December 16th. The sun just coming up.

 

This next series of pictures could almost be a flip-book video.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Fresh ice overnight. Air temp 17 degrees. A major winter storm coming tonight is expected to drop 10" or more of snow.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A sprig of Morrow's Honeysuckle (Lonicera morrowii) mistook the last few days for spring.

 

Not likely to end well.

 

December 19th. First time back at Raymond Brook Marsh since December 17th when we had a big snowstorm. A bit tedious to walk.

 

The marsh section was better, having been partly compressed by a snowmobile.

 

But social distancing would require walking single file and stepping to one side to let others pass.

 

I think I saw only four people until I was nearly back to Route 85.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Nice shadows, miniature drifts...

 

...and lots of bird tracks near most emergent stems.