Minor ice, minor redpolls

Turned colder overnight, with black ice on any surfaces still wet.  Nothing falling from the sky here.  Northern Maine, some areas got a foot of new snow.

Maximum redpoll sighting yesterday was ten.  Have seen three or four this morning.  Siskins mixed in.

Not yet spring.

Irritations

Due to various and sundry attitudes on the part of our government, we are applying for passports.  And discovered that we need assorted information which we did not have with us, and which some people of our age might not have available in any case.  Like, birthdates for parents long deceased . . .

On the other hand, coming from generations of pack-rats has its benefits.  Managed to dig birth certificates for both my parents out of our attic.  Of course, the one for Dad is conjectural -- filed a year after his birth, with no physician in attendance.  Go back over a hundred years and that thing was more common than not.

So we head back to the post office in a day or so to complete the process.  Just so we can drive over to Canada on a whim, or to attend a funeral.

Grump.