"One of the most delightful things about a garden is the anticipation it brings."

Tuesday, November 23, 2010

Be a faithful friend and you'll have one in return.

It ended up snowing most of yesterday and now we are having an "arctic freeze".  Record breaking weather again here.  It seems to be the year of records.  Our high today will be colder than the record low for this day, and the nights dropping into the teens.  We were fortunate to not also have to deal with the winds that others nearby had and then lost their power.  Traffic in and around Seattle was terrible last night because no matter how much this area tries to prepare for snow, it's the freezing and ice that seems to bring everything to a halt.  Most of this area is very hilly and it seems that no matter where you want to go there is at least one hill to deal with.  I don't mind it if we have nowhere to go and today we're all home since everything has been canceled.
First I embarrassed my oldest daughter by sledding on our street, but I had fun and she finally loosened up.  Then the girls had fun sledding and making snow angels.  The snow was too dry for making snowmen today.  As we walked we saw evidence of all sorts of wildlife including bird tracks and fresh mole hills.
When we returned home I looked out at the pond to discover our neighbor cat sitting on the frozen pond.  I went in to get the camera but he had left, instead I found that one of our new friends was perched on the same trellis that the hummingbird used last year.  The little Anna's hummingbirds that stay here all winter appreciate the fresh sugar water that isn't frozen.
Several times she chased away other hummingbirds while I was out in my bare feet and Crocs taking pictures.  I didn't even notice that it was only 20F while I was getting up close.

She was busy keeping an eye out for other hummingbirds and wasn't bothered by me.
 When the sun hits the dark patch under her chin you can see the beautiful red feathers shimmering, although it's not visible in these pictures.

 After chasing away another hummingbird she replenishes her energy.

 I honestly think her allowing me to get up close is one of the most wonderful things I have ever experienced.  It just does something to me to have the honor of getting this close to nature.

 I tried this one on macro just to see if it made a difference.  That green is gorgeous!

 After returning from another chase she rests on the Daphne 'Summer Ice' which is still blooming.

This corner of the pond is where the cat had been sitting, the warmth of his body melted the ice through.  I also see that I forgot to bring in my Salvia 'Golden Delicious'.  Everything else looks pretty good, just a bit wilty from the cold.

I think around this area if you are faithful about filling your hummingbird feeders and bringing them in so they don't freeze you can make a beautiful friend like I did.  Once I can get out again I plan to buy at least one more feeder so that they can all have something to drink on these especially cold days.
Pin It

40 comments:

  1. What gorgeous photos, Catherine! I also share your feelings about the honour of being able to get close to wildlife. The magnificence of nature always moves me.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Catherine, I am not sure what is going on with our country's weather. We were high 60's, then tornados and today low 30's. You are certainly getting hit with snow and low temperatures, but the birds seem to take it all in stride.

    Eileen

    ReplyDelete
  3. I saw your bad weather on the news. I am glad you are all safe at home. Your hummingbird photos are amazing. What a thrill for her to let you get so close! Thanks for sharing the pics with us.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Glad you are all safe at home! I am so jealous of your beautiful hummingbird photos. I had a sugar water feeder out all summer, but they ignored it in favor of my flowers. Actually, I forgot it was out there too, and now it is frozen solid, oops! I really should start bringing it in and out in the winter like you do.

    We have had more birds at the seed feeder, chickadees and little birds that I think are juncos, they are gray with black heads. I thought juncos were ground feeders, though, and these are all over the hanging feeder.

    I laughed at the thought of you embarrassing your daughter by sledding. Sounds like you had fun!

    ReplyDelete
  5. That is so ironic. I was just preparing a post on thanking a few blogging friends and what should I see but your post. The hummers are lucky to have you as their friend.

    ReplyDelete
  6. As long as I have followed your blog I have been amazed that the hummers even stay around through the winter. They are tough little guys. Ours all go south for the winter and don't come back until it is very warm. Great story and photos.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Alison - The juncos will go on the feeders here too, I always thought they were ground feeders also. Mostly chickadees and crows out today.

