late winter snowfall

late winter snowfall –

wild geese gone, two crows on ice,

two ducks dip and dive

Scent of snow on the north wind yesterday. By evening the Canada Geese have flown from the iced-over pond. All night the wind blew, dropping half a foot of snow, plastering the north side of trees, piling cotton balls on every bush, leaving fantastic snow sculptures hanging from branches. Today two crows stand in the exact middle of the frozen pond, stark black on white. Of course they fly away when I approach. On another pond, half free of ice and that half covered with snow, two ducks dip and dive. Our gray tabby accompanies me for a walk in the woods, stepping carefully in my footsteps. When we get to the little brook, he balks at the water's edge so I have to catch him and ferry him across.