Winter Things to Help Break the Monotony

John_C · 12-05-2016, 04:10 PM

I don't know if this is a good place to post or even if it is allowed... I guess we'll find out...

Are you getting tired of the weather yet, you know there is more to come and if you haven't read the Almanac yet, don't, you won't like it...

My trailer is at the shop for the winter; there were jobs there that probably won't get done until way into next year and my batteries are settled in for the winter... And I get tired of doing Honey-Do's and working on the garage...

So, a few days ago, I rebuilt the Boss' bird feeders and made my own suet cakes that the Woodpeckers really like... Then, I am starting to get different and more birds than before... This results in better pics. Because I'm from Arizona desert, there are some birds that I haven't seen before...

Here are a few pics I took this morning and yesterday...

The first Pic is a White-Breasted Nuthatch - On Left and On Right is a cute little female Downy Woodpecker...

The second Pic, one with the bird hanging on the side of the suet feeder, is a Female Pileaded Woodpecker and measures 16 - 19 inches in length...

The third Pic, with the bird way on top of the rack, is a Male Pileaded Woodpecker... The angle of the picture does not show his size well, but this guy is also 16 - 19 inches in length... His Red "Mustache" looks to be just coming in, making me think he is a young male...

The point being, get out and enjoy the beautiful country... we will be making day-trips this winter to see what things look like without that green stuff on them... Take precautions; carry water, blankets, a shovel, chains if you have them or at least a bag or two of kitty litter for traction, food, flashlight, extra batteries... You probably know better than I for your given area...

Be safe and have fun...

Eagle · 12-05-2016, 04:46 PM

John, being born/raised here in the upper midwest, never tire of winter. It's an exciting change of pace from the summer heat. Personally, I do enjoy the changing seasons from spring to summer to fall to winter and back to spring. The wonders of nature are to be marveled.

I've lived/worked in the southern states before and not my cup of tea. I don't like hot nor hot and humid. nor all sand and rocks ~ just me.

Well familiar with winter driving situations and never had an issue. The key is to know weather conditions plus you and your vehicles' capabilities. 4 wheel drive is a plus with the key being if you get stuck in 2 wheel drive, put it in 4 wheel drive & back out.

Those red headed woodpeckers are here too. Recall decades ago a 'flock' of them decided to call the farm home. For some reason, they loved the wooden barns, machine shed, wood granary and wood out buildings. That didn't set well and after several hundred dollars damage, the hired hand (an expert shot) dispatched about 10 of them, ending their stay.

A few years ago one decided to attack the wood trim on my house. I hung a plastic owl in a nearby tree and that ended that...apparently wood peckers and owls don't get along.

I have a number of blue jays (noisy & bullies) that hang around my bird feeders and from time to time see cardinals too. They are very pretty birds.

Michigantraveler · 12-05-2016, 06:12 PM

We have an amazing number of birds that feed here. Sometimes we have three pileateds. They love the suet. We also get red headed woodpeckers, downy woodpeckers, flickers, hairy wood peckers, chickadees, juncos (snow birds) that feed on the ground, nuthatches, goldfinches, mourning doves, titmice, and even crows. Occasionally we also have wild turkeys that come through. We have an indoor/outdoor cat that leaves them alone. And we feed a feral cat out there as well. We get out and walk with our three old dogs as much as possible year round. They run like the wind and take a long nap when they get home. They all keep us busy.

APD · 12-06-2016, 09:31 AM

If we get bored we go camping..............

Sorry.

Michigantraveler · 12-06-2016, 10:23 AM

Uh, Georgia gets some mighty cold weather some years too right? Even snow.

profdant139 · 12-06-2016, 10:53 AM

Bird-watching in Southern California is much less interesting than in the rest of the country, I think. But sometimes we spot something fun in the Sierras -- a couple of weeks ago, this eagle spiralled over our heads for a good ten minutes in big lazy circles:

Click For Full-Size Image.

At the time, we were sitting on top of Mitchell Peak, at 10,300 feet, between Sequoia National Park and Kings Canyon. Usually, the peak is covered with snow by mid-November -- but we got lucky. It was warm (around 50 degrees), sunny, and calm:

Click For Full-Size Image.

Eagle · 12-06-2016, 01:07 PM

Camped more than once in the northern Minnesota area where have seen hundreds of magnificent Bald Eagles.

Awesome birds!

APD · 12-06-2016, 04:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Michigantraveler

Uh, Georgia gets some mighty cold weather some years too right? Even snow.

Yeah, I was kiddin'.

It does get cold here! Not very much snow but then 2" will shut everything down.

Good thing it's usually only once a year or so. Dealing with deep snow that stays around for more than 3 days would be bad.
I have too many "projects" and will stay busy this winter. But, if we get the time and chance to, we like to sneak in a 2 or 3 day trip (temperature permitting). Florida's only about six hours away for us and our van club is based there. Time to use our little Vancamper.
My projects include work on the FF so it'll be parked next to my garage all winter I suppose.
Our favorite winter time hobby around here is wild life watching. We have lots of deer and some of the craziest squirrels on the planet.

