We have a cherry tree. Scratch that — we have an ornamental cherry tree. Meaning beautiful blossoms in the spring and later round red things that are “cherries” only to a botanist. (Who would probably call them something in Latin because: #treenerds.) If you pick a “cherry” and pick a short twig, pop both in your mouth, then chew, the flavor and texture will be nearly identical. With the tie going to the twig. So nobody, human, bird, or squirrel, eats them going into winter.

But! After many, many freeze/thaw cycles, the “cherries” suddenly turn edible, and a flock of birds (usually, but not exclusively, robins) will swarm the tree. Two, maybe three days later… no more cherries.