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The Kitchen Table

What’s out your window?

last year

last modified: last year

From our upstairs bedroom, I can look out the window in the evening and often see the following:

Venus, the moon, a few planets and stars; any my favorite, Orion. We are on a mountain so we have a good view of the night sky to the southwest. We also get treated to some spectacular sunsets.

A few weeks ago I saw a Northern Harrier (marsh hawk, Circus hudsonius) fly past at 9 AM right at window and eye level. We have a lot of wildlife here.

Oh, and I forgot, the lights from a ski slope about a mile or two away. They keep me company on winter nights.

How about you? What’s going on outside your window?

Featured Answer

honibaker

last year

last modified: last year

I took this shot this morning, temp was 3 degrees (had been below zero overnight). I guess the wildlife and cold air had emptied the birdbath.

I don't own a cat.

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Comments (18)

ljwrar
last year
From my kitchen window, I see a lot of rooftops, a beautiful 1930's pink stucco church, Golden Gate Park, and the Golden Gate bridge support structures. I often see ravens, and when I'm really lucky, a flock of wild parrots that live in San Francisco.

From my bedroom, I see more rooftops and a wooded hill called Sutro Heights that blocks Twin Peaks.

Lots of greenery for being in such an urban city.
petalique thanked ljwrar
Fun2BHere
last year
Ocean, trees, hummingbirds, squirrels, roses, fountain
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mamagoose, where did you find that Tardis hat? I need one! My view is wet, wet, wet despite the predictions of a warmer and dryer winter for us. El Nino was supposed to push the Jet Stream farther south than usual. We started out that way but then December came along and it all changed. We're ahead of average for rain and snow fall, which is a good thing. Perhaps we won't have as bad a fire season this year as we had last year. My view is also barer than usual. I had a number of plans die from too much water because my inconsiderate and/or clueless kitty corner backyard neighbor put in a French drain, routing all his water to my and my next door neighbors' property (this isn't legal but we haven't pursued action). I lost my scarlet oak, a dogwood, an 8' wide 'Carol Mackie' daphne and a 8' tall Enkianthus, all planted nearly 2 decades ago. The loss of the trees completely changed the sun/shade pattern in this area and the loss of the 2 shrubs left huge holes so I started on a total redo a few summers ago only to put it all on hold until the fence is rebuilt. No point putting in new plants only to have them trampled during fence construction. I never thought it would take this long to get to the fence but other projects took priority (took us all summer 2 summers ago to replace our rotting deck). But this year will be the Year of the Fence (even if it kills us, lol). Anyhoo, here's my view from my corner windows by my sink as of a few moments ago. This was what the area in the top photo looked like a few years ago. Sigh. Oh, well, it's just means I have opportunities to try new plants!
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bpath
last year
Dark.
petalique thanked bpath
chloebud
last year
Lots of old oak trees all over, like this one. They can block views of the sky and foothills but are so pretty. We also have wildlife…coyotes, bears, deer, mountain lions and bobcats.

Mountain lion tranquilized in neighbor’s oak tree for later safe release.
petalique thanked chloebud
arcy_gw
last year

Winter/critters coming for food and water.
Annie Deighnaugh
last year
Yesterday's sunrise
petalique thanked Annie Deighnaugh
LynnNM
last year
“My” mountain from the back windows. Many little birds in the birdbath and feeders. Piñon pine and juniper trees as far as my eyes can see. One of our wild horse herds grazing nearby. Several chipmunks scurrying around under the bird feeder.
Out front, more mountain and mesas. More trees! Several statues I have out there. More birds gathered around that feeder and birdbath. And, pretty much as always, our blue, blue New Mexico sky.
petalique thanked LynnNM
Michele
last year

Sunrise on Saturday morning. Looking out the front window.

Out in the back. In broad daylight coming to eat our visiting feral cat’s food! NYC by the way. There are possum too.

Here’s our beautiful visitor

Looks really dry out there. Taken during our super dry summer.
petalique thanked Michele
eld6161
last year
last modified: last year
On vacation!
petalique thanked eld6161
lgmd_gaz
last year
last modified: last year
Thru the back room window

Thru the glass door view as we eat in the kitchen
petalique thanked lgmd_gaz
dadoes
last year
Front view is hard and a busy FM road and neighbors. Back view is yard and neighbors.
petalique thanked dadoes
petalique
Original Author
last year
last modified: last year
Thanks for contributing you outside views.

I HAD our yard and gardens looking pretty. We’ve gone downhill and so has our weather. Last year the late spring was rain rairainrain. The hot and humid and GUMID from June to September.

Youse guys have such interesting gardens and yards. That mountain lion is beautiful tranquilized. I prefer to have any up close felines under 20 pounds. Was this mountain lion close to your house? How frequently do they visit?

Arcy, love you patio and opossum. We have a few very fat ones here. What do you feed yours? Ours come for black oil sunflower seeds, but sometimes we put things like old cheese, chicken bones, skin, fat, sinew out for them. I love those critters.

Eld, rub it in whydontcha. It was about 11 degrees here last night.

Honibaker — evidently a heated bird bath and a clever cat. Our heated bird bath is very busy every morning. Oftentimes the mourning doves congregate around its rim — like 70 year olds at a health club’s hot tub.

lgmd, nice space. What is that mint like plant? And nice frilly cedar or cypress or ______ tree to the left foreground.
chloebud
last year
“Was this mountain lion close to your house? How frequently do they visit?”

It was just up the street, and they visit fairly often since we’re so close to the foothills. Our neighbors directly across the street and next door have both sent me videos of mountain lions and bears wandering around their yards at night. No strolling after dark here!🥴
petalique thanked chloebud
carolb_w_fl_coastal_9/10
last year
last modified: last year
Lots of lovely views!

This reminded me of a website that emerged during the pandemic - people all over the world sharing short videos of the views from their windows...

https://www.window-swap.com/Window

IMO, it's really a lovely time suck, and kind of soothing too - clicking through all the different window views is fascinating to me. It really felt good when we were all stuck in lockdowns - still does.

BTW, my current view is the parking lot of the condos where we're living now - pretty boring.
petalique thanked carolb_w_fl_coastal_9/10
lgmd_gaz
last year
petalique, The mint like plant is Nepeta subsessilis. It is 3 to 4 feet tall, never flops and is loved by humming birds. Frilly plant to the left is an Arborvitae, great cover for the birds when needed.
petalique thanked lgmd_gaz
rob333 (zone 7b)
last year
Right now? A helicopter. During the workday. Life Flight.
petalique thanked rob333 (zone 7b)
petalique
Original Author
last year
Chloebud —- but mountain lions and bears alsowander around during the day. I’ll view them on PBS or Disney, thanks.

lgmd — I thought so, but they look nicer than mine. I have just ho hum arborvitae and probably ho hum nepeta as well. Mine gets floppy (only about 5 hrs of sunlight) bur yours looks healthy and with a good form. Maybe a different variety.

We have a lot of plantings for our only hummingbird, the ruby throated. I appreciate the way they visit the tiniest blooms. We have a lot of volunteer Agastache (anise). I forgot the complete name. We have zillions of volunteer plants.

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