Winter affords a hibernation of creativity that begs to be expressed. But like the mind, the world seems grey here. The moist cold keeps me constantly adding layers for an added warmth that never actually reaches my fingertips or toes. The flowers and leaf buds wait, the fruit is long from emerging. But the birds. The birds are still present, ever talkative and plan-making, keeping each other going through the cold months. They keep me going too in their chitty chatty, planning, nest feathering, traveling, working, preparing, arranging, coordinating, calling, ever moving forward. Like my friends. I love them so.