I should have been more aware of Marla’s toes when I stopped to chat with her this morning. I knew the temperature was 26F when I left the house, yet I stood there talking as if it were a warm summer’s day. My sneakers have fabric uppers with mesh for air circulation, so when my feet started feeling the cold, I looked at hers. She was wearing sandals with blue socks. I’ll bet her toes matched that color! She didn’t argue when I said we’d better get going our separate ways.

I didn’t really suffer until I got down in the valley where the breeze was frigid. John would have been proud of my pace as I let my right ear take the brunt of the breeze on the way to the creek and the left on the way back. There was no dawdling today. A food service truck was parked in its usual place near the creek. On warm days we hear the refrigerator motor run. I wondered if they had a heater in the trailer to keep the food from freezing solid. When I was at the creek, John was probably driving through Pennsylvania on his way to pick up David in NY.

Right now a future guest is saying to herself, “There is no way I’m going to get dragooned into walking with Anne on a cold day, even if I have to feign death to get out of it.’

Not to worry, Karen. Any and all excuses are accepted. I checked the thermometer when I got home, and it had gone down to 23F. Note to self: wear your winter coat tomorrow if it’s close to zero. Son John $ phoned to suggest I let water drip from the faucets tonight so that the pipes don’t freeze.

I lined my nest when I sat down to read email. That area was cold, being on the north side of the house adjacent to sliding glass doors. First I braved the deck to fill the bird feeder, which they have showed appreciation for ever since. A light bulb idea popped in my head – put the cushion for the deck chair in front of the glass to keep that frigid air from attacking my toes. It was thick, colorful, and low enough so that I could see the happy birds helping themselves. It worked well! The photo shows a winter throw thrown on the chair, and that was soon over my knees.

For birders, a list of feathered friends flocking to the feeder: cardinal, blue jay, titmouse, chickadee, junco, dove, Carolina wren, song sparrow, goldfinch, house finch, Downy woodpecker, and nuthatch.