HERE AT THE Church O’ The Pines, snow has fallen. More than we were expecting. To paraphrase Bobby Zimmerman, you don’t have to be a weatherman to know that winter is coming. And after a droughty summer, with wetlands and water tables still depleted, we are in need of snow this winter. Old Man River was frozen here just a week ago, is now open, and will soon freeze again. The local foxes have been echoing their ‘vixen scream’ mating call from the riverbanks this week. The flying squirrels come regular as clockwork for the evening social hours. Their red and gray brothers and sisters run rampant in the daytime. And a bare-toed opossum comes by in the evenings as well. (Kathy is much concerned about his lack of mittens and ear muffs.) The bluejays are more vociferous than usual this morning. It seems the snow and cold gets their blood stirring. A cottontail has taken up residence under the deck. There seems to be no great news to report from our humble Church today, just the normal comings-and-goings of our forest brethren. And sistren. If that’s a word. It should be, really. We wish you Good Sabbath from the snowy Church O’ The Pines…