Hairy woodpecker

How do I know he isn't just another downy? He is 9 inches long versus 6 inches and has a much longer proportionately bill.  We had a downy and a hairy clinging to our walls right next to each other. Alas, no photo card in the camera. Later they were both on the feeder at the same time but the hairy is easily spooked by any movement on our part. Downies don't care. I have had downies eat out of my hand

A downy's body would not extend beyond the feeder

new art for my beach themed bathroom

I needed this beaded centerpiece like I need a hole in my head but it is so pretty

New lit up Santa holding flickering lamp thanks to a good friend. Tessa likes it as do I

Such is life that excitement is getting a hairy woodpecker to come to our feeder. I do see them high in the trees when I run through the woods (road currently is an iced luge track). They do look much like downies but are 50% bigger and are much shyer. While I was typing the above captions, I took a bathroom break and found both the downy and the hairy on the same feeder for comparison though it isn't the best photo but one can see how similar they are. Will include later at the end of this post. Also I don't know why they are called 'hairy' or why the red bellied woodpecker is called that when the red is just a faint pink streak. We are up to 3 full pairs of cardinals, still less than the 5 males I had sitting in the tree last January. And the flock of juncos is back. This is south for them. they breed way up north. Some call them snowbirds as they don't show up until there is snow.

I have been busy, either visiting friends or having people over. I made a big pot of matzoh ball soup the other day which Josh enjoyed for lunch. His company more or less shuts down for the holidays. He will return for one day of work before taking off another 2 weeks when the baby is born, 12 days at the most from now but who's counting.

All this visiting and hosting involves food so there are many opportunities for me to exercise some sort of restraint. I went out the other night with my ex-colleagues and announced to their surprise that I would be having only one glass of wine instead of drinking most of the bottle. I had told myself to order a box to put half of my entrée in it so I wouldn't be tempted to eat the whole thing but it seems so small and I had only one bowl of soup all day, I gobbled the whole thing up. Still I've lost a bit since last week. January, past the Moms party that I rescheduled, will be easier. Clothes are much, much looser.

I did take some time to have a Jacuzzi all by myself the other night. Nice not sharing it with someone who is pretending to be a mermaid kicking me the whole time. When we bought the house, I thought I'd be in it all the time. I used it a few times the first year. Last year, after my surgery, I wasn't supposed to have full body submersion for 8 weeks. I did go into a hotel hot tub at 8 weeks post surgery and ended up with 'hot tub dermatitis' which consisted of huge weeping sores on my private parts that made travelling especially fun. And then I had an allergic reaction to something I was putting on the sores to prevent infection so I had hives too. Fun times.

In the mornings, I run on the shoulder of the big road near us. It is fairly clear but boring. I ran when it was only 5 above. Fortunately, not windy.Yesterday it was in the high thirties, tropical!, so I went for a bike ride for the first time in more than 2 weeks. It felt so good!

On Christmas, the whole family will be here. It is also Hanukkah so I will make some latkes too.