Friday, January 08, 2021

Ten years ago today

It was very much like it is today. It's cold, just below freezing. At this hour, before sunrise, the sky should be clear, but the stars are obscured by a thick fog layer. Temperature inversions trap winter fog on the ground. It could burn off after the sun rises, or not. The air is still and there is little to be heard outside.

The vineyard road at sunrise, 8 January 2011.

The people who work in the vineyard are out there each day methodically cutting last year's canes from the vine trunks. That will continue through February and into March. Seasonal workers will pull the cut canes from the vines and line them up between rows for mulching later on (some of the smaller growers do the whole process without hired help).

I've started putting seed out for the birds that over-winter here. Most of them are tits, robins, or finches of one variety or another. There are other birds, of course (wood pigeons, doves, blackbirds), but they don't visit the feeders.

We move at winter's pace and venture not far from home.

7 comments:

  1. Winter has fully set in here and we’re going on week 3 of a sharp cold spell. I know not to expect changes before April, but it seems to bother me more as I get older.

    Sean
    Www.Idleeyesandadormy.Com

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  2. If your sky were clear it would probably be much colder, right? Speaking of birds, we have have 15 or 20 large white pelicans visiting the pond behind our house for the last three days. Quite a sight!

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  3. Two minutes more of daylight, yay!

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  4. I miss feeding the neighborhood birds. I just realized we first connected not long after that photo was taken.

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  5. Re yesterday's post, which of you got the feve? Roderick

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  6. sean, I remember that. We're lucky to be in a more temperate climate here.

    bettyann, pelicans!

    evelyn, and two more again today!

    mitch, I'll bet Dudo and Moose would enjoy it!

    roderick, neither, we just took it out.

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