snow has started here - expecting 5+ by morning...ready for Spring! Visibility is really bad - huge back up on the Mississippi bridge eastbound...glad to be home safe -

They're only showing about an inch for us here, but it sure looks like there's more snow than that in this storm...unless it's going to snow itself out before it gets here. Still negative or near zero numbers showing into next week ...blech!

Waiting eagerly for snow, but all we're getting is drizzle. Ah, well. It's moisture. The temp was 47 this morning. but yesterday was 32.4 when I got up. I was hearing grasshoppers, so bugs are still around. Recently, I was tempted to bring a spider in because of the cold, but then my family would really think I am crazy. But I found a mess of fruitflies in the kitchen, so the spider would have some good eating.

The cold wind is blowing... very little outside work for us except tending to the animals. The chickens still run around like crazy; probably trying to stay warm.

I will start on some sewing, but first have to clear the table off and do the dishes. Then I have the table to cut the fabric on. Laundry has to be done, as well.

Finally some rain here. It's been light rain, on and off since yesterday but I'm hoping it will amount to more than I'm thinking. Supposed to get into the upper 30's tonight but then warm up again next week. Still haven't brought in my blue sky vine or my passionflower (which I still haven't decided if I'm going to get rid of since it hasn't bloomed ever). Potted hydrangea (not hardy enough to plant in the ground) is still out there as well but might let the frost hit it or it will continue to grow indoors, even putting out a flower or two during the winter. Not quite ready to start sewing as I have other indoor projects to tackle first.

It's a really good day to do inside stuff, although I have to be outdoors soon...trimming horse hooves.

Among other indoor tasks, I refreshed the puppy clip on my poodle. For just my second attempt it went very well! Both of us gained confidence today!

My exciting indoor day consisted of cleaning kitchen cabinets and the oven. It's a fall cleaning thing I get.

It was still windy today, but not as bad as yesterday. We went to the local lake to look for birds... not many, they must've been blown south. But did see several Bald Eagles and a lot of Cormorants. I think my day list will top at about 30. Not a great day, but when I first started keeping lists, 15 used to be a good day.

Looking forward on Accuweather, I think our first freeze comes toward the end of next week. No wind (yet) today and the sky is perfectly clear now but it's supposed to cloud up later and rain tomorrow. Both GDs come here to trick-or-treat so it may be an early night with the rain.
Wow - bald eagles and cormorants - cool! The birds here are starting to hang out closer to the seed feeder. And I swear I just saw an oriole (I get a few in the spring) but all of the nectar feeders have been brought in for the year. Will put out the suet feeders next week as the woodpeckers are starting to gather in the yard. They make do with the seed but with cold weather advancing, they'll prefer the suet. I do have water available all winter with a bird bath heater but only a few types take advantage of that.

Unexpectedly, we got our killing freeze this morning... 29.3. Brr...

I try to keep suet out all year, but resort to store bought for the summer since it claims "no melt", but after a few rains, it is definitely is not "no mold". I splurged for the birds yesterday; I bought some seed/nut balls, and risked Nyjer. Last year the birds ignored it, but I am hoping the Redpolls will come again and this is their favorite food. We need to get our heater out for the bath. With that temp, it's time.

We have lots of goldfinches and they are big fans of nyjer seed - we can get up to 30 on two feeders. I don't put suet out during the warmer months but we do keep the big general bird feeder stocked year round. I'm experimenting on using the birds to help control Japanese beetles. I moved a bird bath during the warmer months into the garden bed that attracts most of the beetles and will hopefully figure out a way to put up a suet feeder in that same area over winter. I'll have to rig up a shepherds hook with a slinky to keep the squirrels from getting to the suet. Since I do the JB trapping thing rather than spray, any help from the birds will be welcome.

With the sun shining and the nicer temps, I walked out back the last couple of mornings. So many birds! Yesterday, I saw a Fox Sparrow and my first of the season American Tree Sparrow. Today, the little sparrows are making such happy noises and the Western Meadowlarks are singing like its spring.

I got a big batch of granola mixed today. With the big eaters I have, it became distressing how many boxes of cereal we would go through. It's a little work, but much better for us and cheaper, even though we use organic ingredients. Later, I hope to do some more sewing.

I was thinking the same thing this morning - very reminiscent of spring. I think I even heard a robin.
Kudos on making the organic granola. DH has a lineup of cereals he eats during the work week which includes two different varieties of Nature's Path granola. I did make some granola once and it was tasty but I've cut back on the amount of cereal I eat and try to stay low carb (never artificial sweeteners).
No sewing for me today - getting the little gh ready for the final big potted plants to come in as I think this coming weekend is going to be cold.

Here it is, very early November and it has been lovely weather since Sunday through today, Wednesday. Flowers still blooming close to house where freeze hasn't gotten to them yet. Cosmos, osteosperum (sp?), marigolds, zinnias. Last week I saw thin ice on a marsh creek, and ran the furnace every day.
I know this won't last but happy to have it. Got lots of brush cleared today.

Another gorgeous day today. Well, maybe the sun's not shining as brightly but it'll be warm again. Since I haven't had frost in my yard yet, I still have some mums, annuals and the last of the perennials in bloom. May see a freeze this weekend so might be a good time to cut flowers for indoors.

I cannot believe this weather forecast for later today... chance of severe thunderstorms, with the possibility of a TORNADO!

I saw the severe weather moving up from OK. It's gotten windy here and starting to cloud over. Don't have any plans for outdoors today - just putting up more insulation in my little GH.

We saw the storm clouds developing to the east of us... all we ended up with was a windy day. Today, the sun is shining and it's much cooler outside. It likely is time to haul the rain barrels into the basement. I walked out back and was very surprised to see a fresh batch of bee blossom blooming. If we had stray hummingbirds, that would be perfect food for them. They preferred that over the feeders when they were here.

Yikes! You haul your rain barrels indoors for winter? I'm lucky if I manage to disconnect the downspout and hoses from them. I have two on the south side of the garage that I can draw from if it's a bright sunny day above freezing. I try to keep the rain water available as long as I can, trying to minimize the need for treated city water for some of my plants.
We did get rain last night which is fine by me, especially if El Nino is going to dominate the weather systems this winter.
I do still have a few bees around and they managed to get inside the little GH to help pollinate the lemon tree blossoms. Beats me having to do that by hand.

This is a weird fall. Usually we have at least two empty rain barrels, so it is easier to do. Basically, the empties are taken to the basement and the fellows hook up a pump and fill the ones in the basement. This time there are no empties. My husband looked at the extended forecast and it may be until the 17th before we get down below freezing again, so maybe we have time to keep them out there longer. I am grateful for the rain, for sure.

We use the water for laundry, animals, plants, and sometimes cleaning icky stuff. I am ready to hose the dog with the rain water... he rolled in his (or another animal's) poop again. He won't connect the two, though. Not sure what to do about this, other than picking it up after he does his thing. That won't help if it is another critter's and we don't know about it.