Day 6

Running was tough this morning because of the thick snow, but snow in sunlight is beautiful, sparkling. 

Coming into the meadow from the track on my 3rd circuit, I surprised a huge red-tailed hawk, from close up they are really enormous birds.  I think she had come down to investigate my hat, gloves and coat which were dangling appetisingly from various branches on a cyprus tree. 

I'm constantly amazed how birds (the most delicate of creatures) make it through these frigid nights, when the temperature can go down to -10C and below!  And tiny ones, like chickadees, which weigh .03oz, after a blizzard-filled night, cheerfully arrive early in the morning and greet the day with their song.  Apparently chickadees are storers of seed, they poke it into bark and hide it in places and always remember where they have hidden it, so that just before dark they eat like crazy, then keep themselves warm off that energy during the night. 

When I walked in at the door and took off all my snowy clothes, my pedometer, which I just received for Christmas, was gone!  It is probably covered in snow somewhere, and apparently they are not built for moisture, so that's that. 

This rock reminded me of a giant finger, fingernail and all!

My portrait today was done on the spur of the moment when I went up to the  bathroom to put the washing on.  The window was still misty from the boys' morning showers, so I quickly drew in the mist, as we do all the time, us humans, our constant creativity, even when we are not aware of it. 

A bit difficult to see, but I like the light and the small tree-branches making wrinkles on the face.