Snowstorm in Kentucky

Is it Spring or is it Winter? If you don't like the weather in the Ohio Valley, just stick around and it will change. Last Saturday, it was definitely springlike, and a day or two later, it was in the mid-60's. Yesterday, it started snowing, and continued all night and all day today. The weather people are predicting 10 inches or so here in Louisville. I know, folks in Cleveland or Buffalo or Chicago would call this a light dusting, but this is more snow than we've had altogether in the last 4 years! The Ohio Valley tends to get bypassed, most of the time, with snow falling 20 miles north in Indiana, and only rain here. The good news is, this is Saturday, Bernheim is closed, and if the Falls of the Ohio State Park isn't closed, only the employees will be there. This is a great opportunity to stay home with no guilt, just doing laundry, cleaning the bathrooms and kitchen and enjoying a cup of coffee while watching it snow. Of course, I am taking pictures to commemorate the occasion!

Dick filled the feeders yesterday, before there was much accumulation, so the neighborhood birds are "flocking" to our yard, along with the squirrels who live in the pine trees. The birds always scratch some extra seed on the ground for the squirrels. The heater in the bird bath is working fine, so water is available too. Our black cat shows no interest in going outside, as he usually does. Guess he knows he would NOT be invisible in this snow.

All the usual winter residents of my backyard are stopping by the feeders, including Mama and Papa Cardinal, House Finches, Juncos, White Throated and Song Sparrows. The Starlings are going after the suet, but a Mockingbird, who normally doesn't prefer sunflower seed, has decided one of the feeders is his and chases everyone else away if he catches them. Goldfinches are beginning to molt into their bright yellow colors. Chickadees, Nuthatches and Tufted Titmice come by now and then. A Carolina Wren perched in the bush outside my window for a while. The Downy Woodpecker hasn't made an appearance yet, but we'll see him later, I'm sure.

We have a plastic Great Horned Owl in the yard to scare away the chipmunks. Well, today he's a Snowy Great Horned Owl. Dick says he's as good a predator now as he is when it isn't snowing. In fact, he must be better now, since I haven't seen a chipmunk all morning! The little White Throated Sparrow usually blends into the leaves under the feeder, but today he's nicely visible against the white background. Tonight we will Spring Forward into Daylight Savings Time. Between the time change and the snow, I don't expect a crowd at church tomorrow, but we will start early and make the effort to be there. About 12:30, it stopped snowing and the sun actually came out. All the neighbors are shoveling sidewalks and driveways so we went out to do ours too. Maybe next time it snows, we'll pay someone else to do it for us. Tomorrow when my muscles all ache from this unusual exertion, I'll like that idea even more!