Snow day!

The schools were closed yesterday, due to expected snow... And in the morning, here it is!  One whole inch.  It didn't cover the grass.  Even Khaki expected more.

I did have the only Yankee sidewalk on the block.  I felt silly shoveling one inch, but that's my snowday hobby.

Bird garden?

The Durant Nature Park's bird garden is pretty bare this time of year.  We sat in the bird blind for a while, and saw a few nut hatches and chickadees, but mostly squirrels.

Long Shadows

This time of year the sun is low.  Even in early afternoon, the shadows of the tall trees reach a long way.

Dawn - New Year's Day 2018

With such a spectacular dawn, who can doubt that 2018 will be a spectacular year?

The dog walk this morning was a chilly 15 degrees, warm compared to anywhere else in the country.  

Photograph of the year

The theme day this month is "Photograph of the Year".  This isn't my best photo, but it represents the year.  She was a large puppet carried in the women's march in Raleigh on January 21.  
She represents the strong women who have stood up this year and said "enough."

Snow Globe?

 

This is a Japanese paper plant, the variety is Snow Globe. This one lives in the lathe house at the JC Raulston Arboretum.  They say this plant helps remove gaseous formaldehyde in the air.  Might be useful as well as ornamental...

sky view

Happy New Year's Eve.  It feels good to say goodbye to 2017!