Snow time.

Beginners. White, white, white, that is mostly what I see these days. But, it is a beautiful white. It is a white that covers everything outside: houses, cars, streets, trees, even the thinnest sign posts. It is a white that brings quiet with it. Snow is, of course, like a blanket; it covers and it quietens. Now, in the morning, instead of hearing the busy 'swush' of cars and buses going to work and school, we hear nothing. Even the snow plough is quite quiet, until it lowers its plow and scrapes along the icy road. The big white blanket also brings entertainment with it, lots of entertainment. You can ski, sled, or just goof around in the snow. The children bundle up in lots of warm clothes for play time; if they don't, they will pay for it later with icy toes, fingers and ears. Grammar notes. Related vocabulary: sign post; to quieten = to make quiet; instead of; snow plough; to scrape; entertainment = activities that are enjoyable. Advanced. There is a bird house just outside our kitchen window which sits, pretty as a picture all year long, reflecting the changing seasons. In Spring, it is a flurry of activity, with noisy, twittery birds who seem like complete maniacs in constant motion. And, oh, the noise! For a light sleeper, like myself, it is a challenge to control myself enough to not pull out the bird house just to get some peace and quiet. Mind you, whenever I am tempted to get rid of the thing, I see what a haven it is for our beautiful, dainty feathered friends. I couldn't possibly! Well, the babies grow, learn to fly, and leave the nest, and before you know it, the house is empty again. As the seasons change, many of the species of birds that live here, fly South for warmer climates. A few stay and brave the long Winter. They are adept at finding just the right spots for building nests and finding food. We help them along by putting seeds out for them, but I think that they would probably manage by themselves. As the snow quietly covers everything day after day, the little house gets more and more insulated. I think it will be a part of our garden for years to come. Grammar notes. Vocabulary: a flurry = lots of activity; twittery = noisy bird chirping; maniac = crazy; a haven = a place of refuge; dainty = delicate; to brave something = to put up with (especially weather). Verbs: to be able: I couldn't possibly! Ex: Have some more cake. Oh, I couldn't possibly. To be adept at something = to be very good at something.

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