Morning sun

Ragweed is not something that I have ever given much thought to, other than perhaps to think murderous thoughts as I scalped it down in the summer when trimming its aggressive invasions.   This week I saw who does love it.  At the thaw, some of the snow sheltered and dried ragweed, plus other plants, became exposed.  They were then dusted with a skiff of snow, creating a winter bird banquet.   The ragweed, laden with seeds, was promptly stripped.  Remaining were mostly bare stalks, a few scattered rejected seeds and a dance floor pattern of little dancing feet in the snow.   THAT is what ragweed is for.  Harley the Wonder Dog is shown with the morning light on the house.  Bob is inside rustling up a hearty fire in the wood cookstove while Harley is poised to play the running game.   This is happily played by chasing the squirrels that chatter and tease him as well at the sticks that he collects for us to toss, over and over again.   The top of the snow bank between Harley and the house is where he stores his collection of sticks.  A favorite game is to have the stick thrown over the bank so that he can hurtle himself into the air for a great leap, then to plunge in the snow to climb the bank, panting and eager to do it again.   When finished, we give the stick back to him and he carefully stores it along the top of the bank for next time.  He also makes a little nest in the bed, where during the day he will curl up and keep surveillance over the Harley zone.   Harley is a little distracted and moony eyed over the Scottish Deerhound named Hickory that won the US's famed Westminster Dog Show.  He has requested a poster sized photo of her in the mud room......