.tho I did see two Pileated Woodpeckers in flight. What I did see was the effects of our colder snowy weather and the influence it was having upon our streams. Many of them were showing signs of freezing over. There is a beauty to the patterns of freezing ice beginning at the banks of streams and then accumulating width inwards towards the middle of the streams as the freezing process progresses.I thought these would be appropriate for Watery Wednesday's theme.
The theme of Watery Wednesday is water; for a wonderful variety of watery scenes from other bloggers around the world, just click on its name.


Above the Merancy Stream

above: The Little Yoho stream

Minature strawberry tea set for Ruby Tuesday

Out of season you might think," yes , maybe," but it is the season of giving and I have a sweet little two year old grandaughter who loves strawberries and serving me pretend tea and when I bought this tiny ornamental tea set I thought of her. but it looks too realistic and I think it will stay in my china cabinet until she is older. the strawberries look too realistic and yummy. They might be too tempting to her. In the picture below you can see the little sugar bowl is rather bitesize, so I will continue on with my plan of making her her own personalized ABC book and include a picture of the tea set for" S is for strawberries"


To check out other postings on Ruby Tuesday just click on the Ruby logo on the side bar. My appreciative thanks to Mary/the teach for hosting this meme.

Snow today, still on the ground

Our snow covered ground this morning has prompted this winter memory for me:

piecing together
computerized visual art
fragments from my mind

Remembering the brief rapture of stolen moments
between after school chores and suppertime

cold wind on my face
exhilaration of speed
sliding memories

rushing headlong, down the snowy hill
climbing up again, only to fly downward once more
each time the upward climb becoming slower and s l o w e r

then the call to supper

with red rosy cheeks and chaffed wrists
from snow clotted mittens
we would rush indoors to the parlor wood stove
remove our felts from snow clogged boots
and hang our melton snow pants nearby to dry
in readiness for another winter's day



note; I have posted a link to my daughter, Riel's new blog at the top of the right hand column.

Rainbow Curves for Photo Hunter

some of the most interesting curves nature throws us comes with the shape of a bird's bill, the curved turtle's dome, the beautiful curve on hilly slopes, but by far the most beautiful natural curves displayed in nature are those of a rainbow arched in the sky after a gentle summer rain.

Some of you might remember my daughter, Riel, who was my guest blogger while I was ill earlier this year. Riel's NEW blog can be foundHERE


For more photos on this weeks theme of 'curves just click on Photo Hunter or you many click on the icon in the side bar. My thanks to tnchick for hosting this site. Happy Photo Hunting to all! just click on Photo Hunter or you many click on the icon in the side bar. My thanks to tnchick for hosting this site. Happy Photo Hunting to all

A Sepia kind of day for sepia scenes

It was a seepia kind of day, you know like rainy, seeping wet! Colourless, damp and misty, like foggy in the distance. It was much better than a white kinda day which we must accept will be Falling on us someday soon. brrr.... Rather a nice sort of' stay at home day 'to launch a new blog'. Some of you might remember my daughter, Riel, who was my guest blogger while I was ill earlier this year. Riel's NEW blog can be foundHERE.
Sepia Scenes is a meme hosted by Mary/the Teach and it offers the opportunity to share with others; beautiful scenes in sepia tones.Just click on the badge on the side bar to view what others have posted in sepia for today.