Sunday, January 6, 2008

January 6, 2008

Big melt
We are having a January thaw. It looks to last several days but I am sure it won't make much of a dent in all that snow we have had. The temperature was slightly above freezing yesterday and currently stands at 4C (39F). Monday it is supposed to be 10C (50F). That's jean jacket weather!
Big melt
Mostly what a January thaw does is make things mucky for walking, although thankfully not life-threatening.
Big melt
Unless you fall down and drown in this enormous puddle. I was happy to see that when I walked by it two hours later on the way home, the drain had been opened and it had (mostly) drained. It was about ankle deep prior to that.
small tragedy?
This tiny mitten was there yesterday and since it was still there today, I took its picture. Someone had placed it on the top of the snow bank, to wait for its owner (or owner's parent) to return. I often wonder what the story was, when I pass these little vignettes. Did the child cry later when its hand got cold? Did the parent only notice when they got home? Do they walk here every day and so will they retrieve the mitt?
vole hole
On the bike path behind the transit station, I noticed a tiny movement and as I focussed in on it, I saw it was a vole out eating some grass that had been exposed by the snow plow. As I hurried toward him taking out my camera, he scampered into a hole in the snow bank.
vole close-up
I drew up beside the hole and as I peered in, I realized he was still there at the entrance, holding his breath and waiting for me to go away. I snapped a photo and then stepped closer to take another and he vanished. It would have been better with a flash but you can't have everything.

2 comments:

Granny J said...

A pity you didn't catch a pic of the vole in his/her hole!

JuliaR said...

Look at the close up! It's not good but you can make out his little pink nose. He vanished when I tried to get a better shot. I had already zoomed in to the max but I knew it would be better if I could make the flash go but he didn't want to wait.