River as Road

River as road became reality with a snowmobile journey inscribed over the ice this morning.

Lingering Dawn

Passing by

To the eye, snow falling connects sky and earth.  Through the saturation of the visual field with millions of crystals, all seems to merge.  Gray clouds and shrouded earth enfold one another with showers of white.

Today clouds waved 

from a distance, on their way 

to fill other streams.

Ice Processes

Creatures left tracks across the river down near the bend, more deer, I'm guessing.  As a sign that spring will eventually arrive, the National Weather Service will offer a webinar on "River Ice Processes."  They will talk about both freeze-up and break-up.  We have seen two break-ups already. I signed up for the program, and look forward to learning something new about what it is like for the Ottauquechee.

Blues

Our cold spell goes on.  My iPhone read seventeen below when I left the house and twenty below when I got home.  The colder it gets the bluer the sky.

 A deep blue shadow 

blanketing the new snowfall,

wedded to the sky.

 

Snowing

Deer

Cold continues with a minus eight morning. Upstream only two small openings in the ice can be seen.  Deer tracks appeared today downstream, with two sets crossing the river completely.  Deer came down the hill behind our house a couple of nights ago, investigated one side, went around to the other, perhaps snacking on some bushes by the side porch. Tracks told the story, first noticed by Jack the dog, who became passionately interested. Last Sunday morning, while it was still dark, I saw a lone deer walk through the driveway next door, cross Rt. 4 and head down the drive next to the Unitarian Church, toward the river.