Saturday, February 28, 2009

Morning walk.

I think this is mole heaps, but it can also be water vole heaps too. We have plenty of both here.


I woke up real early this morning, around six am, and saw that it was light outside :-) It took the sun an hour to get above the horizon and now it shines from a clear blue sky. The morning walk was perfect even if it was minus ten degrees (14 F) because there were no wind at all. We walked down to the creek and I think I heard some geese somewhere over the forest.




Can You see the little hole. That´s one of the entrences for the water vole straight out to the water. I´m particular fond of water voles (as long as they don´t get into my garden :-) ) I watched one several hours when I was young when I found a pond in the forest just outside Gothenburg and it didn´t care about me at all even when I came real close to it. But if it comes into a garden it´s a real pest. It can also spread a dangerous disease to us, Sorkfeber. Can´t find an english name for it but directly translated it´s Vole fever. A nasty decease that with bad luck can kill You.


This time of year is called springwinter here. It´s when there´s over freezingpoint and sun during the day, but below freezing point at night. It can last for some days up to a couple of weeks. These kind of days are perfect to have a little picnic on ones favourite places. Nothing extravagant, just a thermos with cocoa or tea/coffe and perhaps some cinnamon buns or cheese sandwiches. I have one such place by a big stone in a cow patch nearby. Many up north take the opportunity to crosscountry ski or iceskating these days.





The edges by the creek is so hard frozen that there were no problems to go down there even for me. To be honest it´s more like a huge ditch now, but there was a creek here long time ago.

Today it´s the fourth heat of the song contest. By looking at what kind of artists that will be competing tonight I´m pretty sure this time I woun´t like much of the songs. But I was surprised last week so lets hope I will be this week too. Next week it´s the heat for those who almost made it to the finals. Sometimes they can go really far in the final, because then we have heard those songs more than those who got directly to the final (perhaps I should tell You that if the songs wins their heat it´s not allowed to play them on the radio or tv or anywhere. If they are played before the final they are disqualified. We really take this serious :-) :-)



I was walking thinking of everything and nothing when I saw that my dogs were watching something. Just in front of me were several deers. I forgot to take a picture of course, but then I saw this one two hundred meters away (656 feet) and got a picture of that instead. If You click on the picture You can see the deer better.



Now I´m going to enjoy this springwinterday as much as I can!
Be good!

8 comments:

Anonymous said...

Looks like springwinter here too. Nice bright sun and clear blue sky. But they forcast more snow for Monday. Nice photos today and the deer looks just like those here I think that one is a buck looks like I see antlers when I enlarge the photo.

Anonymous said...

... Is that deer a buck? Do I see antlers? If it's a doe, she is lovely and proud. When are the babies born?
I hope our doe babies hold off awhile as the snow on the higher ground is still deep and a cold wind blows steadily there.
Here, Monday, more snow is predicted.
Last night, deer were here and as usual, our regular diners, Mother and yearling born late last Spring. They look good, I'm relieved to say. Woody makes sure that they have plenty to eat every evening and during the day if they've cleaned out what was on the ground. Woody is having a grand time setting up his new template for his blog. Me?
I like what I have so will leave it be. Today, laundry and drying and other odds and ends and then back to my writing. Beautiful Saturday here. I love your pictures! Do you have wood chucks? Holes like the ones shown mean woodchucks here! Pretty and sweet little creatures but last garden I had, they thought they'd been invited to a summer-long Thanksgiving dinner.
Take care, my friend ...
AliceMary

The cottage by the Cranelake said...

Hi Woody!
Yes that´s a buck, we say almost the same in swedish, bock. We´re going to get it cloudy tomorrow and rain on monday. Well if that means spring will come I can take it :-)
Christer.
By the way, I can´t comment on Your blog!!!

The cottage by the Cranelake said...

Hi AliceMary!
Yes it´s a buck. The babys comes in April so I hope there will be warmer weather then. But one never nows. If we´re unlucky winter can continue a long bit into april too.

My neighbour is also feeding the deers. Because then he knows they stay at his land most of the time and wount be shot by the hunters :-)

No we don´t have wood chuks here, but they do look really qute.

Wonderful saturday here too. You´ll see more pictures of today tomorrow. It´s going to be cloudy here tomorrow and rain will come monday. But if that means spring is comming so okey then :-)
Christer.

Visiting Voyeur said...

Nice pictures. The one you have that is a creek that you call a little more than a ditch now looks like creeks here. Some are larger of course but many just meander through peoples land and are smaller.

We have sun and 50 degrees here. It is going to be in the 70's (F) this coming week. That is always nice but lately it has been that during the week but freezing on the weekends. I can't get out to take pictures as much. :) Spring is coming yeahhhhhhhhh! And my spring break from school will be here too.

Hope you are well Christer.

Wsprsweetly Of Cottages said...

Great pictures today! I keep envisioning everything turning green. What a wonderland it is now and what a different one come Spring. I can't wait! Well..ok..yes I can and I have to remember to enjoy every single moment of every single season as if it were a special gift to be treasured. Your pictures mean a lot.
Mona

The cottage by the Cranelake said...

Hi VV!
It´s almost real spring at Yours now then? I´m a bit yelous I have to admit :-)

Springbreak sounds nice. Is it a week or more? Wish I could take some time of when spring arrives. Well perhaps I can, the new vacation year is starting april first and then I can take some days of :-)
Take care YOu too!
Christer.

The cottage by the Cranelake said...

Hi Mona!
I think that spring probably is beautiful where ever one are. When the first green leaves comes on the trees and the first crocuses comes up from the ground :-)
Christer.