Neutral Tones

At this time of year, we hunger for colour. January is typically rather bleak. We have entered that long stretch of gray days and damp cold--always so much chillier than dry cold! In fact, our weather so far has been nothing to complain of: a very few days near -20° and quite a number above zero. Still, the neutral tones are oppressive. That is why even a brief brushstroke of colour in the sky is something to celebrate. After a long dreary overcast day, the evening sky suddenly lit up with splashes of sun.


It made up for the monochrome day, even though it was a fleeting effect. As we head into February, the days still end abruptly. Minutes after coming home from the city, we find the world darkening.

 "We stood by a pond that winter day,
And the sun was white, as though chidden of God,
And a few leaves lay on the starving sod;
         – They had fallen from an ash, and were gray."

That's January--but a few splashes of colour overhead made all the difference.

New Year

This is finally deep winter; we've had all the sudden thaws we are likely to get before the end of March. Frey doesn't seem to mind much, though on warm days he has to spend a lot of time cleaning the snow from his paws. Goldens have too much hair between their pads. Once again we have had some heavy snows that stuck fast to the trees before the wind came up. Thus, everything is still thickly frosted, and likely to stay that way for weeks. I've been having some trouble keeping all the dogs together lately. Ollie is always game for a walk; he is the constant. Frey won't budge from the house if there is the least likelihood of scraps. Valla has finally realized that she is on a diet, and she has started hanging back, again hoping for extra grub. This evening I found myself abandoned by all but the faithful Ollie. Frey was both stubborn and panicky, so shouts and threats achieved little.

 On the other hand, filling my pockets with dog biscuits did the trick. Not for Valla though--she stayed behind and barked to get in. Frey settled down to a good walk and enjoyed himself. Ollie was happy as, well, Larry. When we returned, a shame-faced Valla apologized for abandoning us. "I was so hungry," she explained.

The woods are lovely, but it is discouraging, looking at what's ahead. That's a long haul: mid-January to late March. Still, this is also the most beautiful part of winter, and we still have mild days from time to time. For the last two weeks it has ranged between zero and -19°C. There is still little accumulation of snow--perhaps a foot--so we hardly even need snowshoes. The trail is well packed, and the forecast for the next week threatens nothing worse than flurries. We'll enjoy it while we can.