Finding Hidden Treasures In Wisconsin's Winter Wonderland

Expect The Unexpected

November 24, 2014 A 5 inch Snow Fall.

Waking up, rising, stretching, pulling up my blinds on the windows, WOW to my amazement I had a whole new World! God had wove his creative handy art work across my home and land. The chicken coop had a soft thick white covering along with every bit of nature that was on my land. The dreary browns, grays, and blacks now sparkled with a whole new dressage.

The only tracks in the snow came from critters who were active at night. Rabbits and deer had been moseying about here and there and in-between the many gardens. Up till then, I didn't think the deer were around, and I very seldom see the rabbits.

Nature had them well hidden until now, tracks all over the place!

Out back around the side of the house, up on the hill there is a deer trail. With the snow my eye catches the slightest movement. Last night, Dec. 3, our Luke put in his deep barking alarm. I always go to see what he sees and it is always a critter, a cat, a rabbit, and sometimes it is a deer. Sure enough it was the three legged deer along with four others crossing in back land behind our house up on the hill. I had been fretting about weither she still lived. The hunters, fellow neighbors, had just been hunting our land all week. They know I favor the three legged deer so avoid killing her. But, there are a few hunters I do not know spotted off and on out there in our wild area too, not getting permission to use the land, just doing it. So I never know until the three legged deer is sighted.

Three legged deer with her yearling in March 19, 2013. They were eating
twigs off wild bushes in my garden. Notice in front where the leg is missing.
There is a dark spot . I have no idea what had happened to her but she has
been sighted around our area the past four years. She usually has yearlings
with her. I hope to get another picture of her up close this winter.

Another Hidden treasure in our midst is under the round melted spot on our deck. A family of Opossums, a mommy and three young ones. The snow melts from the warmth of the mother and her three little ones cuddled up with her under there. Our Airedale spotted one of the babies all by itself just a few feet from where they crawl in and out of their protected area. Luke has a deep bark that I can hear anywhere in the house. He constantly watches for anything moving outside.

Luke always ready for action. Watches all the windows and gives me
notice that there is something interesting out there. He has learnt he
cannot bark at cats, squirrels, or rabbits, but he gives out his deep loud]
bark when he sees one of the opossums is out and about. I come running
with my camera and take pictures from the windows that are by the deck.

"Rick author, author of a book on Lyme disease ecology and senior scientist at the Cary Institute of Ecoosystem Studies, explains..."

"Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies, Millbrook, New York have stated and I quote, "Possums, like many other small and medium sized mammals, are hosts for ticks looking for a blood meal. But possums are remarkable efficient at eliminating foraging ticks. " "Because ticks try to feed on opossums and few of them survive the experience. Opossums are extraordinarily good groomers it turns out - we never would have the thought that ahead of time - but they kill the vast majority - more than 95 % of the ticks that try to feed on them. So these opossums are walking around the forest floor, hoovering up ticks right and left, killing over 90 % of these things, and so they are really protecting our health. "

I giggle out loud as I watch these strange looking little babys, waddel around looking for bird seed that has dropped from the feeder above them. There funny little pink feet look like they have sharp nails. I always thought they were in the rat family but they are not! They actually are in the kangaroo family. The mother has a pouch like the kangaroo and has about 13 babys but only a few manage to find the pouch to keep them warm and protected. There are three babys with their mother who lives under the deck. I only seen her a few times. But the little ones come out everyday when the weather is nice.

I have grown to love the little critters. I think our Great Creator must have had fun creating this funny looking little Opossums. :) I would NEVER try to touch them, they are wild and probably exposed to rabbies desease. I do not know for sure. Will have to do some research on that. They have really long sharp teeth. While researching this little critter I found out when they are in danger they play dead and have a horrible smell come out of their mouth. That maybe keeps preditors away like skunks. Not sure about that either.......

Unexpected flock of crows flying up and away, for luck I had my camera.
I am not especially fond of crows, but they do their job cleaning up road kill,
and other things that crows do, but when I saw this picture after I entered
it into my computer from my camera, I thought, how beautiful and how
brave to stay all winter. They make quite a racket sometimes flying over
but I do have a little more appreciation for them and will not judge them.

Squirrels can be trouble once in a while but last winter we did not see any at our feeders. I know many people work real hard to keep them out of their feeders and gardens but after missing them for a whole season I appreciate them once again doing crazy things like flying from a tree down onto the feeder, sometimes missing it completely. But it does not stop them This fall the squirrels were back. Four of them went from Walnut trees way up on the hill down into our wilderness to plant these large walnuts . Some in my gardens. This picture shows twin Bur Oak trees into their 4th or 5th winter that the squirrels planted The trees are gorgeous in winter with the snow outlining their artistic sway with gnarled bark thick and beautiful. The tall light brown birdhouse has been giving shelter to many Chickadees I have been watching flit in and out of the holes.
I plant natural, leaving most of the dried dead plants for nature critters in the winter. It provides seeds for the birds and I have spotted deer munching on the dead left overs. The Pyramid Cedar trees to the left of the picture were trimmed up as high as the deer could stand on two hind feet. At first I was stunned with the damage but an unexpected bonus was their comical look in summer. Adding whimsy to the garden sceane. Showing me that my bad attitude about damaged plants or irritating sounds can really turn out to be an unexpected blessing. I try not to judge people or nature less and less. Never know what the outcome will be in life.