It is almost winter; snow has been on the ground for days. The autumn lasted so long that the trees which didn’t lose their leaves before the sudden cold at the beginning of December are losing them now: brown, dried leaves loosened by the wintry blasts have been sent skipping across the snow, where they look incongruous, misplaced in seasons, dark sepia against a stark white background.
Now, for a few days, the onset of winter has eased: last night rain was falling, and by morning some of the snow had melted. Last week I filled the chickadee feeder: ever since then, there’s been an increase in bird activity; not just chickadees, but cardinals, whitethroats, a downy woodpecker, and blue jays. Every time I see a blue jay these days, I cheer: they used to be so common, but in the past few years they have been utterly decimated by West Nile virus. It’s good to see them back.
My college class took up so much time: though I learned so much, I barely had enough time to write anything, except for class — let alone get anything else done. The first class in the library program is over now! It’s almost the holidays. Maybe I’ll finally get around to making that pumpkin pie!
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!
