Clumps of snowflakes fall from a grayed winter sky. The snow collects on every surface, including tree branches whose contours are topped with an icy highlight.
The early winter evening finds the land comfortably settled into a frozen position. Dense clouds gray the sky, and from these clouds snow flurries fall. Sparse and tiny at first, the snowflakes flitter about on their trip down to Earth. Eventually they increase in size and clump together, falling faster with their heavier weight.
In the entrance of a large birdhouse hooked up to a tall tree, a screech-owl watches the snow fall. With wide eyes, the rusty owl takes in the sights from the safety of its dry abode, getting ready to go out for the night.
Despite the persistence of darkness, visibility to the human eye extends into the later hours due to the whiteness of the snow. The outlines of the trees are cast clearly against the lighter background. So are the outlines of deer who quietly stroll through with snowflakes collecting on their backs.
Bushes fill with cardinals and juncos who fluff their feathers for increased insulation and hunker down in the cold. Squirrels sit atop tree branches with long tails curled up their backs. They watch the snow fall for a little while before climbing into their leafy nests inside warm tree cavities.
In the morning, the land glitters with a thick layer of icy frosting. Squirrels hop through the fluffy snow as easily as my boots step in it. The cardinals and juncos mingle at bird feeders. Rows of deer tracks have partially filled with snow that followed their stride.
As I continue my jaunt, I make tracks of my own, and I notice someone peeking out of a doorway. The screech-owl is back home in its birdhouse for the day after a nighttime of nocturnal activity. The owl squints its eyes at the brightness. Then it goes back down into the birdhouse and resumes its daytime rest.