• Friday-What'sUP February 6 - 10:42 pm

These photos today were taken in the southern portion of the U.P., namely the Menominee area. Brenda Leigh is enjoying the winter, making the most of it, by getting outdoors everyday to enjoy the wildlife like the birds and porcupine here today. Brenda has her own ski trail in the swamps around her home, where you can often find her either tracking the trail to get it ready, or zipping along like the wind, skiing. Once in awhile she slows down to observe the Chickadees at her feeding station, snapping pictures to share with us. She recently spotted more than birds though, as you can see in the bottom two photos. This porcupine is slowly making its way up the tree, hugging it tightly as it goes higher and higher.

If you're starting to feel a little couped up with all the snow and cold, maybe getting a bit of cabin fever, then its time you get outside to enjoy some of the winter sights around you, too. If you're in the Houghton/Hancock area, you can walk around Michigan Tech's campus and check out the snow statues built for this year's Winter Carnival. Just remember to bundle up, nice and warm.

Love the Chickadee pictures especially.

For some reason, the font on these pasty pages appear huge on our computer this morning. Somebody must think I'm getting old!!

The porcupine pictures are awesome! It must be a semi-rare opportunity to catch a picture of them in the wild! We own 20 acres, pay some pretty good taxes for it too, but the priceless nature reserve rewards it has for us to enjoy privately are worth every penny!

I guess it was just too cold and the snow would not meld well for this years statues, at least from what I've seen on the MI Tech site. Hope there are more photos, in case some of the statues are better. I just remember the years I was up there and how amazing they were!

I love the pictures of the chickadees and porcupine. It is amazing what you can see if you get out and about. I have rabbit poops in my front yard. I try to put something out for them to eat and that is what I get in my yard. ;O) Wish I can spot the rabbits.

We had 7 chickadees in our cedar tree next to the front window a few days ago. Taylor and the new cat liked it and had fun watching them. Any wildlife in the winter is nice to see.

I love the bird eating at that seed and suet ball. I think I will make this my desktop for the day.

p.s. Hey Deb S.(Usedtobeayooper) if you click on to 'view' on your status bar and then 'text size', you can choose the size of the fonts. I keep my on Medium at work and Large at home. Cause I don't like anyone reading over my shoulder at work. lol

I once watched a porky decend from a tree. He looked very nervous and I though I'd probably looked just like that the first time or two when I had to climg down from a utility pole.

I love chickadees. One of the local parks here in SE Michigan has cultivated chickadee feeding; they'll sell seed to you and the chickadees eat out of your hand. That's provided you do it in a way the chickadee feels safe: stand still with your arm extended far from your body and stand near cover, where they can snatch the food and go perch somewhere else to eat it. The birds are used to humans bearing gifts; if you pause to look at the scenery, chickadees will gather and stare at you ("Dude, where's my sunflower seed?").

The Robins are back in Cedar Rapids, Ia! I have Robins everywhere in my backyard! I hope this is a good sign that spring is not far even tho the groundhog Phil saw his shadow back on monday.

Wow! Bobbysgirl must have some good drugs!!!!!

I love the chickadee pictures: those are really cool!

LOL, Paulwebbtroll! I certainly agree! Yes, it is warming up for a few days, before another blast of Arctic air rushes in, sigh! This yoyo weather is getting crazy!

Tomorrow is going up to 45 degrees and we are going for a ride towards Port Huron. See if the ferry is operating to Harsens Island and take the cameras with us. ;O) It will feel good to get out of here for awhile.

No, no drugs, just high on life! I couldn't believe it myself seeing those Robins, winter is still very much here despite this breif warm up we are in. But the Robins were a welcome sight!