A beautiful Spring day! Everything is so very green, and the songbirds are out if full force! I set out my hummingbird feeders on Friday morning but have yet to see or hear any hummers at them. But that certainly doesn't mean they aren't here - I've seen several already, just not at MY feeders...
This morning I saw a pair of Goldfinches in the ash trees, and hurried to set out the finch feeders. It sure didn't take them long - after less than ten minutes there were FIVE of them feasting on the thistle seed!
House Finches, Waxwings, Yellow Warblers, House Wrens, and others I have yet to learn songs for, are abundant all around me, and I love it! Nothing is better than to sit outside on a beautiful, quiet Spring morning, and listen to the birds!
Sunday, May 27, 2018
Saturday, May 26, 2018
Fire & Water
It's been a crazy year! After so many forest fires last summer - that lasted until the first snows finally settled in - over one million acres of forest and prairie burned. Ranchers lost hoards of livestock, and some lost their entire livelihoods. When the snow finally came, it was probably more welcomed than ever before, and there was a good snow pack.
And now we have the worst flooding since anyone can remember. The rivers are doubled in size, and overflowing every low lying area withing their grasp. Two homes have been washed away, farms along the river have had to move their cattle and sheep to higher ground, hay fields are being choked out by torrents of water, fishing accesses - and even entire sections of rivers - are closed to the public. Rescue teams have already been called out for those foolish enough to even try to float the waters right now, and everyone is keeping an eye on the fast flowing torrents quickly approaching the underside of the bridges.
My personal theory on this phenomena, is that in a typical Spring, even as the weather warms up, there is enough shade on the heavily timbered mountains to allow the snow to melt slowly. However, with entire mountainsides burned away, those areas are completely open to the harsh heat of the sun, and the snow is melting extremely fast. That, along with some very stormy weather and a higher that usual rainfall, is causing the rivers to swell beyond their capacity. I could, of course, be entirely wrong - but it makes sense, doesn't it?
But oh my stars, is it going to be a banner year for mosquitoes!
And now we have the worst flooding since anyone can remember. The rivers are doubled in size, and overflowing every low lying area withing their grasp. Two homes have been washed away, farms along the river have had to move their cattle and sheep to higher ground, hay fields are being choked out by torrents of water, fishing accesses - and even entire sections of rivers - are closed to the public. Rescue teams have already been called out for those foolish enough to even try to float the waters right now, and everyone is keeping an eye on the fast flowing torrents quickly approaching the underside of the bridges.
My personal theory on this phenomena, is that in a typical Spring, even as the weather warms up, there is enough shade on the heavily timbered mountains to allow the snow to melt slowly. However, with entire mountainsides burned away, those areas are completely open to the harsh heat of the sun, and the snow is melting extremely fast. That, along with some very stormy weather and a higher that usual rainfall, is causing the rivers to swell beyond their capacity. I could, of course, be entirely wrong - but it makes sense, doesn't it?
But oh my stars, is it going to be a banner year for mosquitoes!
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