Almost Solstice.

12-18-21 SHORT HILLS: It’s cold and rainy, but we did a short walk with the dogs and talked with neighbor and cousin Ken and his puppy. The previous few days were sunny and warm. 

We are only a few days away from the winter solstice. The solstice always seems like a corner to be turned before the sun comes back, but we have to get through winter before it’s warm again. 

We still haven’t had a hard frost and the grass is still green, but January will probably take care of that. The huge leaf piles in the street are gone. The town crews scooped them up earlier this week. 

Bird activity has picked up a bit, and we have one squirrel scurrying around. 

One of several white-throated sparrows hopping about in the driveway.

Juncos compete with the sparrows for whatever they are scrounging up on the blacktop.

Mourning doves will sit in the same spot for maybe a half hour while the sparrows are constantly on the move.

Here's our dank, dark day.

Holly berries are plentiful this year and are back-up bird and squirrel food.

Lots of apples, too, for hungry critters.