It's going to be very cold. . . . . . . .

. . . . . . for the next few days.

Today dozens of robins arrived. 

 I don't think they ever actually leave here, they just don't come to the

 garden often in midwinter. They are non-migrators in the Carolinas. 

They were everywhere in our garden, neighboring gardens also.

Pecking away on the grass for worms, searching for berries,

eating dropped seed under the feeders, and drinking from the

 bird baths and fountain.

They helped cheer up the garden which is rather dreary and devoid of color

 now, other than the pansies, yes the same ones the deer was munching 

shown in my previous post!

American Robin: Turdus migratorius

Do you have many different species of garden birds in winter?

Do you feed and water your visiting birds?

Hanging out with wildlife. . . . . . .

Male cardinal in the Magnolia liliiflora tree, already budding.

The weather here is typical for January, rain one day, sunny the next, but always

 chilly with murmurings of possible snow which either never shows or surprises

 us when we least expect it.

Little happenings in the garden excite me. Last evening, in the quiet of dusk,
I looked out the window at three young deer standing motionless on the front lawn.
Then the smallest came and started nibbling at my pansy/tulip pots - a no-no!
 I grabbed the camera - sorry a bit blurry - then tapped on the window and he
 trotted off to join his family.

Northern flicker on fig tree suet treat.

I've been out of commission, and may continue to be, when it
 comes to blogging or much else regarding computers.

Just seem to have lost my get up and go since the holidays.
I still have shoulder problems . . . .  .but I shouldn't complain 
as other family members and friends have much more to be 
worried about where health is concerned.

The squirrels are looking fat, healthy and bushy-tailed. 
The females are now pregnant and should have their babies in February.
This one I noticed this morning, perhaps a mom-to-be.
Wildlife all around lately. The fox wanders through the side garden and
crosses the street to the little wood, same one where the deer hang out.
Today is warmer with sunshine and I've just wandered around, pulling a
 few weeds, trying to decide just where to prune the Japanese maple and
fig in late Winter ready for Spring.

As my little sign outside the front door reminds me. . . . . . . 

"A garden is a thing of beauty and a job forever"

Problems with Google, Blogger, and now big changes with
'new' PicMonkey have just caused me to lose interest in my 
computer. I'm too old to learn new tech stuff. I was happy with
 what I had and was used to. Why do they do this . . . . . okay, 
okay I know why, we all know why, but that doesn't help sort it
 all out unless you live with a smart IT person! 
 I used to tell Bob I wish I'd married a plumber or an electrician - a
general contractor would be even better. . . . .I can see clearly now,
 I should have tied the knot with a computer genius!

Meanwhile, I'm enjoying time reading some great books. . . . .I'll
 share those with you in another post.

Love to all. . . . . . . .especially any of you Google+ people where 
I've been unable to leave comments for some time now - sorry!

Perhaps. . . . . . .

. . . . . . a light January snow may settle bringing quiet days over this weekend.

Or it could just be more rain which, with the low night temperatures, may mean ice.

We have a theatre date tomorrow night - hopefully road conditions

will not impede our travel into town.

I noticed this beautiful painting in my neighbor's home when cat sitting this week.

Perhaps I should have asked him if I could share it here, but I'm certain he won't mind.

 It makes me yearn to be in the countryside. A few nights on a farm, or in a little

 heated (of course) cabin near the woods. 

We were driving yesterday, just before sunset, and the western sky was awesome

 in shades of lavender and peach. Later in the evening the waxing crescent moon

 was overhead, sharp in the crisp air and dark sky.

Winter does have a special beauty of its own and I'm ready for it.

I wore a real coat yesterday, and gloves for the first time this season.

Tonight a fire on the hearth again. Last night I sat close by until the last

 embers lost their glow. It was very special and I want more.