73: Of ice and minks

(Today’s sunny day photo:  Lake Irene.  Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado.)

It feels warm outside today.  It’s in the 30’s, which feels considerably warmer than the 20’s even if it’s only a matter of a few degrees.

(A pair of blue jays.)

The birds have finally found the bird seed scattered about in different feeders and they are chowing down.  We had a variety of birds at one of the feeders including a woodpecker and a couple of cardinals.

(Today’s view of the pond.)

The surface of the pond is almost completely frozen over now.  There are a few wet spots at the edges still.  If the ice stays uncovered by snow for another day or so, it ought to be excellent for ice skating.  I don’t think that will happen.  There is a snow storm to the west of us making its way here.  We’re supposed to get a few inches of the white stuff overnight.

I saw a mink today.  He was running across the pond on the thin ice.  He made it the whole way, too, from one side to the other.  He’s a cute little guy although I wouldn’t want to tangle with him as mink are said to have strong jaws and sharp teeth.

(Willow on ice.)

I hope it doesn’t snow too much.  We have a quick trip south to make tomorrow.  Our exquisite granddaughter, Emma, will be performing in a Christmas dance recital.  Snow here is no problem.  The roads are plowed and salted frequently and well.  But once we get an hour or so south, they get stupid about clearing the roads.  It’s as if we’re in a totally different state.

(Ice bubbles.)

Today’s instructions for my upcoming birthday fun are to AVOID ROUGHAGE.  I don’t know why they put it in all caps as if shouting it at the patient.  This seems like a relatively easy thing to do, one would think.  But if one is an almost-vegetarian whose diet is mainly roughage, well, it’s harder than you think.

(The last of autumn’s colors frozen in the pond.)

My daily diet is usually something like this:

• 6-9 servings of veggies and fruit (heavy on the veggies because I’m not much of a fruit eater but have tried to fit in more seasonal fruits this past year)
• 1 to 1-1/2 cups of whole grains.  Brown rice is a staple around here but I do try to mix it up with other grains such as barley, oats, and quinoa.
• 1 cup of beans or legumes
• An ounce of nuts or seeds
• Fish or tofu as the other proteins but every now and then we’ll have some other meat if the occasion calls for it (turkey on Thanksgiving, for instance).
• Eggs, usually for weekend breakfast.  Very moderate amounts of cheese.

As you can see, most of my diet is made up of roughage.  I gave up the white breads, white rice, white pastas, etc., several years ago.  I like cheese (a lot!) so I doubt I’d ever make it as a vegan, but otherwise I don’t include much dairy because I feel better without it.  The same is generally true when it comes to wheat products.  I eat them, but feel better when I don’t.

(Snow clouds above the white pines.)

Now I’m being instructed to eat the things I normally do not eat (and that we are all told we should not eat — such as white bread).  Doesn’t make much sense to me when you consider what the ultimate results of all these instructions are supposed to be.  Maybe there is a doctor out there who can explain it to me.

(Ribbons, lace, and sequins.)