A Brief Interlude

 While I write the story of the day we saw seven jaguars in the Brazilian Pantanal and prepare the photos that go with this remarkable day, I want to show you what things look like around here this snowy December.

It began several weeks ago with a three-foot snowfall.   Along with that snowfall came a two-day power outage due to trees falling onto transmission lines.

Snow level on the deck is almost as high as. the rails.

Took me a couple days to get rid of all this snow so I could fill the bird feeders.

Those orange markers are 42" high.

Where to put all that snow?

Driveway with the phone line hanging low.

Steller's Jay in the snow

Thanksgiving cactus bursting into bloom.

After we dug ourselves out from that, a warm front moved in, along with wind, and knocked all the snow off the trees.  However, that same storm dropped wet snow that froze onto the tree branches, and everything else, and once again the trees looked like they were flocked.

This was different, though.   That frozen base could not be knocked off  by the weight of more snow.   A couple more storms brought more powder snow and viola!  

Black-capped chickadee.

Downy Woodpecker at the suet block.

Steller's jay with a mouthful of peanut butter.

Black-billed magpie with a face full  of snow sits on the window sill of the upper windows.

Pine grosbeak.   I was a little concerned that she was here by herself for several days.

Then a flock of five came by and I thought she'd leave with them.   But no.   One stayed WITH HER!

Hairy woodpecker, larger than the Downy woodpeckers.

We now have a beautiful snow-covered landscape.   I've been out taking photos around the area to commemorate the occasion.

The view from my loft window.

Driving up to my house with branches overhanging the driveway,

Driveway

The hood of my pickup is at the bottom.   Look how low the phone lines are hanging.

Mist over Tern Lake.

Front of my house.

View from my loft.

Looking east from the highway.

I'll have more snow photos before I get back to the Brazil Journals.

In the meantime, wishing you a Merry Christmas from the snow globe.