Winter Tales

Branch

Write a new post in response to today’s one-word prompt.

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We had a winter storm last Friday.  Lots of high winds and heavy, wet snow.  What was so amazing was to watch all the little critters in our back yard during and after the storm. You would have thought they were little kids having a romp in the white stuff before it had time to melt.

Birds flitted from branch to branch, all puffed out like fat little dust balls. They seemed to be able to cling even in the highest winds.  Now and then we could see two or three of a kind huddled together, but they were actually singing!  Yes, really.  We could hear the chirp when two of them landed on the ledge of our bathroom window.  I don’t know, maybe they were asking to come inside.

The squirrels were having a party, too.  It never surprises me to see them racing each other, running up a tree and then down the other side, in hot pursuit of whatever they pursue.  They, too, were all fluffed out.  They really were bright-eyed and bushy-tailed. Cute as can be, and manic in their pursuit of each other across the snow and up and down the trees.  One perched on a branch and hung on for dear life, letting go only when he got dive-bombed by a territorial blue jay. When that happened, he spread out his four legs and his tail and just sort of sailed with the wind.  I lost track of him in the heavy snow falling and blowing, but I sure hope he found a safe haven.

Of particular beauty are the cardinals.  The males really strut their stuff.  I think they know how attractive they are to the females with their bright red feathers against the glittery white snow.  Vain little creatures, but it must work for them.  We have two or three families every year.

There are big branches and small ones all over the yard that need to be picked up, but we’re supposed to get more of the white stuff tomorrow.  We’ll wait and see.  In the meantime, my narcissus are braving the future in the present warmth of an early March sun.  I hope they survive.

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