White pepper and the People Tree

FACT: White peppercorn ripens fully on the vine before it is picked. While a black peppercorn is picked when still green and dried in the sun until it turns black. Last night even after WVU played [and won] against Seaton Hall, the sky was alive with minuscule snowflakes no larger that a grain of white pepper. As the evening went on and I finally felt warm enough to get rid of my heavy vest the grains, while no larger were greater in number. This morning when for some reason I got up at 4 am I looked out and saw the pepper had stayed. I went down to deal with the George Routine and hoping the gas had stayed on during the night. While I sipped my first cup of coffee in the Nook I saw that our geese had bedded in the snow in front of the steps to the front porch. For sure there was some consternation as the cats wanted to get to their food minimal fussing from the geese but indeed Loud fussing made me chuckle. I stayed up long enough to allow George time for is morning rituals and went back to bed leaving the coffee cup ¾ ‘s full. When I re awoke it was almost 8 am. I stretched and looked out the window at the tree and saw a Junco hopping on the fresh snow seemingly delighted with the additional amounts of this Pepper snow. From the time I was awake for the first time until now there had been significant amount of new snow, almost and inch. Now with a reheated cup of coffee I begin my morning ritual of waking up. So quiet as the flakes shimmy down to the ground, amazing looking out and seeing nothing but snow-covered land. Then I finally saw the elusive Pileated Woodpecker flying from left to right down the creek bank. The big deal here is that they are hard to see in flight but today that Redhead stood out. The snowflakes have yet to stop. I look out to a particular Walnut tree close to the creek bed and notice that this fine-grained snow has allowed me to again see shapes of what I perceive to be figures of things. Since we had this tree trimmed several years ago there is a particular area that when the snow lays just right it reminds me of an old Zen priest. He is there now. Kinda neat!