Bug - Flower Blooming - Sit Spot #703 - December 31, 2020

Box Elder Bug

appeared on my desk this morning

then moved on . . . somewhere

Hairy Bittercress

first seen this year on January 1, 2020

last seen December 31, 2020

and many days in-between

December 31, 2020 10:30 a.m.

Sit 703  : Brush Pile W : Cloudy 

-1° (-6°) SW 19-29 kph  74 % humidity 

Crows,

(Traffic noises),

(Jet  - Southwest Airlines flight 8501...),

Extras:

5:30 a.m. - Boxelder bug on desk,

Along the Trails - 

Donkey braying,

Rooster Crowing,

White-breasted Nuthatch,

Very slippery ice & snow,

Lots of noise from walking on ice & snow,

Rabbit,

Crows,

Downy Woodpecker,

House Sparrow,

Hairy Bittercress still blooming,

Kitchen Window and Bird Feeder - 

Blue Jays,

Cardinals,

Chickadees,

Goldfinches,

Red-breasted Nuthatches,

White-breasted Nuthatches,

Black Squirrels,

Red Squirrel.

Photo Site #7 - 

Sunrise Time from 2nd Floor Window

Postcard - Tracks - Sit Spot #702 - December 30, 2020

One of Five Postcards

sent to a North Dakota Seniors Home

as part of a postcard project

Rabbit Tracks in Snow

headed north (up)

The front paws hit first (1, 2)  & 

the back paws 2nd (3-4) ahead of the front paws

for the next leap

December 30, 2020 10:05 a.m.

Sit 702  : Brush Pile W  : Cloudy with light rain 

0° (-4°) SE 11-17 kph  74% humidity 

light rain on tarp,

(Traffic noises),

(Jet  - FedEx Express flight 1491...),

Extras:

Along the trails  -

Donkey braying,

Rooster crowing,

Crows,

Many new deer tracks in snow,

Rabbit tracks,

Squirrel tracks,

Crunching of fresh snow underfoot,

Chickadees,

Blue Jays,

Kitchen Window and Bird Feeder - 

Chickadees,

White-breasted Nuthatches,

Black Squirrels,

Grey Squirrels.

Photo Site #2 - East Willow 

Cold Moon

Long Night Moon

Oak Moon

3 of the names of the full moon in December.

December 29, 2020 10:25 a.m.

Sit 701  : Brush Pile W : Sunny 

-4° (-9°) W 15-23 kph  74% humidity 

Chickadees,

(Traffic noises),

(Jet - Republic Airlines Flight 5800...),

Dog barking in distance,

Woodpecker tapping on tree,

Extras:

Along the trails  -

Dogs barking in distance,

Donkey braying,

Rooster crowing,

Chickadees,

Crows,

Blue Jays,

White-breasted Nuthatch,

Canada Geese flying overhead,

Kitchen Window and Bird Feeder - 

Blue Jays,

Cardinals,

Chickadees,

Mourning Doves,

Goldfinches,

Juncos,

Red-breasted Nuthatches,

White-breasted Nuthatches,

Black Squirrels,

Grey Squirrels,

Red Squirrel.

Photo Site #8 - West Pond

Seeds in Snow - Sit Spot #700 - December 28, 2020

Thousands of Seeds on the Snow

this morning.

Thanks to Fleur-Ange I stopped to look

and photograph

these Indian Grass Seeds.

December 28, 2020 10:25 a.m.

Sit 700  : Brush Pile W : Cloudy 

+1° (-6°) W 41-54 kph 80% humidity 

Blue Jays,

Dogs barking in distance,

(Traffic noises),

Wind in trees,

(Jet  - Republic Airlines Flight 8809...),

Extras:

Along the trails  -

Donkey braying,

White-breasted Nuthatch,

Rooster crowing,

Chickadees,

Mourning Doves,

Crows,

Blue Jays

Kitchen Window and Bird Feeder - 

Cardinals,

Chickadees,

Goldfinches,

Juncos,

White-breasted Nuthatches,

Black Squirrel.

Photo Site #6 - Close up of East Willow

First Car - Sit Spot #699 - December 27, 2020

My first car was second hand.

I think it was my father's from about 1920 . . .

December 27, 2020 9:45 a.m.

Sit 699  : Brush Pile W  Cloudy 

-3° (-6°) se 7-11 kph 80% humidity 

(Train),

Extras:

Along the trails  -

Donkey braying,

Dogs barking in distance,

Blue Jays,

Crows,

Rooster crowing,

Chickadees,

Mourning Doves,

White-breasted Nuthatch,

Hawk overhead in afternoon,

Fresh White-tailed Deer tracks in the snow,

Fresh Squirrel tracks in the snow,

Fresh Dog/Coyote tracks in the snow

Kitchen Window and Bird Feeder - 

Blue Jays,

Cardinals,

Chickadees,

Mourning Doves,

Goldfinches,

Juncos,

White-breasted Nuthatches,

Red-breasted Nuthatches,

Tree Sparrow,

Red-bellied Woodpecker,

Grey Squirrel.

