Coyote Sighting!

Cats have keen eyesight. Sometimes, when one of mine sits intently looking out a window, I can see what it's seeing. But more often, I can't. In addition to wind-driven leaves and blades of prairie grass, my yard - especially the backyard - is their very own Animal Planet full of birds, bunnies, squirrels, woles, possums and racoons every day. Deer and wild turkeys run through several times a week on their way to the creek.

Yesterday, it was a coyote. At 8:30 in the morning! Neither my husband nor I had a camera handy to catch it dashing through the back yard headed across the street to Underwood Creek. We were just happy Stu was safely inside, watching from the comfort of a kitchen chair - not running for cover up a tree. The other cats, sleeping peacefully, missed all the fun!

January Thaw

There's not much about winter that's easy to love, except snow. Beautiful, powdery snow falling gently is mesmerizing. And then, when the storm clouds clear and the sky turns blue again, the new fallen flakes of crystal shimmer in the cold, bright sunlight.

Then it warms up just enough to turn everything wet and sloppy.

The January Thaw is a momentary, fleeting respite from the bitter winds borne in by the Canadian Jet Stream. But, I'll take it. I'll take it as an opportunity to go for a walk instead of cleaning my kitchen after baking cookies.

It's January. It's Wisconsin. It's too early to dream there won't be more snowstorms.  Or excuses to stay inside and try a new recipe.

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