Walking on Water

Time for a cheerful post, don't you think?

It's been cold enough to freeze the many small ponds in the neighborhood, but the wild residents keep showing up anyway.

I believe these are Chinese geese, the first I've ever seen. They are often at this particular pond, down the road from us a bit. Click on the photo to enlarge; doesn't the one on the far left look like he's conducting an orchestra?

I've been a bit jealous that they always choose that pond and not ours. But considering the noise they were making when I stopped to snap a shot, maybe I'd better be careful what I wish for.

These are my own strange ducks, checking out the ice on our pond to see if it's thick enough for ice skating.

Some areas were fine, like the one they're walking on, but the muddier parts weren't safe yet. We're still hoping for a freeze long and hard enough to turn it into a backyard rink.

I'm way behind on Christmas preparations this year, so blogging may have to take a back seat for a bit. Hope you're all having a wonderful holiday season!