We resumed normal activities after arriving home from the cruise. 

Since this is the first winter being home (except for a couple of short cruises), the “workshop” is drawing more and more attention— to keep hands and mind busy. And though there are several receptacles in the shop, there is only one electrical circuit, and it is not sufficient to power much more than one tool at a time. Consequently, another circuit with an additional 3 double outlets was added at a pretty low cost, allowing the dust filter, dust collector, and tool(s) to run simultaneously. Additionally, another repair on the whole house generator was required. These two “jobs” meant having to be available at home before, during, and after their appointment time.

On Sunday, January 18, 2026, a Dark-eyed Junco and an American Goldfinch were photographed trying to find food.

And then on the following Tuesday, a male Northern Cardinal posed several times for photographs. And on Thursday a Carolina Chickadee made its presence known.

On Friday, January 23, it hit—sleet and snow, followed by freezing rain and more snow with total accumulations of about 8 inches. In addition, a severe deep freeze occurred and lasted well over a week, leaving all the sleet, ice, and snow on the ground, houses, and streets. Obviously, we stayed in and read, baked, and watched YouTube and British television. 

I raised the blinds in the sunroom, exposing nearby trees, setup the tripod and camera, and took pictures as birds came in to feed. As sleet and snow continued to fall, a disheveled Northern Cardinal, perhaps the same one from a couple days earlier, presented itself for a photo.

As the deep freeze set in and temperatures plummeted to single digits, four different species were photographed on Sunday, January 25, 2026: an American Goldfinch, a House Finch, a Dark-eyed Junco, and a Fox Sparrow. The Fox Sparrow was a “life bird”.

It began to thaw after five or six days, and we made an “emergency” run to friend Pam’s house to assist with water damage cleanup; apparently her refrigerator filter burst during the night and partially flooded her house.

As the month ended and temperatures rose, snow and ice still mostly covered streets and roads, AND PICKLEBALL COURTS, with some thawing beginning to occur. All in all, it was a pretty good time.

I spent considerable time organizing the cold garage/woodworking shop, and then building a few simple things to assist in organization and ease of working, striving to keep my mind and hands busy!