Gypsy Running Barefoot in the Snow

 

by Pa Rock

Of Ages

I get slower with each passing year, and it shows.

This year I was again late in getting the bird feeders up, and my son, in fact, wound up doing all of the work.  He went to town, bought the grains and seed for my special secret mixture (two parts hen scratch to one part sunflower seeds) along with a new plastic garbage can to hold the bird food and protect it from marauding squirrels, mice, and other varmints.  Being a true hillbilly, I have the garbage can on my front porch, a covered area with easy access to the feeders.   Nick did all of that last weekend, and the poor little birds were so hungry that many discovered the feeders the first day they were up. 

Later in the week, on Thursday night, we had our first snowfall of the year.  It was six or eight inches deep when I awoke before dawn on Friday, and a light snow continued for most of the day.  It was the most snow that we have received in the ten years that I have been retired and back in the Ozarks.  Most of it is still on the ground today and will be for at least a few more days.  

The newly installed bird feeders are, of course, doing a booming business.  My winter favorites, the Cardinals, were early arrivals and several other smaller birds that are also seasonal regulars quickly joined them.  But after the snow hit, we were also invaded by large flocks of black birds, about half the size of crows, who ravage the feeders and keep my regulars at bay.  The black birds are timid, however, when it comes to humans, and when I stand at the window and simply wave a hand, they take flight en masse, a large black cloud ascending to the uppermost branches of the tallest pines.

The roads have been plowed and are in good shape, and one of my son's friends came by and cleared our drive before my friend, Good Neighbor Rex, had the opportunity to get to it.  (I doubt that hurt Rex's feelings because he gets on his tractor and clears most of the drives in this area just on his own initiative.  When there is no snow, Rex can also be found bush-hogging much of the local road right-of-ways in order to make driving safer.  Rex is a fine human being - tireless - and a year older than me! )

The snow should clear this week, but with the climate changing as fast as it has recently, I'm guessing we could get more.   Snow ice cream was popular during my youth and my father was a master at making it, but with the nuclear testing of the early 1960's there were warnings issued to stop eating the snow because of the dangers of radiation.  Is it safe now?   Does anyone have a good recipe for snow ice cream that they would like to share?  (I'm old and worn out enough that I might just try it -  and manmade dangers like radiation and other deadly pollutants can just be damned!)

It's beautiful outside, but speaking as somebody who has a history of falling, I'm ready to plant my feet on dry ground again!

Rosie, who gets swallowed up by eight inches of snow, is not a fan of the white stuff and is very irritated when I scoop her up and take her outside to do her business.  Gypsy, however, is a different story.  She romps and plays in the snow and does not want to come back in the house.  She has been outside this morning for more than an hour-and-a-half, and every time I spot her and go to the door to call her in, she runs and hides.  One would think that having short hair and being constantly barefoot would make a warm home appealing, but Gypsy likes the freedom offered by the great outdoors.

Update:  Gypsy just relented and came in-doors, a little more that two hours after she had gone out.   She's had her fill of running barefoot in the snow - at least for this morning!   

(And speaking of snow, happy birthday to one of my very favorite American authors, Jack London, who was born on this date in 1876 - 149 years ago!  Who among us can ever forget the snow in the tree branches of his classicc short story "To Build a Fire"?  That was part of our American Literature class when I was in high school - and I hope that it still is.)