Saturday, February 28, 2009

At the Buffet

It is brilliantly sunny here this morning, but the temperature is a balmy -31 Celsius with the wind chill factored into the equation. I have already been out to check the various feeders in the garden and have filled them all to overflowing. Birds and squirrels burn a lot of calories just trying to stay warm in this frigid weather, and the breakfast served on such days is good high grade stuff.

The village squirrels are ravenous this morning, and they are lined up one after another on our veranda railing like a procession of little gray Buddhas. As they await their turn at the breakfast buffet, their faces are full of longing and hope, and their tiny paws are tucked into their belly fur for warmth.

My companion Spencer, on the other hand, shows no enthusiasm for going anywhere in this kind of cold. He is curled up on the sofa in the den with a morose expression, gazing out at the cold world beyond the windows and grumbling expressively.

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

I love our little neighbourhood friends. It amazes me how they can tolerate such harsh conditions.
When out on the Greenbelt trails, I make sure I have plenty of nuts and seeds. In return, they help me connect deeply with life and disconnect from small mindedness.
~Darrin

Caroline said...

That little squirrel looks so soft and cuddly. How close did he let you get to him for the photo? Did you just zoom, zoom in?

Sky said...

i am staying inside, retreating from a damp outdoor chill and the heartbreaking loss of my mother who died 10 days ago. winter seems cruel at the moment, and i want to stay inside where i crave warmth and physical comfort while my emotions ride this haphazard roller coaster which throws my inner self into many opposing directions. :(

Still thinking said...

It opens my eyes to visit, see and read about degrees of cold that are inimaginable here.

We have just been through one of the worst heat waves in our recorded history and a horrific few weeks of bushfires which have devastated the landscape. The fires still burn and today we expect wild winds.

Anonymous said...

Love, love the picture. And love your blog, and of course Spencer too.

kerrdelune said...

No..... no telephoto, but the Lumix has a powerful zoom, and I shot the photo through the kitchen window. This squirrel is Maurice (to distinguish him from Henry, Jake and Carmichael.