Date: 12/27/25 5:18 pm From: Anita Schnee <000003224553d416-dmarc-request...> Subject: Downies on the fly
As I walked around my garden today, on the phone to family, they were getting fed up with me. They kept trying to tell me what was going on in their lives, and I kept interrupting with color commentary on the antics of a pair of downies who were putting in quite the performance.
One male and one female were dive-bombing me as first the female chased the male, and then vice versa – they came within about three feet of me, whistling by at warp speed, on their way to this tree and that. When they landed, they would chase each other, whirling around the trunks in rapid spirals, and then take off again across the yard to this tree and that.
This went on for pretty much the whole hour I was on the phone. Where do they get the energy? They reminded me of my kittens!
I was enthralled and delighted. And also a little disquieted to think that this might have been a mating ritual this early in the season. (My hellebores are blooming, for goodness sake.)
I hope everybody won’t be too crushed when it’s forecast to go down to 18 degrees Monday night. A 62-degree plummet! I can cover the hellebores. The downies will be on their own . . . .
