Fall Storm brings Visitors...

For the past few days we have been having storm after storm roll in from the west. Usually we get sheltered from the heaviest part of these storms because they either hit land further North in BC or further South on the Coast.

These were aimed right at us, coming right around the Olympic Mountains, and slamming us right in from the Strait of Juan de Fuca. The wind hits right where we live, hitting Phyllis first, and then about 10 minutes later slamming in to me. The wind was gusting up to 50 MPH, and the trees were bending sideways.

The rain pelted down so loud that I actually thought it was hailing. Close, but just rain. The Temp dropped to just above freezing, and stayed there. There are flood warnings out on some of the rivers already, and it is still coming down.

I laid there last night listening to the wind howl, and the wind chimes tinkling, with my nose in a book, and the electric blanket on. I learned after last week, that I need to turn on BOTH sides of the blanket, because if I do not, I am crowded off my side of the bed, by four cats. So with both sides on, I was all comfy and warm, and reading away. About 1045, Chitters was peeking over the windowsill, and staring out side. It was dark, so I figured he was watching a critter eat the dropped birdseed. He did not move for about 5 minutes, so I turned out the light and peeked over to see what he was looking at.

There on the ground just under the pussy willow tree was a barred owl. Just sitting there looking around. I got the binocs out and he flew over to the whiskey barrel in the yard. I jumped up and ran over to the office and looked out and there he sat on the edge of the barrel, with a huge rat in his talons. He must have sat there for 15 minutes with me and the cats staring at him before he flew off. He was so close! I wished I had been able to get a picture of him, but it was too dark. Finally he raised his wings and ever so quickly and quietly he lifted off and flew into the trees with his dinner still in his talons. What a sight!!



barred owl


He must be the reason that I have not heard the critters in the walls for the past few months. That is just too cool! I just hope he hasn’t had Lola for dessert! He must have a nest somewhere close by with all the forage he has around my back yard.

The rain finally quit here about an hour ago, and it looks like the sun may be trying to peek through. Almost all of the leaves are now off the alders and laying in my back yard, and the garbage cans are on their sides in the driveway. I went out and refilled all of the feeders as the seed has all been blown out. I rehung the suet, and now I am ready to go paint another windowsill in the dining room. One wall a day. That’s all.