A Nest: A Miracle of Nature

The weather has been very cold for the past few days, for the first time this winter (according to Terry, who notices these things). And they say it's always coldest just before sunrise, before the sun begins to warm things up again.

Yesterday I was awake well before dawn. In fact, I was sitting - warm cup of coffee in hand - as the sky in the east began to lighten.

Suddenly I noticed this little nest in a neighbor's tree, probably built by a squirrel, whose family is no doubt now still snuggled up inside keeping warm.

How amazing that such a flimsy squirrel-made contraption of leaves and squirrel saliva(?) could keep them alive and warm as overnight temperatures plummeted!

The temperature outside was cold (any way you looked at it)!

Here it is in Fahrenheit.

That little nest sitting near the edge of the branch is a true miracle of nature!