The “General,” our Bald Cypress, is getting more barren each day. Soon all that will be showing will be the stark bare branches until spring. The crisp clear blue skies of December have filled the Broward this past week. Unfortunately I have had little opportunity to enjoy it until the past few days. Not sure about the rest of you young ones out there but getting up and dancing is about the last thing you might find on my daily agenda. Not so with the Great Egrets however, they love their morning dance.

The Editor calls the Great Egret the "Bride of the Broward". Adorned in pure white flowing feathers, there is nothing more elegant and graceful looking on the Broward this time of year than the Great Egrets. Soon they should start showing the emerald green eye shadows of the coming breeding season. Each day there is one Great Egret in particular that has a favorite fishing hole near our dock. When the tide begins to recede, this graceful bird steps out of the shadows to begin its morning dance on the marsh. Not to be outdone, a Pied-billed Grebes also swims by with a rendition of “Splish Splash..I was takin a bath”!

While waiting on the grebes to appear the last few days I was joined by another companion on the dock. Annie, a female Anhinga has decided I am not a threat anymore. For the past several days now she flies up and lands right beside me and suns herself for about a half hour each morning while drying and preening her feathers before gently slipping into the water to begin her morning feeding. The fur like feathers keep it insulated from the cold water as this species spends a great deal of time completely submerged chasing fish. I wish I could see her underwater ballet. Her graceful head pops up and looks around before taking another dive.

Don’t feel like dancing yet? Well grab another cup of coffee and just sit and relax and enjoy the day. Unless of course you still have shopping to do. Be Blessed. Harry

**Soon the "General", our Bald Cypress will be truly bald and barren of leaves...**

**The Bride of the Broward, the Great Egret steps out of the shadows to begin its morning dance..**

The music of morning begins..the long white  wings lift up to dance on the water — **The music of morning begins..the long white wings lift up to dance on the water**

**Graceful wins kiss the water..the dance continues..**

**Note to be outdone,,the Pied-billed Grebe swims out on the dance floor...**

Reflections on Broward is now "Mountain Musings"

Morning dance….