In the deep, dark woods lived the mighty creatures, reclusive and hidden from human sight.  

Ancient they were and filled with memories of distant years, back before roads and cars had ever appeared in the forests ... so finally, when the people noise was just too annoying, they decided. "Today we begin, we will capture these humans and make them sit in these puddles. They will be horrified and run far away from us."

Unfortunately, humans had been taught from their earliest years to cope with the horror of puddles and of mud, and the plan of the mighty creatures failed.

"We are left with no choice," they agreed and decided they must make peace with the humans and live graciously alongside each other. "They can have the puddles, those mud-loving monsters, and we will live in the woods with the bees and the birds."

So it was thereafter, that the mighty creatures remained in the forests of earth, and the humans lived alongside the rivers and lakes and oceans.

They met politely from time to time, those mighty creatures and those 'humans', but the mighty creatures declined to sit in puddles despite the appeal it seemed to have for their neighbors.

Cheeky Chucky Chickadee on a Visit

Our granddaughter's friends stop by regularly.

Cheeky Chucky Chickadee stopped by the house today, just for a little seed or two, and then he was on his way.

He knows we watch for him and his friends, and we leave seeds lying around. He sometimes pecks on the window at us; I think he likes the sound.

He doesn't seem to mind the snow despite not having shoes, not that there were options there like that for him to choose.

Come visit any time, little friend; so long, we'll see you around.
You're always welcome here, you know, even with snow on the ground.