Snow

There is a certain beauty and peacefulness coming from a freshly-fallen blanket of snow. Nature is quiet, the silence is almost deafening. All senses are alive. The air is fresh and crisp. Three Canada geese just flew over, not sure where they can hide from this cold. My eyes are squinting to deflect the snowy-white glare. The sun is hiding behind a thick blanket of grey, but there is an iridescence of yellow escaping here and there through the clouds.

Tree branches are covered in powdery snow, giants reaching their arms to the sky. Deer tracks are leading around the house - their nightly incursions into my flower garden. There are some azaleas left with green leaves; judging by the tracks left in the snow, the deer were brazen enough to come close to my front windows, looking for something to munch on.

The bird bath is frozen with a thick coat of ice. A red cardinal, like a fresh splotch of blood, rests on the metal ledge, painting the pristine whiteness. One solitaire evergreen tree breaks the whiteness. I step onto the snow and am surprised that there is a crunching layer of ice underneath. I want to walk to the forest to take a few pictures. There is so much amazing beauty surrounding me in the dormant landscape! God’s palette is rich with hues of white, brown, dark green, grey, yellow, and blue.

I walk through the semi-frozen ground with care. I am not sure what hides beneath my feet. I leave behind icy tracks. It will be easy to follow my way back. The water’s edge is frozen and cracked underneath in a spidery pattern of blue and white. The water current seems to be running swiftly through the middle. It has not been hard cold enough during the night to freeze everything.  But there is no sign of wildlife floating or feeding anywhere near the shore. Where did they seek shelter?