The Great Front Yard

Our Muskoka chairs on the riverbank.

How was my day? You are a darling for asking.

I almost didn't go to work today because I still feel like crap on a stick, especially since I'm awake half the night gacking and coughing out lungs piece by mucousy piece. I decided to go, though, because I am a responsible employee and I was needed to get the paper to press on time. 

So I went, all crappy and sleepy and crusty, and I put out deadline fires and I got the paper out the door with only a few minor heart attacks, and then decided I would go home. The hard part of the day was over. I had done my heroic duty and, if I stayed, I'd just be filling in time.

I had my coat on and was saying adios to my workmates and along comes the Big Cheese and he wants to talk about something. As luck would have it, he's the same guy who chewed me out about my attitude about a month ago. I thought, "Oh, man..." and considered staying to discuss whatever it was he needed to talk about. Then I came to my senses, told him I was sick and I was leaving .... was it something we could talk about tomorrow morning? Oh yeah, he said, no problem, but he had that look on his face. 

I hate that look.

It means, "no problem," but it's saying, "really? You're going home when I, your big boss, want to talk about something?"

He had no idea I had already made sacrifices all day in order to get the paper done, even to the point of calling a customer to make a last minute ad change, which is way above and beyond my regular call of duty.

Regardless of the look, I went home, trying not to feel like I had done something stupid.

Ah, but the drive, the beautiful, beautiful drive, made me feel a whole lot better.

The skies are brilliant blue today in my part of the world. The evergreens are piled high with fresh, powdery snow and the birds are singing. The river is finally starting to freeze: in parts it has clear sheets of advancing "glass" ice; in other parts it is open water with what looks like thick water, or jelly, forming as it goes. The sun sparkles dark blue on the open water. I cross the final bridge, the old black iron bridge on my way home and I feel the stress rolling off my bones with each turn of the wheel.

I go in the house to grab the camera, not even put off that our bored dog has gotten into the bathroom garbage and strewn embarrassing things all over the house; not even put off that the same dog has helped herself to the kitty litter buffet and dropped several choice chunks on the kitchen mat.

I ignore all that, close the door to the house behind me, and go out to the river, where I bask in the sunshine, take pictures of snow falling in the forest and chickadees as they frolic at the feeder.

These are the photos I took, along with some photos Dave and I took on the weekend. The weather on the weekend was mild, rainy and foggy so the photos aren't great, but I think you'll appreciate the wildlife we saw in our small, beautiful chunk of the world here on the Muskoka River.

Look at the smile on this beaver's face! The beavers did find other lodgings for the winter and seem to be doing well.

She (he?) let us take a few photos and then decided enough was enough and swam away.

The chickadees are so fearless, they'll land on the feeder while I'm standing only feet away. My friend Deb and her family calls all chickadees "Todd." For some reason I think that's hilarious.

We see beavers all the time on the Muskoka River but don't see otters as often. On the weekend Dave managed to snag a few photos of this sleek creature, but we didn't want to get too close after hearing news reports of otters attacking people!

Dave also took this photo. The otter isn't the only wildlife in this picture – check out the mallard duck! It's rare to see ducks on our part of the river this time of year. Most have moved on, but this lonely guy was hanging around for some reason.

Dave always wants to cut down the dead birch tree hanging over the riverbank but I have a particular
fondness for it and will stand between it and his chainsaw if that's what it takes!

This is my favourite photo of this bunch – maybe it's one of those ones where "you had to be there" but a gentle breeze was blowing the powdery snow off the trees with rays of sunlight backlighting the beautiful event. To me it's like sheer curtains billowing in the forest.

Being sick for a week and a half, I was dying for some fresh air so, on the weekend I dragged a camp chair out into the front yard and plunked it in front of the bird feeders for a birdie show. I filled a bowl with chocolate ice cream (medicinal purposes for my sore throat) and enjoyed every single morsel of it – didn't even share one bit with Misty, our dog.
By the way, I am loving my new hoser coat, a Christmas present from my ex-husband. It has a matching hat, too.