old man winter returns ~

I know ... two post in one day!

Old Man Winter and Mother Nature must be having a contest ~ I think Mother Nature has her knickers knotted up because Old Man Winter is sure getting his way!!

He's back again ... look how much snow is in the yard again ~ hard to believe it was green two days ago ... and it's still coming down.

This photo was taken around 1:00 this afternoon ...

There was only half a day of school again.  Another snow day in May!

The GrandLoves, Brooke and Bailey got off the bus here today.  Brooke shoveled a path to the garage and over to the wood shed for me :)

We usually quit using the outside wood stove in May; but not this year.  We'll keep using it until the wood is gone ... which won't be long now.  We're on our last row.

This is what we started with in October:

It's pretty ~ but really ... seriously ... it's May!

These following photos were taken around 5:00 p.m.  Look at all the snow ... and it's still coming down. Notice how heavy it is hanging again on the trees.  

I was going to take down the suet feeder because I don't want the bears on the deck... but I think the birds (especially the woodpeckers) wouldn't be too happy about that. Besides that, the bear have probably taken a peek out of their dens and decided to crawl back in for awhile.  Although there have been a few sightings already of them being out and about.

I was standing over by the garage with my camera and saw this woodpecker in the tree.  Then I noticed another bird behind it.  That's the one that got my curiosity peaked ~ I think it was a little Saw Whet Owl.

Do you see it?  Above the woodpecker and a smidgin' to the left?  What do you think?  I headed to the house to go out on the deck to try to get a closer look and was stopped in my tracks as I opened the door to this beauty:

She wandered off a bit ...

... but soon returned with her yearling fawn of last year.

I never did get to see if that was a Saw Whet Owl or not - by time I quit looking at the deer and went back to the tree to see ~ it was gone.

The deer browsed around the yard for a bit then slipped off into the shadows of the woods as quietly as they appeared.  Not once lifting their tails in fright.

I just stood out on the deck the whole while ~ quietly watching and talking to them in a soft voice.  They'll be back.

I suppose this would qualify as a photo overload day  ~ SO ... I'll quit for now.

Until next time ...
So it goes in my neck of the woods.
~mel