The cold stars look down

Air temperature 6 F, wind northwest 10 mph gusting to 17, clear sky with waning moon. Windchill -8 F. Various quadrupeds have left tracks across our snow, probably trying to find some warm shelter. Mornings like this, I wish we could put out food with a bit more energy content than thistle seed -- sunflower or suet, but the squirrels would clean it out in short order.