Photo Site #1 - East Pond

Sparrow - Sit Spot #698 - December 26, 2020

Tree Sparrow

Last time we saw one was in March.

December 26, 2020 4:10 p.m.

Sit 698  : Brush Pile W : Cloudy 

-4° (-11°) W 28-42 kph 80% humidity 

(Traffic noises),

(Train),

Downy Woodpecker,

Extras:

Along the Trails -

Rooster crowing,

Chickadees,

Donkey braying,

Crows,

Blue Jays,

Kitchen Window and Bird Feeder - 

Blue Jays,

Cardinals,

Chickadees,

Mourning Doves,

Goldfinches,

Juncos,

White-breasted Nuthatches,

Red-breasted Nuthatches,

Tree Sparrow,

Red-bellied Woodpecker,

Carolina Wren.

Photo Site #3 - West Meadow Viewpoint

The only colour today other than birds.

Baking - Sit Spot #697 - December 25, 2020

Cinnamon Rolls

First attempt in many years

Taste better than they look

December 25, 2020 11:55 a.m.

Sit 697  : Brush Pile W : Cloudy with snow 

-3° (-10°) W 24-36 kph 86% humidity 

(Traffic noises),

Clumps of snow falling from trees,

Extras:

Along the trails  -

Donkey braying,

Rooster crowing,

Blue Jay,

White-breasted Nuthatch,

Chickadees,

Kitchen Window and Bird Feeder - 

Blue Jays,

Chickadees,

Mourning Doves,

Goldfinches,

Juncos,

White-breasted Nuthatches,

Red-breasted Nuthatches,

Red-bellied Woodpecker.

Photo Site #9 

Looking out from West Brush Pile

Snowy run - Sit Spot #696 - December 24, 2020

This is one place on Powerline Road

where one cannot see the power lines.

This is about 2.8 km along into my 5 km 

Thursday afternoon run.

December 24, 2020 10:05 a.m.

Sit 696  : Brush Pile W : Cloudy with rain 

+9° (+5 °) S 28-44 kph 81% humidity

Unidentified bird chirps,

Rain on tarp,

(Traffic noises),

Wind in trees,

(Sirens in far distance),

Trees creaking in wind,

Extras:

Along the trails  -

Donkey braying,

Rooster crowing,

Crows,

Blue Jays,

Kitchen Window and Bird Feeder - 

Goldfinches,

Black Squirrels.

Photo Site #4 - North Ridge Trail

Sunrise - Dandelion - Sit Spot #695 - December 23, 2020

Days are getting longer

but

sunrises times are still getting later.

Dandelions are still blooming

and

still going to seed.

December 23, 2020 9:50 a.m.

Sit 695  : Brush Pile W  : Cloudy 

+1° (-1°)  E 6-9 kph 86% humidity 

(Train),

(Traffic noises),

Crows,

Blue Jays,

(Jet  - GoJet Airlines flight 4593...),

Extras:

Along the trails  -

Rooster crowing,

Mourning Doves,

Crows,

Blue Jays,

Hairy Bittercress is still blooming

    every day even though I often forget

    to write it down,

Kitchen Window and Bird Feeder - 

Blue Jays,

Chickadees,

White-breasted Nuthatch,

Black Squirrels.

Photo Site #3 - West Meadow Viewpoint

Not looking much like December today

Sit Spot #694 - December 22, 2020

Photo Site #1 - East "Pond"

December 22, 2020 9:55 a.m.

Sit 694  : Brush Pile W : Cloudy 

+1° (-4°)  W 17-26 kph 86% humidity 

Dogs barking in distance,

(Traffic noises),

(Jet  - Southwest Airlines flight 277...),

Extras:

Along the trails  -

Flock of Canada Geese overhead,

Donkey braying,

Rooster crowing,

Crows,

Chickadees,

Mourning Doves,

Blue Jays,

Kitchen Window and Bird Feeder - 

Blue Jays,

Chickadees,

Goldfinches,

White-breasted Nuthatch,

Red-bellied Woodpecker,

Black Squirrels,

Grey Squirrels,

Red Squirrel.

Cookies - Mystery - Sit Spot #693 - December 21, 2020

Kourabiedes

Greek Cookies

or

my attempt at them.

They should be entirely covered with icing sugar.

The process did not work for me.

The cookies taste great anyway.

Mystery Photo

that appeared on my iPhone Camera this morning.

It took be a while to sort out what it was.

I accidentally hit the photo button

when the phone was facing the window

so

this is partly a double window reflection

of the interior of the room

and partly what was outside the window.

December 21, 2020  10:20 a.m.

Sit 693  : Brush Pile W : Cloudy 

+2° (0 °)  S 6-9 kph 87% humidity 

Crows,

(Jet - Republic Airlines Flight 4919…),

(Traffic noises),

Extras:

Along the Trails -

Donkey,

Rooster,

Blue Jays,

Crows,

Pileated Woodpecker,

Chickadees,

A Flock of Mourning Doves,

Kitchen Window and Bird Feeder - 

Chickadees,

Goldfinches,

White-breasted Nuthatch,

Black Squirrels,

Grey Squirrels.

Photo Site #8 - West Pond