accidental aviary

We got our first real snow yesterday. This is my first snow this year, because apparently it snowed a little while I was in Guatemala, but it had been unseasonably warm since my return. We are having a lot of fun with the new snow. Phoenix and I were outside gathering burdock stalks and wild amaranth to burn in the fireplace (the amaranth seeds sometimes burn purple, maybe it has to do with how dry or old they are?) when I looked back to find her facedown in the snow making a snow angel.

Earlier this week I got to practice acrobatics while I closed up the last gap in the long greenhouse, at the top on the north side (54 degrees outside that day!). There were a few birds inside and I hoped that they would still be able to get out. The doors on the north have a small space at the bottom. This morning when I went in there the number of birds had multiplied. Some tall weeds inside are covered with dried seeds. The birds were pecking at these and hanging on plant hooks.

There were a number of different types of birds in there. I saw a woodpecker with the punkest red mohawk ever, some nuthatches, a few chickadees and some others that were flying too fast to see well. I think they were competing for rockstar status with the woodpecker.

I have enjoyed taking breaks in the long greenhouse while Phoenix is working at her new lessons online. A thermos of coffee or tea, a book, some birds . . .

I think that soon I will start taking daily temps in the greenhouses, comparing them with the outside temps. It would be nice to know which is warmer and to know when/if we might be able to do some winter greens.