Tuesday, April 01, 2008


Not able to go walking yet, I have to be content watching nature from my yard or on days like this, from my window. On Saturday my sister discovered an ermine or weasel outside the window in front of where I'm sitting. I've been watching it ever since. In just that few days it is becoming less white and more brown, like rabbits do seasonally. The weasel is carrying meadow voles or big field mice, as they are most commonly known, through snow burrows to a spot under a slab of ice that formed just outside the window from snow falling off the roof. The voles are larger in mass, I believe than the weasel. The weasel is longer but the vole is much bigger around. Amazing I say, as this skinny little fellow jumps up, runs, jumps up and runs - over and over, looking all around, until he gets to the slab of ice and hurries underneath. He has three exit holes. Kenz was sniffing around them on Saturday, the aroma of field mouse making her very interested, I'm sure.

I see a beautiful fox here every couple of days. He comes up to this window too, that aroma coming from the den drawing him too. It would be hard for any animal to break through the ice so he's patiently waiting for thaw and a big cache to feast on. My son saw him on the deck a while back, watching Kenz sleeping on the back of her chair. The raccoons who are regulars started coming around a month ago. They broke the glass out of the bird feeders and ate through the bungee cords that held the feeder on to the deck. I'm putting it away until next year when, as usual, I will replace the glass and set it out for another winter of bird watching.

Speaking of birds, I've had flocks of fifty or more cedar waxwings and thirty or so robins eating fallen apples under the apple trees. Yesterday there was a male Hairy Woodpecker on one of the trees and he's a regular visitor. Flocks of starlings are still landing in the pastures around me. It seems as they may not have flown south at all. These are some photos on the Shutterchance blog that I posted of these starling murmurations. On the first one you can see there are as many on the ground as in the sky.

I think I said not long ago how I love Blossom Dearie. She does such great arrangements and her phrasing is about perfect. Both Try Your Wings and It Amazes Me are two songs that show this to a T. It Amazes Me is a very nice example of her excellent piano work. I think I stated on the blog a year or so ago that she is still performing and according to the Wiki article linked at her name above, "Dearie has continued to perform in clubs. As one of the last remaining supper club performers, she still performs regular engagements in London and New York City." Wow!

12 comments:

Anonymous said...

The weasel carrying the vole/mouse reminds me of whn O used to carry us around, when she was seven or eight years old. She was always a strong one..

-A

Kat said...

Cuidado,
I too am a Blossom Dearie fan. I heard one of her songs and was hooked. I thought, at first, with a name like Blossom Dearie she had to be from the 1940's. I was quite surprised when I learned more.

Ralph said...

Cuidado, I've always heard about huge flocks of cedar waxwings--they gather to the south of us, in Richmond, Va., and now I learn they gather up there, too! I know by their pictures they are beautifuo birds, but I've never seen one. Maybe in Delaware....I know they like to be where fruit is. I'll have to plant a tree, I guess.

Tx for the Blossom.

nan said...

What a lovely photograph! I hope you are recovering well and will soon be out walking with a spring in your step and spring in the air!

Cuidado said...

Oh A, you make me laugh with that memory. She still picks me up and carries me around. We will see this summer if she can still do it to you and J.

Cuidado said...

Kat, The first time I heard her was, Surrey With The Fringe On Top. I was hooked and it remains one of my favorite songs to this day.

Cuidado said...

Ralph, I have over a dozen ancient, organic apple trees that they and the robins love. Here is a photo of waxwings in the apple blossoms:
http://cre8ive1.blogspot.com/2007/06/last-day-off.html

June 10th '07 on this blog if that doesn't work.

Cuidado said...

Nan, I am a hiker who does long hikes every week and sometimes several times a week. When I can go on my regular 8 km. hike, I know I'm recovered. Right now I'm thinking of a half km at the end of the week if it is ok with the specialist who I see on Thurs. I'm itching to get out with my camera.

Ralph said...

That's a gorgeous picture!

Ocean said...

hahaha, I can still pick yas all up, I can even pick dad up. hahahaha, I was always strong though.

Cuidado said...

Thanks, Ralph. It;s through the window.

Cuidado said...

Ocean, smell isn't everything! LOLOL