What's outside of your picture window today?

@artist01 @ess77 @jakedduck1 and fellow “window watchers”. Good morning! It’s disgustingly hot and sultry outside in northern Wisconsin. I’m prone to losing my cherub-like demeanor when this happens and so, back to Mother Nature to provide some psychological relief! Instead of current photos, you get treated to some cooling scenes of my favorite season…winter!!
The first photo is a December sunset at minus 23 degrees!! Right now I’m embracing the sting of the polar air on my face…ahhhh. 😂
The next photos are of Otter tracks in the snow! They are such clowns and enjoy winter as much as I do as they run and slide in the snow. If you look closely in the first otter pic you can follow the slide…broken with some running steps and another slide!
Keep cool friends!! 😎

Note to self - don't stain the deck when it is 82F at 8 am and the cottonwood trees are "snowing". With any luck these will sweep away after the stain cures for a day or two! Duh!
Now 90F and I'm headed out to mow before it gets even hotter. 7 days in a row over 90 here in Minnesota, and it's only June 8th.
Poor @loribmt is suffering, along with my daughter in her gigantic arm cast - and I'm in heaven!
Sue

Hello, @parus, @loribmt ,@johnbishop, @sueinmn, @becsbuddy and all enjoying the view!

IN, another state I've missed. Never enjoyed your state, whish I'd taken the trip to IN, MN, MI, TX, visited CO, CA, but missed so many! Been and lived in many Southern states, some Northern and a bit overseas, but missed some.
Hot? I was enjoying the last few days of the Mayo falcon fledglings, the temp was 98 degrees in Rochester! They had a nice breeze, but that's hot for those babes. They were breathing with open mouths, flapping most of the day, cooling and exercising, laying splayed out wings open on the nest floor....I felt sorry for them, way south in Fl where it was in the mid-80's. And, Sue, you just had a snow recently!

It's another rainy afternoon, so everything cools off, helps my plants. I haven't yet set up a watering/drip system for the pots and plants. I need to chat with someone, probably at Lowe's, to help set up what's best. Saw a lot of ideas online, but can't yet figure it out. I need SUE for help! What about hanging baskets, if the squirrels don't destroy them first?

I'm moving my birdbath a bit away from the tree for more openness. I think they'll like it better. Fountain is still on the ground, @parus. It's heavy, 2 bowls and a ball on top, a concrete stand I bought to replace the one the squirrels broke last year. I bought this fountain on a buying trip to Atlanta for my shop I owned my fiance and I enjoyed it on our porch. I don't want to lose it but can't get it up and going by myself. So, here we go.....

Yes, the lovely lavender/raspberry finch-like birds are house finches, not purple finches. that's sad about the eye disease, but I looked them up yesterday to find the female and realized I mis-labeled the beauties. They are lovely. I will enjoy photographing birds, as I mentioned to Lori. I'm getting the old film camera that belonged to my fiance, ckg it out completely. Lori, I'll let you know what I find, the lenses and such. It may not be useable since it's film....but I still hope to use it.

Well, the squirrels are really bad! I think you're right....I made it worse by feeding and encouraging them. Too soft hearted, but getting less as they destroy my feeders, fountain, birdbath, decorations and plants. I will stop them....any ideas? I bought a couple of feeders w/springs, they can eat from them if they stretch from a limb and don't stand on a perch. Better. All my feeders, but the suet/woodpecker wire tubes, have tops to shelter from rain and to keep squirrels off...that helps. If I get them far enough away from limbs they can use to stretch or jump. I have 2 window feeders they can't reach after moving plants so they can't jump to them.

Haven't seen any more hummers, as I've been spending more time upstairs last couple weeks. Need to get some walking in, but not until I see cardiologist tomorrow and have CT. After I'm sure it's ok, walking is back in and so is pool. I need some activity! Actually, doing the work on the patio w/feeders, etc, was too much, although lots of fun.

