Utah 1.14.13

Utah weather contrasts dramatically with Dummerston's today.  John writes about 50 degree temperatures; in Morgan, UT it was -18 this morning, with a high of +10.   The Mountain Cottontail that lives in this neighborhood, finds shelter in gaps in the stone walls and  bounds around the house near the foundation where the snow is most shallow.  On the past few mornings and evenings just at dusk, it feeds underneath the bird feeders.   This little gray rabbit with rather short ears is the smallest of cottontails; its tail is gray above with white underneath. 

The Magpie often stops by just at sunrise; the American Kestrel looks at least double its summer size in its downy parka with head barely sticking out as it assumes his watch atop the leader of a Blue Spruce.  Ice is closing in on a lone Mallard that still paddles at the inlet of the local waterhole where Mule deer can be seen before the sun appears.   Recently, we watched a young Mule deer walk directly to the house where it lay down touching the foundation.  By looking closely, we could see the  long "mule" ears at the bottom of the window.