End of the day

This photo is the same evening as the Harvest Moon sunset…two nights ago.

It was a magical evening with soft layers of color in the fading day and a sharing of a new experience with Bear.

This night, I sit in the dark after a good work day, a day with time outside with Bear and with Bob, a day that had constant reminders of Karl…a day of mixed emotion.

I don’t know why some days have the difficult and sad come forth, while some have only the easy and happy and some, like today have a plethora of both.

Driving home this afternoon, from taking Bear to Wayfarer’s where we scoped out the camping situation (thinking of maybe an overnight or 2…) and had a wonderful walk, looked at the lake…I thought: I feel both the happiest and the saddest that I’ve felt in over a year. It is not a bad sad, it is a “missing Karl” sad, a “why did that dear dog have such a tough end?” sad…a sad with no answers in this earthly life, sad. And all the while I was also so happy with where Bear and I are and where Bob and Bear are and where we are as a family. Odd.

Then I looked at this photo…at the layers of color, the layers of mountains…and remembered taking Bear while remembering Karl. Mixed emotions at the end of the day.

Christmas Tradition

Karl and I have a Christmas Tradition. Early afternoon on Christmas Day we go for a long walk. I always hope that I can be on snowshoes and this Christmas I was. The deep snow from November had melted, then froze and earlier this week was topped with two fresh inches. It was perfect. We circumnavigated the property and the state land…in no hurry. The freezing fog had fed the hoar frost so the woods appeared like a frozen swamp – icy tendrils hanging off branches and moss.

Although the fog made the 24F temperature seem colder, we were both warm on our return so ended with some time on the front porch.

I sipped on fizzy apple cider and sat enjoying the quiet.

As Karl and I sat and watched, the sun came out, the fog lifted, the trees sparkled.

Christmas Tradition.

On the first day of Winter

I put the snow thrower through its paces… only 2 1/2 inches of new snow, but I wanted to see if I could flatten out the ruts of frozen slush. I was partly successful – the driveway is better than it was and both the thrower and I survived the experience.

Then, a morning walk in brilliant sunshine…

On the first day of Winter.