A pheasant flew up from the frosted meadow grass this morning as we passed and startled us, in a awesome way. We kept walking into more and more of a tender mood in the quiet, waking up. The nests hang visible and collect curled and browned leaves from upper branches. I find a nest to peak inside. Nearby, there are cardinals the color of sumac high on bare branches, a flock of them, I stay, I listen. Then, just ahead, the sumac branches, stripped now of leaves, are only the staghorns – the  white frosted blooms beaming good cheer like tiny Christmas trees. The mood I become in the meadow is one I would do well to carry the whole day through: alert, aware, busy but satisfied as the cardinal, moment by moment, unruffled.

All photos and text copyright Kelly DuMar 2017