Drooping Daffodil

Only a few days ago the clump of foliage under the white mulberry tree had boasted a bulb, then finally a full-fledged bright yellow blossom. Today that brave little daffodil bowed its head under the weight of perhaps two inches of snow. So I rescued it and it now sits in an antique glass bottle near my computer, to cheer me on and remind me that even though spring visited briefly, one day soon it’ll be a full time guest.

True to the abrupt weather changes in Oklahoma and Arkansas, this morning the first hesitant snow flakes appeared. They were soon joined by others and, gathering courage from numbers, graced our beautiful landscape with a pristine blanket. Snow is not a given in this part of the country and when it condescends to drape us in white, people get all a-twitter. We have to be sure we have enough groceries to last out a possible blizzard and that means stores are filled and bread and milk melt quickly from the shelves. And, of course, snow is so rare that we forget how to drive on it and then come the fender benders or worse.

The birds, who have a right to feel anxious when snow covers the seeds and such that they lunch on, flock to the feeders which are filled with black sunflower seeds. They present a changing array of colors against the white landscape: gray titmice, red cardinals, bluejays, gray and white juncos, tiny blackcapped chickadees. What fun to watch them.

Will we really get a coating of ice tonight? The weatherman says it is a possibility.  This will be a good night to stay in by the fireplace and be thankful that we, unlike the daffodil, have a shelter from the snow.