Variations on winter....in late fall

It seems winter has arrived and has no intention of allowing autumn to make a graceful exit. I don't know if I will ever get a chance to rake my leaves that just all fell a week and a half ago (right before this all started).
Last week (November 26/7) it snowed these beautiful big white flakes that accumulated to about an inch and a half.


Thought this was a great catch! Always on the job.


The snow got heavy for a while.



It made for a beautiful setting for the birds of gryphonsporch to feast.

This past weekend (dec 1-2) we had snow (snowflake snow) that went to sleet to freezing rain to just rain. By Sunday afternoon the rain was falling on a layer of ice and snow and the temperature variation/melting snow created a lovely gray, foggy backdrop.







And finally a few words from Cerberus...and his magical stick....


And a special appearance from MR TEETH!!

ooh fun!

Some fun winter weather pictures are coming soon! We have snow and then ice on the way. I'll have the trusty camera out for winter fun. I need to get my leaves raked before tomorrow or I'll never get them up. I have a feeling winter is going to be Wintery this year.

forecast

Happy Turkey Day

Well it snowed here for Thanksgiving. Thought that it would be a good time to get started on the winter blog. We got more and more birds over the summer so I anticipate the porch to be a busy place this winter. Yesterday I looked out and believe I saw a small hawk (perhaps a Cooper's) sitting in the branches of the tree. It was too fast for me though and I have no photographic evidence to examine or display. Hopefully it will come back.


So here we are back at winter.
It accumulated an inch or so...just enough to make for a beautiful holiday.



A few other catch ups.....I'm helping take care of a puppy named Cerberus. He's been a new addition to my world. Here he is now....


He's about 11 wks old and is a handful of fun!!



This was about 10 wks with his favorite froggy.


Beastie vs beastie action....


Thanksgiving snooze.......


Compare the above snooze to this one.....this was the first day he came home...about 7wks old...



This was the car ride to his new home.....


First week...first time with his ball.....He can cover this now...

His favorite toy......STICK!!!!!



Please may I have that kitty?????



Cerberus and his Person...Robert


The fall here was beautiful...... alas it is gone now....



Spent a few days in Milwaukee in October. If you get a chance...they have an amazing Art Museum.

and a beautiful Chihuly in the lobby...as well as a few inside!!

It was a great little town...much to my surprise. Good food, good microbrews, and very nice people.


The first vestiges of fall. We were blessed with over a month of oranges and reds. I can't complain about the snow finally arriving. For the record, this is the first fall since I've been in Michigan (03), that we haven't had some form of snow/sleet before November. We had some spit snow or WSFFTS a week or so ago, but that's been it until now. Very interesting note towards how microclimates are changing fairly rapidly. Or..it just could be a normal fluctuation.
More on the winter soon!!

Summer Vacation Part 3 San Diego!

The last part of my summer vacation (being updated at the end of October) was to San Diego to visit my friend Jay and then on to Arizona for a brief stay at the Circle Z Ranch owned by my friend Z-woman.


The beach, of course, was magnificent. We were at a lightly crowded beach with para-sailers gliding down the cliffs behind us. I think I spent a good 45 minutes frolicking in the waves amongst the surfers.
In some of these shots, you can see little dots of surfers waiting for a wave.





This is Opossum. He's a groovy little dog.


We went to Magic Mountain and I rode four roller coasters (for the first time in over 10 years). This was the last one. I realized how much the fluid in my semicircular canals have hardened over the years.


A view from one of the coasters.



I am always amazed by these wind farms. This one is off 10 heading east towards Palm Springs.


This is my friend Jay's band, Moontucky Risin'. They were awesome!!! Check them out!


Sunset from Jay's balcony.



More of beautiful San Diego.


Again...


Out in Arizona, one of the Z Ranch dogs,


And one of the cats.....


This is sweet Maggie, another Zranch critter.


A scene from the Z Ranch. Somewhere in northern Arizona.


I was in Arizona during the monsoon season. Great storms like this sweep up and are amazing. My car thermometer went from 98 to 76 in about five minutes. I almost got blown off the road. WHEEEE!


A picture of the horse barn at the ranch.


And a view from the porch. It's a mighty fine place to relax.


One of the magnificent Agave plants growing on the ranch.

Z woman herself during our ride through the desert.


A view from the back of mine. It was a beautiful, yet sometimes terrifying ride. Horses and steep hills are an interesting combination.



Some of the petroglyphs near the Z Ranch.

Another view off the porch.....


And another petroglyph.... They were all on this one rock formation off the wash. It's a beautiful little site.


The dogs living a dog's life on a ranch. Free to run and chase small animals and roam sniffing whatever you may.


Overall it was a wonderful trip visiting old friends and touching mountains again.