Endings Always Come Too Fast

Sang Art Garfunkul so sweetly in the song All I Know. 
If you have the time, give it a listen. 

And just like that another year ended.  But before that....

Glancing out my kitchen window on New Year's Eve day, providence rewarded me with a rare sighting of this elusive fellow, the Pileated Woodpecker.  Made famous as the model for Woody the Woodpecker, this fellow is the largest of the woodpeckers that we see here in our neck of the woods.  I glimpse one from time to time and have never gotten a photo before.  It was very interested in the oldest tree in the back and stayed vigorously pecking, just long enough for me to grab my camera and get a few shots through the window.  Then in a turn of its great red crested head and a sweep of its large wings, gone.

 But that day had another little treat for me.  The male cardinal I watch each winter came  back again.  A female is with him and I think they must be hungry.  I only see them in times of snow and they come to check out my bird feeders.  He makes a remarkable sight, so scarlet against the white. 

Before that....

  On the day before New Year's Eve we met a friend for lunch at a pub in a little town nearby.  I had this as my rather unlikely side view.  By the way, we all had fish and chips, a specialty of this place and it was good. 

Most of the little towns around here came about because of the rivers and falls and this one was home to a number of mills- textiles and wool.  That is the back view of one of the mills, no longer operating but turned into condos.  I imagine their view of the river and falls would be enjoyable. 

On the day before that I rescued the last of the tomatoes from the greenhouse.  The tomatoes themselves seemed willing, but the plants gave up the ghost and were withering.  We ate these alone to enjoy the pure sweet tomato taste.  A learning experience and I already look forward to planting more in the greenhouse come mid March.

That old stick tree in the center there is the one Mrs. Woodpecker was attacking.

It hasn't stopped snowing since it suddenly began.  We have enough snow on the ground to use the snowmobile.  Hubby took it up the trail through the woods for me to have it a little easier going on my walks.

Welcome Winter!