Preparing for the big dump

It was 63 degrees and sunny yesterday. I took the boys to the park playground. By nightfall the school closings started scrolling across the bottom of the television screen.  

 A major winter storm is heading our way here in St. Louis, Missouri. This morning, some places received snow, and others in our area (as pictured) received sleet, freezing rain...yuck! We are in a lull. It is 32 degrees outside, and will be going down to single digits. 

Everyone is in a holding pattern. Nearly all schools, many businesses, and churches are closed and probably will be for the rest of the week. About 8:00 p.m. the big dump is expected, somewhere between 7-13 inches of snow will keep most people off the roads and hunkered down.

I made pancakes with peanut butter sprinkled with bird seeds for the critters. The four squirrels who visit daily wouldn't touch it. They opted for dropped bird seeds. But a flock of black birds (gackles) swooped in and cleaned it up. The little sparrows and nut hatches have been eating their fill, but the mouthy blue jay and a bright red cardinal have been most entertaining, acting like children on the playground.  

I must go change their frozen water now. Stay safe my friends in the path of this doozy of a winter storm.