Outdoor Adventures with Gary Lee - Vol. 340

It has been a tad nippy the last few days with a little snow mixed in. I saw the snowmobiles going down the road yesterday and on trail five so it must be the season for them. They are at least getting a jump on it for sure. Even with these super cold temperatures anyone using the lakes for travel or fishing should check first before getting out there as the snow that came after the first freeze can prevent it from freezing even at these temperatures. Ice rescues are a dangerous thing for rescuers and the people in the water so stay safe and stay off unless you check first.

There is a super storm that is about to hit the northwestern states and continue right across the country. There will be inches of rain where it is warmer and feet of snow at higher elevations with high winds pushing it along. This will go all the way across the country and bring cold temperatures way down into the southeastern states. Maybe an old fashion winter in the making. I haven’t looked at the Farmer’s Almanac, but it might tell us something about this.

The Cold Super Full moon the other night could have been an indication of what might be coming. It was so bright all night I could have skied without a light all night. I would have been watching the shadows as I skied through them as they were super on the snow. I photographed all night as if it were like daylight outside. I didn’t look at the time it was to rise but as I made my last turn at the end of the driveway with the snow blower there it was already up. I just kept shooting after that and it only got better with shots just before sunrise in the morning. If you missed it, you had your eyes closed.

There was a 7.5 magnitude earthquake in northeast Japan which caused a tsunami and 100,000 people were evacuated as a ten-foot wave came ashore. Tremors lasted longer than thirty seconds in Tokyo, more than four hundred miles away.

Being in the Christmas spirit, the nutcrackers, all forty of them, got out of the closet and assumed positions all around the house as they have now for thirty years. Their numbers have increased over the years, and one has lost his sword, but I could find which one as they took their places. The advent calendar was found and caught up to date. Tree isn’t up yet but maybe tomorrow before the snowstorm hits.

This cold and snowy weather has moved several birds to my feeding area. I have over 60 Evening Grosbeaks battling with the mob of fifteen Blue Jays. The little birds catch a seed now and then and feed on the suet cakes and peanut butter logs along with the Woodpeckers and Nuthatches. The Red-bellied Woodpecker is making his way around to all the feeders with that long beak he has no problem finding a spot to eat.

I did come down the Hollywood Road the other day and the channel was full of water birds, 82 Canada Geese and nine Mallards dipping their heads down for a blade of vegetation on the bottom. I did hear a small flock of Brandt fly over while I was out scooping the driveway and then big flock of Snow Geese went over up in the clouds.

I’m sorry to have to tell you that one of my natures loving friends Joan Herrmann who wrote the Where I Wander column in the Adirondack Express passed on November 26. We had many great encounters with nature together; she showed me things and I showed her some things she hadn’t seen before. With her camera always in hand taking shots of all these things. I will miss her columns and our meeting with nature. RIP.

New show “Imagin That! Wit, Wonder, Whimsy” opening December 12 at View hours 10 to 4 Monday through Saturday admission $10 but that’s another story. See ya.

Photo above: Ski trail out back at 3am