    ReplyDelete
  8. What fantastic shots! I felt I could reach out and pet them( a bad habit of mine!)
    Glad you got out to have fun with your girls! Stay Warm!

    ReplyDelete
  9. Lucky the hummingbirds to have you feed them and lucky you to snap such wonderful pics of them! I brought our feeders in last week as we have not seen any hummers in several weeks.

    Your snow makes me shiver, burrrrrrr. I guess you do not want to hear that I am currently sitting under the ceiling fan with wet hair and the windows open and me wearing shorts.... Your snow looks pretty and I enjoy seeing it as Christmas approaches us.... Your snow is the first I have seen this season!

    ReplyDelete
  10. Gorgeous photos dear Catherine!!!

    Big kiss.

    ReplyDelete
  11. What joy to see your little friend Catherine! Fabulous photographs. She clearly trusts you. I can imagine how excited you might be and not notice the temperatures on your bare feet! What a gift!

    ReplyDelete
  12. Dear Catherine ~ What a sweet post to read and enjoy visually this eve before Thanksgiving Eve.

    May you and your family have a lovely Thanksgiving day.

    Love and hugs ~ FlowerLady

    ReplyDelete
  13. Great photos! You have indeed made a friend of a wild creature.

    ReplyDelete
  14. I had no clue that hummingbirds can take such cold temperatures! My little friends left here in mid-September and won't return until May-ish. Do yours spend the whole winter there? Or is it that there are feeders handy right now and they are just being opportunists and will eventually go south for the 'real' winter?

    Otherwise be safe in that cold snap. The weather is really bizarre this year. There's no rhyme or reason.

    ReplyDelete
  15. I laughed out loud when you said you embarrassed your daughter by going sledding! Hahahahaha, kids! That is so neat that the Anna hummingbird stays through the winter. They must have a warm coat! Adorable.

    ReplyDelete
  16. Gorgeous shots of a beautiful hummer! I feel so bad for her...the cold could kill her. I hope she can find a warm place to hide and keep warm tonight!

    ReplyDelete
  17. Hi Catherine, I too feel a closeness when I am allowed to befriend one of natures' fabulous creatures. I am so happy for you. Hope the weekend weather improves for you. Take care and have a wonderful Thanksgiving.

    ReplyDelete
  18. Hi Catherine, I love seeing your hummers:-)) I always wonder how many people know they winter over. I didn't know for years every year I would put the feeder out earlier and they were always right there, then it dawned on me, they never left!! The male I photogarphed is my garden bully, I think there are four birds, now I have four little feeders spread around, cause he chased everyone off... Love the Daphne, I have one that starts booming in Feb, smells amazing!
    Stay warm, 10 degrees here!!!
    Bella

    ReplyDelete
  19. Stay warm and safe Catherine. We have the white stuff predicted for this weekend. Enjoyed reading about the antics and seeing the photos of my very own little
    bird :)

    ReplyDelete
  20. These are fantastic photos Catherine! What a sweet little bird. That would be a wonderful experience to be so close to this beauty of nature ~ awesome!

    xo Catherine

    ReplyDelete
  21. Dear Catherine, Just a girl at heart with all that sledging in the snow!! Your weather seems to be most extreme and an 'arctic freeze' sounds like the perfect excuse to stay in the warm by the fire.

    Happy Thanksgiving Weekend to you all!!

    ReplyDelete
  22. Catherine, what fantastic photos, I love your humming birds and I know just what you mean about feeling honoured when you can get close to some lovely living thing. Thank you for sharing, Happy Thanksgiving, Christina

    ReplyDelete
  23. Catherine, I love that you went sledding; I would have gone with you but might have embarrassed you. lol

    I still have hummingbirds coming to the feeder, and am amazed at how they know you are not there to harm.

    Catherine, we hope you and your family have a wonderful and blessed Thanksgiving.

