Eagle Watching

     Every winter bald eagles return to the middle Mississippi River valley. They migrate from the frozen waters of central Canada and the Great Lake states in search of more favorable conditions. A great place to view a part of this population is along Route 100, or The Great River Road, from Alton, Illinois to Grafton, Illinois. This past Saturday promised bearable temperatures and beautiful sunshine so we took a leisurely scenic drive and were rewarded with abundant opportunities for eagle and waterfowl viewing. The smaller birds and ducks are fascinating to observe in their natural icy habitat and over the countless years of January days spent eagle watching, the beauty and power of these magnificent birds never ceases to amaze.

An eagle family on an a floe ^

Male squawking at another that was hovering over his perch ^

Little ducks, maybe mergansers but not sure ^

A lone heron ^

I did not see the little bird when I was taking this shot! ^

An immature fellow ^

Majestic flight ^

Hot Sauce Shelf

     A few years ago, Pop started collecting hot sauces. We use two or three regularly but of course those are in the refrigerator - I guess the rest are just for show. When the lineup of bottles threatened to overtake the top of the cabinet, I demanded, I mean asked, Pop to build a shelf according to my specifications; he complied willingly but it was rough edged and unfinished. I took it down, puttied the plywood edges, sanded and painted it to match the newly finished cabinets (another story), and now it looks like part of the cabinetry. The shelf is just deep enough for the bottles and I do have to admit they look attractive in the bright kitchen. In addition, I understand there are health benefits to spicy foods. Chile or hot wings, anyone?

Snow Blanket

     The recent snow presented so many opportunities for interesting photographs. Obviously changing a viewpoint or depth of field sometimes makes all the difference between a good shot and a great one, but the snowfall changes an ordinary backyard into a wonderland.

Nikki is comfortable and thinks nothing of napping in the powdery stuff; the flakes that cover him confirm the notion of  a "blanket of snow".

Mega Hostess Cupcake

     It's Vinny's fourteenth birthday and he is too old for cutesy cakes but young enough to appreciate a little fun on his special day. We placed a candle in a Hostess cupcake for him, sang Happy Birthday and he made the obligatory wish as he blew out the little flame.

     After he ate the cupcake in two or three bites, we brought out the mega homemade cupcake (three layers of chocolate cake with vanilla filling in the center) and told him it was for the rest of us. His crestfallen look was hilarious but he enjoyed the joke (and the presents!)

The BIG Snow of 2011

      There are many parts of the world where snow is a common occurrence, where even lots and lots of snow is unremarkable, but here in my corner of the world anything more than an inch or two is uncommon and outrageously compromising. Schools close, offices are shuttered, streets become 'dangerous' and the public are urged to delay any travel plans. Yesterday we measured ten inches in the front yard so obviously it wasn't just a snow storm it was a snow outrage - St. Louis area residents had to struggle mightily.

     Nikki and I preferred to enjoy rather than battle. After shoveling and a little photography, we played tag and had a game of "catch the snowball midair". By then my fingers were positively numb so I had to bid my snowdog good-bye while I escaped indoors for some dry clothes and a cup of hot chocolate. He, of course, would have no part of absconding the outdoors so his parting look was quite wistful.

Not For Prime-Time Vegetable

     Okay so maybe it's just me but this carrot found in a bag from the local market has some anatomical issues. It was definitely a conversation piece until it started to, um, shrivel.

Breakfast Pizza

     Two sausage patties left over from yesterday weren't enough to warrant another scrambled egg breakfast today. However they were enough to make another of Pop's favorites - breakfast pizza. Although I knew he would have preferred double or even triple the amount of meat, it was pretty evident he was either very hungry or didn't mind the scant portion of sausage because in the time it took for me to grab my camera from another room, two pieces were already missing!