Once again, Ol’ Man Winter showed up early and uninvited, leaving behind his calling card …  just a few more inches of snow to pile onto the existing mess we dealt with earlier in the week.

Then, to rub salt into the wound, along came the snowplow which wreaked havoc at the bottom of the freshly shoveled driveway in less than one minute.

I’m sure the folks that waited until this weekend to get shopping and errands done , or a Christmas tree picked and hauled home, have been muttering under their breath bigtime. Conditions in my city have run the gamut from fog to freezing rain to snow or dark, dismal and drizzly – oh joy.

I’m glad to be sitting here typing this post clad in warm and dry polar fleece and on the inside looking out.

In just a week, the landscape has already become a desolate-looking shadow of its recent self … you know, that splendid Autumn that seemed to languish forever.

Above you’ll see a photo of my neighbor’s backyard. I wonder what animal made those tracks in their journey across the snow?

While this area of the yard may look bleak and barren, closer to the house, every morning there are dozens of birds frequenting the feeders and suet blocks, or partaking in sunflower seeds that are scattered on the deck and driveway. A variety of birds descend at once, and, of course, the squirrels are always waiting for handouts.  If no biscuits or peanuts are forthcoming, the squirrels climb aboard the feeders and make some mischief to get their fill of seeds, while the birds anxiously wait in the wings, or busy themselves with a dip in the hot tub, er … heated birdbath.

I was chatting with my mail carrier, Jenny, as she braved the cold in a snowsuit. Her face was ruddy and she tugged at a wool cap with a mittened hand as it kept sliding up off her head.  We often pass one another in the morning, so Jenny knows I’m an avid walker.  She warned me to be careful as she had a bad slip-and-fall yesterday.  She fell hard onto the sidewalk, even using YakTrax, a wire contraption with coils that you strap onto your shoes or boots.  The wire coils are guaranteed to grip the sidewalk to keep you from sliding on slick surfaces, but Jenny hit a patch of black ice and down she went.  Yikes!

I sure am grateful I met my walking goal on the first of the month, barely a week before that first dusting of snow gummed up the whole works.

Stay safe everyone.