Light bounces off silver skies reflects in the pond, branches calm. Merlin hears a Goldfinch and Pine Siskin. His hearing, much better than mine. After tending to the three, before getting dressed, before coffee drips into a colorful cup, before writing, morning now requires a nebulizer.

     Mariah shoved raindrops against windows spraying cryptic messages on screens, digital patterns, hidden messages for those who can decipher. Blew one of the spaceship lights from its base crashing it on the ground. Paper wasp nest, immune to Mariah’s huffing and howling remains on its branch but her fury forbade bowls in the lawn to gather water.

     Soleil settles orange skirts across the eastern sky as if she intends to stay. She turns treetops red, hurries away. Zsolt races to see if there’s anything to bark, remains quiet. One step closer to the railing, slippery. Time to be careful of frosted mornings. Steam has stopped rising from my cup. We can see our breath. Through the trees violet blue sky, bands of white. 

     Not quite awake at five, the three had no desire to be doused with cold rain. We all returned to dreams. Rain stopped, past dawn we could see bowls in the lawn filled with water, boundaries of the stream breached again. Zayne flew across the fenced in land to bark at something. Zsolt watched. Ruger stood on the deck with me. Light traffic, no rooster, no birds.

      Frost sits on flattened vegetation beside the pond where some ice resides in shallow spaces. Chairs stored for winter, a fire pit stands alone on an uneven platform making bowls that hold water till swept away. This morning, bowls hold frozen leaf works of art. Merlin thinks he hears a Pine Siskin. I only hear ringing in my ears and a rooster.

     I stepped cautiously onto the shiny deck. Freezing rain is sprinkled through coming forecasts. The three hurried through their fenced-in-land not wanting to stand in line for dry off time. 2 biscuits later before the warmth left their beds they sleep again. 

     Mariah gathered leaves from the ground, flew them again higher higher over the fence as if willing them back onto branches. Leading the dance, Mariah swung the poles of hanging lamps further right. A few unsecured objects moved before Mariah was exhausted.

     Smidge of blue blends in behind the trees sky. Wind begins. Black muddied feet, the three scatter new designs across the floor. Large oak leaf flutters into view. Disappears. No birds seen, heard. One by one, batteries replaced, three cameras again go offline. Someone in the driveway yesterday, by the time I got outside they were gone. Nebulizer charges. Rubber duck smiles. Coffee cools in a red cup, the three sleep.

     Piece of moon glimpsed through bare limbs last night. Solar flowers cast warm light. Last call, frost forming, black fire pit cover turning gray, this morning white. Stream a clear mirror. Sky silver. No leaves seen through my window, nor tops of trees standing still. Yesterday an eagle soaring. Rubber duck smiling unaware of more hours in the dark. His expression never changing.

     Coffee drips into a blue cup steaming. I should keep a tripod on the deck for star shots; for now, I lean against the railing. Friday night, not taking pictures of sparse rain that felt like snow. Is there a best time for looking up? Are there times stars shine brighter? Is there a radiant hour? Does it change like the time? Is it only visible when we are looking?

     Last night, last call before I went to bed past midnight not to sleep, very dim solar lights. Ruger looked up as I opened the door, closed his eyes, rested his head again on his paws. A branch cracked. Eyes met mine from the clearing. Two barked.

     The three had no reservations about walking in the rain briefly. Gallons poured into the stream, water claiming dried-up boundaries. I dump water off deck things waiting for a place in the container and energy to move them. Dropped a hearing aid while trying to put it on. Tiny things, blend easily into patterned rugs. How it landed where I found it, a mystery. Hot, dirty dishes...went through the cycle just didn’t spray. Another mystery.