The Legend of the Pussywillow

According to an old legend, a mother cat was crying at the bank of a river in which her kittens were drowning.

The willows at the river's edge longed to help her, so they swept their long graceful branches into the waters to rescue the tiny kittens who had fallen into the river while chasing butterflies.

The kittens gripped on tightly to their branches and were safely brought to shore.  Each springtime since, goes the legend, the willow branches sprout tiny fur-like buds at their tips where the kittens once clung.....  

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Here in Nod, our pussywillows are just that...legend...as they lie beneath a blanket of white....  Old Man Winter seems fond of our frozen landscapes, and isn't quite yet ready to make his departure.  He "gifted" us 13" of that white stuff yesterday/last night....  

(View from my kitchen window)

But this afternoon, the sun peeked through, and spring's hope was renewed....

Hope it's spring where you are......