Tundra – Photo: L. Weikel

I Blinked

I blinked and the weekend was over. It feels like I fell into a time warp or something.

The really weird thing is that all day Friday I kept thinking it was Saturday. So you’d think having an ‘extra’ day would’ve made the weekend feel longer. Alas, it did not.

Perhaps it was all the big plans I had for the weekend. I had my sights set on crossing a lot of things that have been hanging over my head (or lurking in the recesses of my mind) off my list. Just setting them up like pins and knocking them down: plink, plink, plink.

I think I may have succeeded in getting one plink plunked. But then the snow came.

Classically Lovely

Somewhat surprisingly given the bland wimp-out winters of virtually no snow we’ve experienced over a past fair number of years, we actually got an additional 8-10” of snow today. And that’s on top of the 18” or so we received just last Monday!

This snow, though, was one of those classically lovely ones where the fluffy precipitation piles up on even the tiniest branches of all the trees, as well as the bushes, fence posts, weeds and wires. Suddenly the world is outlined in a generous blanket of cotton candy.

It’s been a veritable snow extravaganza here over the past seven days, to be honest. And I hear there’s potential for more in the offing, perhaps as soon as Thursday. It makes me want to get a sled out of the garage and go sleigh-riding down the hill near the creek. Much to my chagrin, however, I can feel black and blue spots just itching to be birthed should I indulge that desire. The sadness I feel in admitting that truth is real.

Starry Forest – Photo: L. Weikel (Note: Sirius at the bottom center of the photo)

Nevertheless, We Walked

In spite of all the shoveling, Karl and I did squeeze in a walk. Neither one of us really felt like it, but we were rewarded for our persistence beyond measure.

I was able to capture some moments that are startlingly diverse. One shot looks like we were walking in the tundra. Another feels more like a stroll along a path in the midst of a vast forest with only the stars to guide us. And a third makes our yard look like a fairy wonderland courtesy of the Christmas lights we left up for just this opportunity.

The leg of our journey that took us through the forest yielded a shout out from both a screech owl and a Great Horned owl.

It just doesn’t get any better than this.

Candy Lights – Photo: L. Weikel

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