Very beautiful day yesterday. The snow fell off and on all day but only got as deep as my ankles. I shoveled the walks then sequestered Bear and headed to the Refuge.
The road was treacherous. I have consciously avoided winter roads since I moved here. It isn’t difficult since we have more sunny days than gray, and most winters have been dry. At first it felt a little sketchy. Bella is a jeep but she doesn’t have the best tires for snow/ice. I soon relaxed into the experience and enjoyed it.
It is a little strange to think that most of my winter driving experience was in Montana driving my aunts around the winter-slick roads in Billings in their cars. Front wheel drive and studded tires, but if the snow was deep? Everyone stayed home until the plows came out. As I drove, I felt strangely nostalgic for Billings’ winter roads and my bundled up aunts.
I always wondered WHY my aunts wanted me to drive. It had been DECADES since I’d driven on winter roads, but there I was. San Diego driver. I had learned to drive in those conditions so it wasn’t long before I was fine.
“You’re doing good, honey,” my Aunt Jo would say.
Before Bear and I left the Refuge yesterday, a very amazing snowplow came up the main road. It had a front blade, and pulled a heavy trailer that had another blade, this one pointing toward the side of the road. The plow system was immense and fun to watch. It gave us an easier ride home, though still slick.
Bear and I had, again, untrammeled snow and tracks — fox or coyote, but my money is on fox. The snow was soft and the tracks were a little filled. A male Northern Harrier passed low in front of me and then moved on.
Bear had the time of her life investigating the mischief made by other animals since the last time we were there.
The sky to the south was so dark that the shadows of the trees were on the “wrong” side. The storm came from the southwest. To the north the sky was bright with a band of clear turquoise on the horizon.
You can see the effects of the odd light in the photo below. I’m facing east. The sun was desperately trying to shine through dark clouds over my right shoulder. The tree’s shadows would — normally — point in the opposite direction. This can’t be painted. It’s a photo that needs words, a phenomenon maybe unique in my life.
In a place like the Refuge where there is nothing overtly dramatic to look at, a person who goes there often, like I do, is going to notice ambience and detail. It is really not the same place twice.
The day before yesterday I saw a beautiful, huge, pale tan feather. I wanted to pick it up, but as we were just starting out, I couldn’t. I planned to get it on the way back, but the wind and a couple passing cars had blown it away. I thought about that later. Moments of beauty are just like that feather or a harrier’s low, slow flight.
“Summer is the season of inferior sledding” - Inuit proverb 
Proverbs 31:30 Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting…
💚 That’s similar to what the I-Ching says about charm; it has no substance. It just adorns.
Our rainstorms have come to an end — I hope that doesn’t mean your snow has also ended. You and Bear have such wonderful times walking in the snow and sharing observations. Too bad about the feather, but it makes a nice memory!
Just a reminder that I don’t have have everything… 😀
I love the sky in the bottom photo. At 16 I taught myself to drive in the snow by going to an empty parking lot at night and trying stuff. I remember looking around carefully to make sure no one was around, because a 16 year old explaining to a cop that this was training, not goofing around, was not likely to be successful.
🙂
I hope your snow continues for a while
No way to know — there’s a slight chance tomorrow. BUT it is said that March is the snowiest month. Bear, Teddy and I always have hope.
I wonder if your dogs consider the refuge to be their turf and they have to do periodic inspections to keep abreast of what is going on.
I am sure they think the Refuge is their turf.
I’m thrilled that Bear got to play/revel in the snow! I’ve always driven in the snow but we have lots of plows and trucks that lay down sand and salt and special anti-ice spray… To quote my favorite driving advice, “Slow and steady, steady and slow, that’s the way we like to go!” – Goofy
Good advice. I enjoyed my slick drive once I knew what I was driving on.
That last photo is such a beautiful capture. I love the light in “the big empty”. It’s always changing and as you say never the same twice.