Your sister hopefully will love the Villages. Those who live there love it. I have several friends who moved and enjoy the friendships and activities. One good friend moved back, not to Fernandina Beach, but from Villages. Too much for her I think. Too many people and too close. They're growing more now, building like crazy.

Off to ck on birds and try my phone on camera again. Wish me luck!
Enjoy your warm days and be well. Blessings all., elizabeth

Oh, Sue...my goodness, you are a work - horse....compliment! I am in awe of your work yesterday or day before when you power washed and worked in your gardens and whatever else. You did a whopping day's work! How do you do it and breath?

Nice job on the deck. Like the look, nice color. Good luck, my friend. You may have some cottonwood suveniers until next year. That's kind of a fun memory....You did the deck today, after all you've done. Do you stop? What are you on?????????? Prednisone is helpful, gives me energy, but that helps me get through the day, not do what you do???

I admire you for your determination and for making the best of each day. Love it! Also, jealous as heck!

I'm working on the watering of my patio plants. I have sprinklers out front so everything I've planted does ok, but the patio is different. I think a soaking hose will work on the planted areas, but the individual pots and hanging baskets are a challenge. I've seen the glass watering balls, but not sure how or if they work well nor if I want the look. I may need to hand water evert morning, but ain't happening.....ideas? How'd the birdbath watering system go? Work? Please explain a bit....

Bless you in every way. Thinking of your daughter and her arm.....bless her! elizabeth

Oh, dear.....kind of messy. And in Texas, it was in the '70s and chilly. Of course, I didn't take a sweater or jacket. Who would need them at Port Bolivar in June?

We had to redo our deck in St Cloud. It is redwood and Jay made the mistake of using the power washer when it was set too strong. So.....he had "the guys" take up every plank, plane it, use a router on the edges and replace it. Then he stained it with this stuff we have sent from California. It lasts for years compared to other options.

Have you found a source for redwood in Minnesota? We haven't.

It is a good thing Jay hired a gardener to take over while we were in Texas. Then he didn't have to worry about the lack of rain and appropriate temperatures.

Here are a couple of tell-tale Texas photos.....the birthday girl dancing and the "view". Enjoy.
Chris

And...@sueinmn, what time do you get up and move around if you're staining your lovely deck at 8a.m.? Are you crazy?????? How do you do that? I love it, I love what and who you are. Just keep it up and show the world how it's done, my friend!
bless you. elizabeth

Oh, my, Chris. You had a mess w/your deck, too. Thank goodness for Jay and 'his guys'!

What lovely pictures of lovely little one and beautiful view. You are indeed blessed and good weather as well....blessings, elizabeth

@sueinmn Ohh that’s an ooooops moment! But it kind of looks like snow. Tee hee.
It’s wonderful that heat doesn’t bother you! Summer never used to bug me either, no matter the temperature or humidity. Tough as nails! But after the birth of our daughter, 37 years ago in August, my internal thermostat went kaput! Now I cave like a wet cardboard box when the temps are up! It’s 92 and humidity is 89 % at the moment. I’m not amused. 🥵
Your poor daughter with that huge cast!! That has to be really uncomfortable. I hope she has A/C to help keep the rest of her body cool!

Replying to all. The energy is me still "coasting" after two weeks of prednisone and having it take a lot of pain away. I'm going like crazy while it lasts...
Lori our daughter is here and the AC has been on for 2 weeks now, but it helps me too, gives my lungs a rest from the pollen - as does my N95 mask.
I also have a separate hose set up with a mister nozzle, and keep myself pretty wet.
Elizabeth I will be putting out my irrigation for the pots tomorrow and I'll share a few photos in the garden discussion. I run skinny little drip lines to the hanging baskets too. The whole lot is then attached to a timer to run daily. It was quite fun to create.
Sue

Oh, Chris she is a little doll.
Hmm, redwood is rare in MN, we use cedar instead. But it is pretty soft. Tell Jay I did the same thing to cedar shake siding the first time I used the pressure washer- I was lucky it already had grooves, so noone except my Dad noticed.
I think I'm done for today- and letting the others cook tonight.