***The Final Poll for the March Photo Contest: Winter***

[Teacher of the Year]

8. What a difficult choice!! I had to go back and forth...Finch or Robin? Finch or Robin?

Then I had to stare at the city park photo for a while because... though I am not too happy with people right now, that is an amazing picture of how a whole city can just come together for some moments of joy in the snow. It is the modern version of one of those old Dutch paintings of the ice skaters and winter.

My usual favorites are outdoor photos that segment things or zeroes in on some usually overlooked detail. This month is a gold mine for that! All that snow and space and light and form.

My cat, who looks just like the cat in the photo, is curled up next to me and wanted to vote for Meowy Christmas.

But I'm afraid it is the wee finch that stole my heart. The robin? She's all happy with her berry. She is the joy of winter. But the cold brooding finch feels more like the mood of today. Hunkered down, going to weather it out, spring will come and this smallest of birds will show it can survive the hell of winter. Just like us.

Go finch, go!