Cold as a ......?

We're not out of the snow-filled, freezing woods yet. I'm still seeing thermometers reflecting negative numbers at almost 3pm. I finally remembered to get in touch with my clinic so I could get in for a flu shot. Sitting at home, trying to keep warm, isn't going to save me as long as some folks around here have to go out into the wide, very, very cold world where they may get exposed to flu germs and bring them home to the rest of us.

lonely at the feeder               © harrington

The recent mobs at the feeders are thinned out today. The feeders haven't needed to be refilled as frequently as they did earlier this week. I'm not sure what's going on, but I'm going to assume [hope] my little feathered friends are trying to tell me that it's going to get warmer and they don't need quite as much food. Are you going to buy an I survived the Polar Vortex of 2014 t-shirt or mug or ...? They're already available at cafepress. (No, I won't provide a link.)  Much as I've complained about this cold snap (primarily for the dogs' sake), I'm leaning more toward Jon Tevlin's perspective, tongue-in-cheek and all. Tess Gallagher's Choices call to mind seasons on either side of Winter and remind us to be intentional in our choices.

hairy woodpecker at suet        © harrington

Choices

By Tess Gallagher 

I go to the mountain side

of the house to cut saplings,

and clear a view to snow

on the mountain. But when I look up,

saw in hand, I see a nest clutched in

the uppermost branches.

I don’t cut that one.

I don’t cut the others either.

Suddenly, in every tree,   

an unseen nest

where a mountain   

would be.

                        

                              for Drago Štambuk

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