Ferida Wolff's Backyard: Cardinal on the Edge; Rabbit in the Snow
Cardinal on the Edge
Guess what? It’s snowing here, again. It was warm yesterday and some prior snow had melted. I could actually see grass in the yard and buds on the trees. Just when I put the snow shovel away, I have to drag it back out. 
I wonder how confused the outdoor creatures must be. I can almost here the squirrels saying, “Snow again? Didn’t it snow already this winter? What is going on?”
The birds, too, might be getting fed up with the weather. Snow covers the birdbath, blows into the feeders, coats the tree branches. It’s almost nesting season but who wants to build a nest just to have it soaked when the snow melts?
I tuck myself into a warm coat just to get to my car. I can see the animals puffed out against the flakes and the wind. The birds fluff their feathers for whatever protection that provides.
And yet, it isn’t snowing everywhere. In one town over it is only raining. It seems weird that weather systems have edges. These are known as weather fronts. It is the boundary between two air masses. One side can be dry and cold while the other moist and warm.
But it really shouldn’t be a surprise. Doesn’t everything have an edge? How would we distinguish one thing from another if it all blended together? People are individuals. So are all living things. The boundary needn’t be abrasive, however. I’m thinking about countries that are reluctant to let each other live in peace, religions that stigmatize anyone who doesn’t follow the dogma, or politicians who discredit any idea that doesn’t echo their own. Perhaps if we see boundaries as places to connect rather than divide, we will be able to appreciate that edge – even if it means more snow. And aren’t snowflakes beautiful?
Check out the weather predictions for your area: http://www.weather.gov/
And if you are a history buff, here are historical weather records: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_weather_records#Snow
Rabbit in the Snow
I was gazing out the window, looking under the butterfly bushes at the juncos scrambling for seed when I saw what looked like a piece of a log slowly being covered with snowflakes. But it wasn't a log at all – it was a rabbit! It was resting in a depression atop last week's snow. Its fur was puffed up like a down blanket, protection against the cold.
Rabbits do not hibernate in the winter. I have seen several cottontails bounding through my yard all season even when the temperature has been cold enough to keep me inside.
I thought it might like a carrot, given that snow had been covering the ground for the better part of a week and no doubt interfered with the animal’s foraging. I didn't want to throw it out the window and scare the rabbit away so when I saw it had moved away, I tossed out a nice, juicy organic carrot and hoped it would come back and find the treat. It didn't – return or eat the carrot.
What I found out was that rabbits change their dietary needs in the cold weather, from vegetables (yes, gardens are a prime venue for these creatures in the spring and summer) to buds, seeds, twigs, branches, and pine needles. We have all of those in our backyard so I guess the rabbit felt welcome but didn’t need the carrot.
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