Junco in Plum Tree

"What fresh hell is this?" I asked myself as I hauled myself out of bed this morning  and looked in the mirror. The black eye I expected when I fell on my face, and which never materialized, has now appeared. I suspect it is some kind of insect bite since it also itches insanely. February has not been an auspicious month for my physical wellbeing and I am definitely ready for it to be over.

Today's weather has been another question of picking one's time to dash out between downpours to do necessary errands. It has been quite beautiful at times, with glowering black clouds suddenly replacing fluffy white ones in blue skies. The wind is the warning sign…once it comes up there is little time to find shelter before the skies open up again, so I have opted for staying in and finishing up several projects. 

OilMan who will head out to play golf in the most vile weather managed to fit in a whole game while I was having coffee, getting dressed and generally gearing up to head outside with Ozzie. We were walking down the front steps when the skies opened and and OilMan returned gloating over his precision timing. He was the only person on the golf course.

Despite the rain, the bird feeders, especially the suet feeder which is largely ignored in the spring and summer, were very popular. The suet holder hangs in a rather scrawny, struggling plum tree, but when it puts out its sparse quotient of blossoms, it makes a pretty backdrop for the birds who perch in it waiting their turn for a spot…especially the juncos, whose coloring blends in nicely.