The Difference of a Day

Yesterday's warm weather made most of the snow and all of the ice disappear, so this photo wasn't taken today. But I like the shot and wanted to post it, so here it is even if it's not how the mountain looks this morning. The photo is only 3 days old but compared to the iceless and nearly snowless mountain I saw when I drove off the mountain today, to me the photo already looks like ancient history.

Colder temperatures are back this morning, so the drippy, sticky, soggy mud of yesterday is frozen again. Boy, does that make walking easier. Dog and I had a nice, long walk this morning. North wind howled atop the mountain all night and was only slightly diminished this morning. It felt wicked outside, though the temperature was just under 30. The wind always makes Dog want to run, so run he did like a kid at recess.

The lenghening daylight is more obvious with each new day. At 6 a.m. now I can even see a little bit of color in the eastern sky. Both before and after work, there is enough daylight for me to see at least some of the birds that visit my feeders. That alone makes me enjoy the winter more.
This morning I had a pair of red-bellied woodpeckers, a downy, the Carolina and black-capped chickadees, the ever-staring juncos, Carolina wren, white-breasted nuthatch, blue jays and tufted titmice. It's already a good day.

Note: if you're interested in my Sit Spot journal, a reflection of what I see and hear as I challenge myself to sit outside and observe my surroundings for 20 minutes each day for the next 30 days, you may now visit it here.