Fifteen degrees with a fourteen mph wind equals a “real feel” of one degree this morning. We have maybe an inch of snow out there but the rain yesterday with the sudden temperature drop has left the streets covered with black ice. Schools have been cancelled and my clergy meeting for this morning has been cancelled. So, I have zero reason to venture out into this weather and I don’t intend to. I have the USPS app on my IPad and IPhone that tells me what will be coming in the mail today and I already know it won’t be worth trying to walk down my driveway for. Nope, I’m staying put.

I tried last night to go to the church for the monthly council meeting. I drove about four miles and the wind was driving the snow so hard that it was a virtual “white-out”. I decided to not chance going any further and turned around and came back home. I found out though that Pastor Art and I were the only two that didn’t go. I make no apologies. Old dogs get to be old dogs by being smart dogs.

I have lots of guests here this morning at the Backyard Buffet. As I expected, the starling were here in force first thing this morning and being bullies to the other birds and to each other. They re some grubby, greedy, nasty birds with all of the pecking and flapping at one another. They were here enforce for about thirty minutes and have somewhat now dispersed. Now the cardinals, finches, wrens, junkos, woodpeckers, doves, and mockingbirds are all here. I’ll probably need to fill feeders again tomorrow. But, it will have to warm up some before that happens. Yesterday, I was sitting here in my recliner and saw a huge hawk just kind of drop from a tree limb right in to its prey. I don’t know if it got a small bird or a mouse or a vole. Whatever, it sat right there and ate it and then flew off and sat on the neighbors roof. It didn’t give so much as a “howdy” or a “thank-ya’ kindly”. It just literally ate and ran.

I guess I’ll do some writing today or I’m sure there are something around here that Ms. Kate might want me to do. And I need to get on my bike and ride a few miles. It’s great to be able to ride aa few miles and only have to see snow and not actually be out in it.

Y’all stay safe and warm today. Peace.