Archive for category Around the house
Busy Winter Day
Posted by nbdog in Around the house, Weather on 20-Dec-2008
It was a spectacular winter day, cold, calm and sunny. The weather gave us a chance to shovel the almost foot a accumulated snow from the driveway and sidewalks and clear a section of the backyard for the ducks and birds. We also loaded up on groceries and batteries in preparation for a predicted storm on Saturday. The Weather Service is warning of hurricane force winds and another eight inches of snow and cautioning to be prepared for prolonged power outages. We’ve learned to take these things seriously after the eight days without electricity the area endured in December 20
06.
I had a vacation day today and Trisha worked at home again, a wise choice given the terrible traffic conditions from the overnight snowfall across the whole area. Conveniently, the clear day allowed for highways to be cleared out so we were able to make the trip into Seattle for an evening performance of the Messiah at Benaroya Hall. We enjoyed the music and choral pieces while some of the soloist sections were less interesting.
Snow
Posted by nbdog in Around the house, Weather on 18-Dec-2008
We both worked from home yesterday after getting a couple of inches of wet snow over night. There were a few additional snow squals throughout the day but nothing like the dire forecasts. But today we were greeted with a fresh 6-8 inches and it’s been snowing on and off all day. Trisha has been busy keeping the ducks fed.
Lights & Snow
Posted by nbdog in Around the house on 18-Dec-2008
Christmas lights on the house just don’t do much for me until there’s a blanket of snow. This year the timing is perfect. It looks like we’ll have enough of the white stuff and cold temperatures to last through Christmas Day. If I have to miss golf at least I can enjoy the holidays lights.
Fall is here… maybe a hint of Winter too
Posted by nbdog in Around the house, Golf, Weather on 10-Oct-2008
We’ve had rain every day for the past eight days and last night’s forecast included references to snow in the mountain passes for the first time this fall. Then this morning there was a hint of frost on the grass. Fall here always includes some stunning days, however. Yesterday after work I played nine holes of golf and the combination of the cool, clear air and the rays of the setting sun illuminating the rocky west face of Mount Si made for a stroll that was both exhilarating and relaxing at the same time. Oh, and I shot a 41: that’s always good for the spirit as well.
Just now as I’m writing this a big, fat raccoon waddled past the kitchen window checking to see, no doubt, if Trisha had left any of the bird feeders out for the night.
More Bear Sightings
Posted by nbdog in Around the house on 8-Sep-2008
It sounds like our ursine visitor (see August 5th post) has decided to stay around the neighborhood. There have been several sightings of Mr. Bear raiding trash cans and bird feeders over the past couple of weeks. One neighbor also found the corpse of a deer fawn and we fear it’s the same little guy we’ve spotted several times in June and July (see posts of June 29 and July 9). We’re bringing in all the bird feeders every night and moving about carefully around the yard after sunset.
Pileated Woodpecker
Posted by nbdog in Around the house on 19-Aug-2008
The pileated woodpecker who lives in a big snag next door has finally discovered our suet feeders… and brought along a junior member of the family. They now visit regularly but it’s a little difficult to get a good photo. In this little clip it’s hard to appreciate this little guy’s dimensions: he’s a good 14-18 inches tall! We also get a large number of downy woodpeckers and while not so gigantic they are quite beautiful critters.
A bear! A bear!
Posted by nbdog in Around the house on 5-Aug-2008
I stepped out of bed this morning, glanced out the window and there was a largish black bear strolling through the yard. Just passing through, thank goodness. He looked quizzically at our little water fall and then headed back into the woods thankfully not noticing the chuck full bird feeders just off the patio (which had been raided by raccoons overnight).
Cool!!! We’ve got A/C
Posted by nbdog in Around the house on 2-Aug-2008
We were advised to replace our old, underpowered, and inefficient furnace so we had a heat pump installed. Now we have heat and air conditioning too… for those three days over 90 we get every year.
Glorious Summer
Posted by nbdog in Around the house on 10-Jul-2008
It’s that delicious time of year in the Pacific Northwest; it’s why we moved here. The days are sunny and mostly in the 70s and evenings and morning are cool enough that you need a sweater or jacket. Plants love it. Here’s one of the scores of blossoms on the Clematis off the back patio.
Not an orphan
Posted by nbdog in Around the house on 9-Jul-2008
It turns out that the baby elk (see the June 29 post) is not an orphan after all. This afternoon when I got home from the practice range the baby was in the front yard nibbling on the wild violets. I grabbed the camera and was snapping a couple of photos from inside the house when mother appeared and directed the little one away from the threatening human in the window. The pair meandered through the front yard and out into neighbors’ lots. It’s good to know the little one isn’t alone.
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