It’s mid-February in Pittsburgh and we just got six inches of snow last night. When I took the birdfeeder out, I had to kick a path to the shepherd’s crook in order to hang the birdfeeder. Since then, a multitude of birds have come to eat: cardinals, black-capped chickadees, tufted-titmice, red-headed finches, house wrens, juncos, a red-bellied woodpecker, a blue jay, mourning dove, a downy woodpecker, sparrows, and white-breasted nuthatches.
At first the birds had to knock off the snow to perch nearby. Some of the smaller birds practically disappear in the snow, their dark heads all that is visible. Oh, oh, a grackle just appeared. Now the yellow finches have arrived. Some of the birds flit and peck then fly away while others like to graze a while.
As dark clouds hover to the west where our weather usually comes from, the birds continue to come and eat. I’ve finished my breakfast and bible study. It’s quiet with my husband outside shoveling snow. I love this time, when the harsh reality of life, like the stark leaf-less trees in the park around my house are covered with a soft blanket of pure white snow. To me, it feels like God’s cottony blanket of protection surrounds me and my world.
As I drink the last of my coffee, I realize I need to get up and ready for whatever the day brings. But I’m thankful for the beauty of this morning’s winter wonder land.
Janet Pierce's Writing Cafe 