Footprints of a Bird

Today I awoke to find a light dusting of snow outside--light enough to be easily swept away with a broom, and deep enough to reveal the footprints of early morning visitors. The familiar outline of shoes belonging to the paperboy made their way up, then back down, the driveway. Everything else was pristine.

I worked my way down the driveway, up the sidewalk, and around the corner with my broom. At the corner of my house stands a crab apple tree. Its a beautiful tree in the spring with it's white blossoms and over-abundance of red berries. It provides shade in the summer against the intense heat of the sun. It keeps me busy in autumn as the leaves turn bright colors and eventually fall to the ground to be raked. But in winter, the leftover berries provide food for the birds.

This morning I discovered the delicate footprints of a bird in the snow beneath the crab apple tree. Tiny little foot steps with even tinier toes. Four toes to be exact...the first pointing backwards, the second, third and fourth pointing ahead. In front of the bird tracks were two bright red crab apple berries, slightly embedded in the snow. Between the berries was a round, berry-shaped indentation--evidence of a missing berry!

Birds have a difficult time finding food in the winter. I'm happy that my crab apple tree provided breakfast for one little creature. Now the bird is resting comfortably with its feathers fluffed up to trap the warmth of it's body...the same way that I sleep beneath my down comforter at night.

The Gift

Apparently, the longer you keep your Christmas tree up, the more presents you get! I received an aerolatte--a battery operated, chrome frother with a stand. It's a sweet kitchen gadget and a "must have" for any hot chocolate/chi tea/latte connoisseur!

Actually, the gift wasn't from Santa. It was from friends who enticed me out of the house in 7-degree weather to watch the football playoff games--with the promise of Janice's marvelous cooking and Tom's collection of fine wine. Me...the one who didn't want to open the door to bring in the Sunday newspaper!

The fans who endured the sub-zero temperatures in Green Bay put me to shame. I will never again complain about cold weather. The game was phenomenal! Can Eli Manning lead the New York Giants in a win against unstoppable Tom Brady and the New England Patriots? We'll find out in two weeks!

My Christmas Tree

Greetings to my family and friends!

Just trying to stay warm here in Ohio in mid-January! I got one of those thermometers for Christmas that receives a signal from an outside transmitter…so I am constantly reminded of exactly how cold it is out there!

I still have my Christmas tree up—which brightens at least one room of the house. When sunlight floods that room, bringing in a little heat along with it, the tree gives off a wonderful aroma! In the cooler evenings, aromatic candles keep the room fragrant.

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