A Different Kind of Morning

Of course, today would be a day I have to go into town to do a bunch of stuff, so naturally there would be a surprise ton of snow on the ground when I got up!

My word, they were forecasting freezing rain and I'm very glad we ducked that one. Ever since the horrible Ice Storm that hit eastern Ontario in 1998 I'm deathly afraid of freezing rain, and I'll take snow instead any day. But I have to admit I wasn't quite ready for this much snow on the ground, piling up to about a foot on my driveway.

As I sat here a few minutes ago, cramming caffeine into my blood stream getting ready to go out and clear the driveway, I watched the blue jays, cardinals, juncos and other regular visitors try to find something at our bird feeders, which are covered with snow. Then they all disappeared. After a few minutes I discovered why, when this hawk, shown on the left, landed authoritatively on a branch right outside my window and began to survey the yard for stragglers. It's not much of a picture, shot in haste through the window, but it looks like it's a sharp-shinned hawk. Tough-looking little fellow.

Things change so quickly. One day we're having record mild weather for November and the next I'm getting ready to go out and start my new snowblower. Now, as I type, the juncos and cardinals are ducking in and out of the mock orange bush right in front of me, against the verandah, trying to verify that the hawk has gone to better hunting grounds before making another try at the feeders.

Nature copes, it adapts to whatever the morning brings, it follows the curve and takes whatever experience gives. A good morning lesson for me to remember....