One week after a downpour, the soil on bare ground is dry and crusty due to strong, dry winds from the north as several cold fronts pass through this area.   Large pots of annuals need watering.  Flowers on fruit trees were burned off by the hard-freeze temperatures during the week.  Roadwork to add turn lanes nearby rushed to get asphalt laid before the cold temperatures set in. Wild birds are flocking to the feeding table, especially the first feeding of the day.  Goldfinches are the most abundant species and, along with brown-headed cowbirds, make up the majority of dinners.