Staying Warm

     While we have had to scrape the ice off the windshield, we have not had the cold temperatures recently that many of our New England friends have had.  Durelle and Cindy even played golf last week.  We have spent thirty years in NH, CO, and AK, so I think we have paid our dues.  We are enjoying living in a place where the hardware stores do not feature a display of snow shovels.  The first picture is of our holly bush in front of the house.  The color isn't great, but it does show that it is loaded with holly berries.  The cedar waxwings haven't found the berries yet.  Snow would have made it a more classic picture, but we can get along without it.  The next two shots were taken today of blue herons on the edge of the retention pond in our back yard.  The grandfather looking beast is a great blue heron.  His neck is not extended, but you can clearly see the shock of feathers that distinguishes him.  The last is a little blue heron according to our field guide.  He's smaller and bluer.
     Things are quiet on the home front, and I guess that is a good thing.  Excitement is not one of our requirements these days. We hope you are keeping warm and are noticing the lengthening days.