First Snow

Though a few flakes flew about yesterday, today yielded the first true coating of that white winter dust. And lucky me, I had the morning off! I spent an hour strolling around the old field by the river that runs through our town, reacquainting myself with that familiar landscape as it donned its winter coat. Those golden meadow grasses not flattened by wandering wild mammals or buffeting winds collected downy clusters of flakes in their feathery old seed pods and presented them to me like tiny outstretched hands. Meandering coyote trails become conspicuous white highways, and the frozen alder swamp becomes navigable by foot. Just the first of many winter walks to come.