Morning Geese and Scotch Pines

I've always loved the honking of geese.  Even in the place we lived right before moving to Wellington, where I was unhappy, I remember a wintry morning huddled in bed, trying to keep warm.  I could hear the honking through the thin aluminum-framed window, wet with condensation (I know the object is lost in this sentence, but you can apply it to me or the window - it doesn't matter which.).  Outside was icy and grey.  The flock of geese flew low, in and out of clouds.  It was beautiful.

But today!  It's barely cool.  The sun is shining.  I'm living in WELLINGTON.  I was on my front porch admiring my Halloween decorations and taking pictures to show The Little Boy who's still at sleep-away school.  I heard the geese, as I often do.  We are a waterfront community, after all.  I snapped a pic just as they were leaving.

This poor little Christmas tree.  What Christmas tree, you ask?  It's hidden in this pot.  I've written before about the flock that covered it last Christmas.  How it has been trying for almost a year to slough off that flock.  Here he is, almost ready for his season, and this MUM that was only a snippet from my neighbor-friend's garden is positively DWARFING. him.  It's trying to steal the spotlight!  How did it get so huge?  It's a mum, for crying out loud.  If it wasn't about to bloom I would cut off its head.  But it better get around to it soon because Christmas is right around the corner and I'm not letting any old mum steal my poor little scotch pine's glory.