Stormy Saturday

It's a mild but dark and stormy day here in the north, and it feels rather odd to be having such a day at the beginning of February when one may reasonably expect deep cold and snow.

My stream in the woods in Lanark is fully open, and the water in it is rushing along, made ice cold by a journey up through several hundred feet of granite to the surface. The infant trees along the banks of the stream are snow frosted, and the air is fragrant with fresh cedar and juniper.

In summer, water cress grows in this hidden place, and there are clumps of wild leeks and wild marjoram in the low fertile ground nearby. The spot is a sanctuary for the deer with whom we share our land - they come every day to drink fresh cold water from the stream, forage and rest among the old cedars.