John_C · 12-07-2016, 11:59 AM

Even during the "Camping Season", I just need to get away for a day or two and besides getting back into photographing nature trips, I go to the Wright's County Swappers Meet... I try to clean out excessive "STUFF" each year and will take my cargo conversion over to Wright's County Swappers Meet. I pull the trailer right in and set set up "camp" and I just plug in or not, as the case may be, roll out my awning, set up tables, and load them up...

The Boss doesn't usually go along on these 1 or 2 night excursions... It's camping and I get out for a couple days... I know a couple people that go and try to coordinate my trip with theirs and set up "booths" side by side... This way we can each watch the other's tables for those walks around or potty breaks... The trip can be fun and of course, make a few bucks $$ ...

Here's my little CC set-up with one bunk for my trips to the Swapper's Meet...

APD · 12-07-2016, 01:45 PM

John I've seen similar cargo campers on the US 127 during the Worlds Longest Yardsale. They stay set-up for three or more days. We went up buying during the 127 yardsale many years...now we need to go back and SELL, SELL, SELL!!!

Michigantraveler · 12-07-2016, 04:09 PM

Neat John, what do you swap?

Michigantraveler · 12-07-2016, 04:11 PM

Were about 50 miles from 127 up here in northern Michigan.

APD · 12-07-2016, 04:41 PM

Another thing we love to do during cold rainey weather is run the Tail of The Dragon and Moonshiner 28.

It's too dangerous for full size vehicles in warm weather and certainly no place to pull a camper. It really belongs to the two wheelers IMO. So we drop the trailer and go when no one's there.

Michigantraveler · 12-07-2016, 04:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Eagle

Camped more than once in the northern Minnesota area where have seen hundreds of magnificent Bald Eagles.

Awesome birds!

saw this guy Monday. Only had my cell phone unfortunately.

Eagle on 12.5.16 by wilkiepup2010, on Flickr

John_C · 12-07-2016, 05:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Michigantraveler

Neat John, what do you swap?

Hi Mich,
We moved here about 2 years ago and I am still going through boxes...

I still can't get through my office nor the third bay in the garage, and I am trying to consolidate tools, books, and junk...

Sooo, back to your question, nothing specific and much that should have been left in Arizona from extra furnishings to tools... But I buy the same type of stuff I sell ...

I also like to camp and this is one way to do it... besides, the swappers start early, before it gets good light, so I get there the night before...

John_C · 12-07-2016, 05:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Michigantraveler

saw this guy Monday. Only had my cell phone unfortunately.

Nice pic Mich, especially from a cell phone... Good catch...

John_C · 12-07-2016, 06:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by APD

John I've seen similar cargo campers on the US 127 during the Worlds Longest Yardsale. They stay set-up for three or more days. We went up buying during the 127 yardsale many years...now we need to go back and SELL, SELL, SELL!!!

Ya gotta love that little camper on that P.U.

Michigantraveler · 12-07-2016, 06:58 PM

John, we are in the same boat as you. We had our house downstate and bought this one up north to fix up for retirement a couple of years in the future. For a year we drove 220 miles up her just about every weekend to work on this place. We furnished this place in case we wanted to rent it out for a year. Then the you know what hit the fan. Paul lost his job. We immediately put our downstate house on the market and had four full price offers in three days. We had a huge yard sale, donated things, made dump runs and still ended up with at least two houses worth of stuff. We carted everything up in several loads of big moving trucks, our van and our trailer. We ended up riding our bikes up here in freezing rain. We were chilled to the bone by the time we arrived. Could hardly open our hands! So, the basement is full, part of the two car garage is full and the upstairs rafters of the garage are full of stuff! Good stuff. We were going to have another garage sale this summer and I priced everything but we never got around to it. We also have antique stuff that we would never put in a garage sale and should go on eBay. All we need is ambition right? We have been fairly good about not buying more stuff, except for the FF. But all this stuff weighs you down mentally doesn't it? We could open a second hand shop I'm thinkin'.

John_C · 12-08-2016, 10:15 AM

Well Mich,
I have an idea for you and Paul...

I hope to be back sometime towards the first of April and then, sometime towards the end of the month (It is getting warmer and the crowds are typically better) I plan to hit Wright County Swappers to sell off enough stuff to make the trip to Annandale worthwhile ...

Why don't you and Paul discuss it and we'll shoot for a weekend towards the end of April or first part of May... We'll plan on getting there around noon on a Friday and hit a one day sale... Set up where we can get electric... maybe

They have restrooms (nicer vault toilets) or use your trailer. The restaurant opens early, if one wants... I like my own blend of coffee and generally bring something precooked to warm for breakfast and lunch. The buyers start coming around early on Saturday (before the sun wakes up) and everything starts shutting down around noon to 2:00... If the weather is nice, you can usually get a couple hundred buyers by your tables...

You might get rid of enough stuff to pay for the trip, get a little camping in, and buy some trinkets to haul back home to boot...

...

The Link:
Wright County Swappers Meet - The Official Web Site

I realize it is a bit if a run for you guys, but give it some thought... April/May is a ways off yet, and plans can always change...

Michigantraveler · 12-08-2016, 12:54 PM

Hmmm...let's see 761 miles, 11 hours, 17 min. From here to there.
Not very feasible. 1500 miles of gas. No way to bring stuff to sell. Nope, not in the cards.
Are you planning on Arizona again? But without the rig? I still think we should meet up in the UP to camp in the summer- after black fly season!!