Pussy willow

Pussy willow, the male flowers of the Goat Willow or Sallow, are starting to open. Today was a rare sunny day without rain and it was wonderful to see them against a blue sky. It's going to be very icy overnight, but they are quite tough flowers and will keep slowly opening as though trying to nudge the weather towards an early spring.

I came across a nice little poem, the source of which seems to be unknown.

Pussy willows dressed in gray,
sitting on their tree one day,
wished that really cats they were,
with long tails to match their fur.