It snowed all day yesterday. This morning the sun came out and, even though it is still cold, it melted quickly on roads and sidewalks. The last several days have warmed up to the 40’s in the daytime and those places stayed warm enough to melt the new snow. Winter seems to be losing it’s frosty grasp and warm weather feels closer.
Outside my bathroom window there are a several large tumbleweeds that took root in the soil that had been disturbed when our house was built. This property is so big that we just did not get around to clearing them all out before the cold weather. That has turned out to be fortunate for some small birds who are wintering here. I first noticed the sparrow-sized birds, whose faces have owl-like markings, when I saw their tracks beneath my window one snowy morning. The south-facing side of our house is warm because the brick absorbs heat from the sun. The tumbleweeds next to the foundation have provided both shelter for the small birds and food in the form of tiny seeds. During the earlier warm days I could hear them singing as they searched farther afield for food. No doubt when the weather warms they will seek higher ground. We will keep their winter comfort in mind when planting next the house this year.