It was just another winter snowstorm--but it was enough to close the university for a day and most schools for two days. Under the pressure of very high winds (gusts of at least 70mph), fine snow blew into the attic through the vents and the metal caps for the gables. I cleared away about five gallons. The doors opened onto five-foot wind-carved bulwarks of snow. I lost a handle bolt from the snowblower and broke a shearpin, but eventually we cleared it all up. After two days of being more or less housebound, I took the dogs into the woods. Frey turned back almost at once. It was glorious to see the sun again. The bare trunks cast long evening shadows even in the morning.
Deep in the woods, small rays of gold pierced the canopy to create little blazes of light like candles in the branches.Ollie plunged gallantly onward, bunny-hopping to get on top of the snow where it was deep. Valla trudged along behind.
Every now and then you could catch a glimpse of an open field full of light beyond the conifers. This is a view of Pat's plantation; it will be much darker in a few years as the trees fill in.
It really did look like a late evening scene. Somehow, night is never far away in winter; the sun is so low on the horizon that the shadows never suggest morning. Ollie is pretending not to be tired--he's foraging off the path. However, as soon as he got inside, he threw himself down by the woodstove for a nap.
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