Tracks in the snow

 If you aren’t from around here, you may not know that the 1993 film, Groundhog Day, was filmed in Woodstock, IL. Woodstock has a big multi-day festival around February 2 every year, and this year was especially big because it was the 30^th anniversary. In all that time, I had never seen the movie. Terry saw it on TV a long time ago and remembered it as being lame. We all know the plot—a weatherman lives Groundhog Day over and over and over. Still, it’s a local legend, and there were four showings at the movie theater just off the square that figures prominently in the film. Admission was $2. Why not?

We went to the first show, Wednesday, February 1 at 7:00 p.m. I thought perhaps there would be fewer children as it was a school night. Perhaps there would just be fewer people. I was glad I could get tickets online in advance, as I had no idea how early we would have to get there to get tickets in person.

The theater was packed, quite possibly sold out. Woodstock Willie posed for pictures before the show. He came with two handlers who passed cell phones back and forth so we didn’t have to take selfies.

Hanging out with Woodstock Willie

The movie exceeded my expectations. Terry admitted that he didn’t remember how funny it was. Murray went through all the stages of emotional change, beginning with denial and anger, but eventually accepted his situation and took advantage of the opportunity to do everything over, always tweaking his actions toward becoming a more tolerant and less cynical person. I liked it.

 It’s been an awfully cold week. Temperatures were below zero several mornings. We have a heater in the coop to keep the eggs from freezing, but it only works for the eggs in the nest boxes. Those ninny Wyandotts like to lay eggs on the floor. The other chickens are instinctively drawn to lay eggs where there are already eggs. We check several times during the day but can’t do much about eggs that are laid when the light comes on at 2:00 a.m. One morning there were three eggs on the floor, frozen solid with a crack all the way down the side. I had to throw them out, which pained me.

I skipped my regular walking and got outdoor exercise brushing off the solar panels with a 30-foot telescoping broom.  The upside of the weather was that the sky was finally clear. It was delightful to see the sun again. I wanted to make as many kWhs as possible. I had to work on it 3 days all together before we were at 100%. I stopped each session before I hurt myself. Good for me.

I went for a walk Saturday. The weather was warmer, and the chickens finally got out to enjoy the sunshine.

Hens enjoying the nice day

The cats like the sun also and sat by the window watching the cars go by.

Watching the world go by

It was slow going for me slogging through 8” (the final official amount) of snow. It was light, fluffy stuff. I thought about using my snowshoes, but it would not have been any less work. It looked like the deer had a dance party in the north field.

Numerous deer trails in the snow

The deer drag their hooves as they walk through deep snow. I don’t judge; I do the same thing.

Deer tracks with hooves dragging

I only saw two places where they had dug down to the grass. I thought there would be more.

Deer scrape away snow with their feet to look for food

I came upon a murder scene. Note how the trail on the left ends at the hole in the snow. To the right, there are prints of feathers in the snow. The victim’s tracks are too drifted in for identification. Whatever it was, it walked in a straight line.

Unsuspecting animal walks in from the left; large predatory birds slides in for the kill from the right.

Here is a close-up of the feather prints. The bird moved its tail three times while subduing the prey.

Wing prints to the right; several tail prints by the kill, bottom left

I can’t make sense of these indentations either. Talons, presumably, maybe on either side of the prey? Or some of the holes could be the prey kicking, I guess.

The grab. No idea what's what here.

Farther along, I came upon some vole tracks that began and ended abruptly.

Two short vole tracks

These voles were not someone’s lunch, however. There were tunnels on either end of the tracks. They are, as we learned two weeks ago, subnivean.

Enlarged photo of right side of bottom track in above picture showing the tunnel

It has been so cold that the creek has frozen completely over.

Completely frozen creek

There were track along the banks, but they were partly melted. Probably they are raccoon prints, although they might be possum. Raccoons are more likely to be by the creek, but less likely to be out during very cold weather.

Raccoon prints, maybe

I was surprised at the number of seeds blowing around on top of the snow and accumulating in deer tracks. I thought they would have all been shed months ago. It is no wonder I have to pull tiny river birch plants out of the garden all summer long.

River birch seeds in a deer print

One other seed is also common in the deer tracks. It is shaped like a tiny bird. It looks familiar to me, but I can’t remember what it is.

Mystery seeds

I have enjoyed the snow and sun. We have perhaps two more days before cloudy skies and rain return, making a big slushy mess of everything. Terry is already worried about flooding, although for my money, I’d rather have it now than when the gardens are in. Nothing to do about it, in any case.