Early Morning Snow Up to Now

I woke early.  The soft light penetrating the blinds on the front window could be none other than new snow amplifying the dim winter night.  I opened the blinds to a black and white photograph, the pond shiny black, ringed by white rocks. and framed by highlighted service berry branches.   The snow was still falling..  I didn't want to disturb Sherry so I went out into the kitchen.  I figured it was about time that I dealt with the membrillo that had been drying on cookie sheets in the oven.  I took the quince paste out of the oven and cut it into pieces that I wrapped first in that clingy plastic stuff, then in aluminum foil.  There were trimmings that needed to be eaten, so the task was sweet.  I glanced out the window as I finished wrapping the last piece and was wiping off the cutting board.  The snow had stopped. 

I went back to the living room to check on Sherry.  She was stirring slightly, soon awake.  I asked her if she wanted a cup of tea.  She did.  I went back to the kitchen and put on the tea kettle.  I peeled two Satsumas and arranged the slices on a small saucer.  I took them to her while the tea was steeping.  Her eyes opened wide and she smiled. When I came back with the tea, the orange slices were gone.  I put the mug of steaming tea on the bed table.  She settled back waitng for it to cool.  Sleep trumped the tea, and Sherry was softly snoring before the tea had cooled.

I was wide awake and knew that it would never be easier to move the fresh dry snow.  I went into the garage to get my hat and coat.  I looked out the window of our entryway as I was sticking my feet into my snow boots.  A four point buck, right outside, was shuffling through the snow toward our bird feeders.  I considered waking Sherry and opened the door back into the house to gauge the depth of her sleep.   When I looked out the front room window the buck was gone.  The sound of the door opening must have alerted him. Sherry's sleep was still deep. 

I went back out, stepped into my snow boots and quickly shoveled the airy snow off the driveway and walk  Curious, I went to where the buck had been to follow his tracks.  He or some of his friends had already been to the bird feeders.  The ground beneath them was bare of snow and trampled by sharp hooves. The mound of sunflower seeds cast aside by careless sparrows was now gone. 

I  swept the snow off my boots, went back inside, and took the tepid tea off Sherry's bed table back to the kitchen.  I stood by the bed and listened to Sherry's deep breaths for a few minutes, then sat in the recliner with Sherry's laptop.  That's now...