UKATANI

It's still winter in Heelweg, but our neighbour's Peacocks appear to be in full plumage. 'Arry and 'Enry " 'arry ", in full display, practicing for spring. " 'enry ", comes to the door for sunflower seeds before roosting in backyard beech tree for the night. Maybe a dusting of some snow this weekend. The two other birds are waterfowl that come to our little billabong.

The Spoonbill It's winter in Florida and we have a small irrigation and drainage sloot (canal) a few metres from our back door.  Many water and marsh wading birds feed here. Our windows have reflective tint and the birds can't see us, wonderful to observe and photograph them from a few metres away. Sitting on his backwards knees with feet out in front, preparing to take a nap. Backstory Roseate  Spoonbills  get their  pink  coloration from the foods they eat. Crustaceans and other aquatic invertebrates contain pigments called carotenoids that help turn their feathers  pink . They are in the Ibis family.

Quite a bit of difference  between early spring and early winter biking.... 15 ° C  Early Spring April - 2 ° C Early winter December Dem snowboard goggles sure make a big difference and so does the 'Grolsch'. ('The' local family brewery, since 15th century.) Some of the undergear.  Three or four layers, feel like the 'Michelin Man' I need a tender to dress and undress me, just like diving days. Fleece lined crocs are 'de bomb'.

Another local tradition.....mid winter horn blowing..... Check out the video https://youtu.be/esYrrW9X84w Titbits... https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Midwinter_horn http://www.units.miamioh.edu/ath175/student/cusserrp/ See post from Dec 11 2018, about a year ago.

Achterhoek  tradition......Carbide cannons made from milk cans and carbide rocks + water = acetylene gas and soccer balls. It's -2°C and foggy, air is thick with fog, smog, smoke, acetylene gas... From about 1000 on New Years eve till, 0200, on New Years day, the Cloggies in the Achterhoek around Heelweg shoot off Carbide cannons made from milk cans.....one hell of an explosion that rattles windows, shakes the ground and will blow out Yer eardrums Doesn't seem to bother the sheep, but all the dogs are hiding. Check out the video, they serious ! Some blokes go overboard. https://youtu.be/lJ3N-UsidFE    Free Grolsch.....big beugle bottles....with the stopper top.  Achterhoek  flag on wooden clogs  This is how i dress to ride when it is -2°C, many layers for warmth. The bits on the end get cold, fingers, toes, eyeballs, ears and the end of me dick.  Am solving the problems, one at a time.....the snowboard goggles are great...

A long read..... https://paulhardingadventuretravel.blogspot.com/2019/12/the-storm-of-century-hurricane-dorian.html

https://time.com/5675918/florida-search-and-rescue-team-hurricane-dorian/ https://www.nbcnews.com/nightly-news/video/great-abaco-island-struggles-months-after-hurricane-dorian-75560517849