Oddities in the February Sun

33 degree lake walk

 New. Tire dumping, a not uncommon sight in urban hikes. Unwelcome tho.

 Often times urban views are impeded. Does not make less realistic

 A bit of a Spring thaw?.....

....and ducks on a pond even more indicative of an impending Spring thaw.

Snowy Day

Neighborhood Shots

Low Bridge

A low railroad across frozen water near Coe.

Diego

So last night, or early this morning, my male Siberian Husky Diego woke me up whining and pawing the stairs to the master bedroom. After placating pleas to calm him down failed, I reluctantly arose and staggered blind and limping down the stairs clutching the bannister.

Well imagine my surprise when I found him standing guard over a large furry mass. First thought was Diego you killed one of the cats. 2nd brainwave was "whoa, why is there a dead animal in my house?" A possum.

Yes, Diego had captured a possum and brought him onto the house via the doggie door!

Went to get pants and a shirt on and when I returned, the possum had moved 3 feet. Really? Stepped outside to grab the snow shovel(readily available in Iowa in January) upon retuning the possum had moved another 3 feet.

Yes, even at 5am it was dawning on me that the possum was playing "possum" and was indeed alive. Successfully removed dead/alive possum from house and tossed under a shrub at the vacant house next door.

Happy ending. 730 arrived, toast and coffee in hand, and possum no longer under the shrub!

But a bit leery about rushing down the stairs to see Diego

Black & White Day

Friday was an overcast day in Cedar Rapids. Although the pic below is in color, it could well have been in black and white.

 Downtown skyline shot over the snow-covered Cedar Lake