We are dug out!

A fair bit of snow fell on The Homestead overnight.

Dad had the sidewalks scraped down to the surface at sunset yesterday and there was just a little more than 12" on them this morning. It was enough to make Jake wonder where he should go.

Any decent winterscape shots meant even the snowshoes needed to be dug out.

And it was well worth the effort

I did get a few more bird shots this morning, but they needed to wait for feed to be scattered.

Waiting for the sun to come up over the horizon

Just enough cloud cover for a dream like quality to everything

Jake really wanted his morning ride and was put out that he had to wait till this afternoon before the truck left the driveway.

About 1 PM we are dug out.

It helps to plan strategy with the neighbor up the hill. John just got a snow blower this year. They used to have a plow service but I think he's always been envious of Dad's snow blower.

A few times up and down the long lane and the driveway is open for business. He really loves this stuff - day or night! I am glad he has the snow blower and is more mobile this year. I know the snow blower helps stabilize him as he walks but when your dad has had 3 knee and 2 hip surgeries (and still has an original hip) there is a tendency to be concerned.
The road was plowed by the time we got to the end of the driveBut there wasn't a car in sight.
Dad is a big believer in keeping the snow from your drive out of the road.
Opening up the end of the driveway

By late morning, he had made it out to the place where he feeds the deer each afternoon.

Which is where he experienced his first mishap of the day - and ran out of gas.

Messing up the walkway I scraped down so carefully on the way to the shed.Which is where he experienced his 2nd mishap of the day with the snow blower. Let's just say it is a good thing he was done snow blowing and I am glad he had his hands on the snow blower when it happened. So, let's move along because there really is nothing else to see here and go look at the pretty birds that showed up earlier in the soft morning light.

A female cardinal

A male cardinal

Yesterday, I tried and tried to get pictures of the near half dozen cardinals in the backyard and instead found blue birds hamming for the camera. Today, blue jays got skittish and flew off as soon as I slid out the door, but the cardinals were around these are the best of the pictures I could get standing as still as a post on the porch without getting frozen myself.