    ReplyDelete
  24. She is a lovely new friend, and very beautiful.

    Glad to see someone happy with the snow, LOL.

    We are like you, no matter how well they prepare here, it's not easy to get around.

    Brrrrrr..

    Jen @ Muddy Boot Dreams

    ReplyDelete
  25. As always, beautiful pictures, Catherine! I relate fully to how privileged you feel when you are permitted to get really, really close to your feathered visitors. It's wonderful that you take the time and extra trouble to feed them so conscientiously - it can't be easy having to brave the icy outdoors on a daily basis to put out & retrieve your feeders! You deserve a medal for that! Sitting where I am, in "sunny SA," I can enjoy the beauty of your frozen garden without having to experience the 20 F temperatures! I hope you didn't get frost bite on your bare toes! It just goes to show, though, how utterly captivated we can become with life in the confines of our own private sanctuaries, namely our gardens!

    ReplyDelete
  26. What wonderful photos of such a sweet and beautiful hummer. I don't think I would have noticed the cold, either, if I was able to get so close. What a blessing!

    ReplyDelete
  27. So now I know where all my hummingbirds went... your house! Beautiful photos.

    ReplyDelete
  28. So now I know where all my hummingbirds went... your house! Beautiful photos.

    ReplyDelete
  29. Catherine those are the best pictures. I love seeing it all puffed up.Pretty cold for those little things. My lands and the snow on your garden.
    Have a wonderful Thanksgiving!

    ReplyDelete
  30. Oh, you are blessed that she lets you get so close AND get a photo! I would be so thrilled to see that. Happy Thanksgiving, my gardening friend!
    Brenda

    ReplyDelete
  31. Catherine..oh my...you are So lucky. Such gorgeous photos of this beautiful hummingbird..wow...you are charmed I think ha ha! Such a beautiful post..thanks for sharing your magical world!
    Kiki

    and thanks for your lovely visit..so cool about the foxgloves! Happy Holiday!

    ReplyDelete
  32. So lovely that she is still around, gorgeous pictures. Happy Thanksgiving to you!

    ReplyDelete
  33. What a wonderful experience Catherine. The beautiful little creature allowing you to get so close. Its colours are magnificent.

    We are getting such warm days in Australia now - needed the air conditioner on yesterday for the first time this year. Seeing your snow covered pond is quite refreshing as I'm not a hot weather enthusiast :)

    ReplyDelete
  34. She is adorable and beautiful! It seems so strange to me to see hummingbirds and snow in the same scene. We have Ruby Throats here and almost all clear out for warmer climes every winter.

    ReplyDelete
  35. This is such a beautiful post and I love all of your hummingbird photos! They are fortunate to have your garden for shelter and food!

    ReplyDelete
  36. Great photos! That little hummer looked pretty tough! Our hummers don't come back till late spring. I would love to have them all year.

    ReplyDelete
  37. Catherine, Your photos of the hummingbird are amazing! Thank you for sharing your experience with us. Hope you had a good Thanksgiving.
    Blessings, Beth

    ReplyDelete
  38. Catherine, Your hummingbird photos are wonderful. (I don't seem to have either the patience or the skill to get good photos of birds, so I'll admire yours instead. :-))
    It seems fitting that a plant with "ice" in its name is one of the few things still in bloom.
    A belated Happy Thanksgiving. -Jean

    ReplyDelete
  39. Catherine, you really outdid yourself with the hummingbird photos. You are as good a photographer as you are a gardener. Very good work.

    donna

    ReplyDelete
  40. I agree with Sweet Bay ~ I can't imagine hummingbirds and snow together!!! I think she lets you get so close because you're the one feeding her! They know those things. You have some AMAZING pictures. Glad you are getting snow to play in too!

    ReplyDelete

Thank you so much for taking the time to visit and leave a comment. I try my very best to answer any questions you may have, but usually don't have time to respond to each comment. Please leave a link to your blog so I can visit you in return.