Snow and Leaf

The skies opened up, and it snowed great gorgeous fluffy flakes for an hour or two - I watched them through the window with a mug in one hand and a forestry tome in the other. The snow stopped its whirling descent, and the temperatures began to climb, the fragile crystalline snows retreating and leaving only a small scrap of whiteness here and there in the winter garden behind the little blue house.

For several hours after that, we had a dense cold soaking rain and the small rags of snow in the garden disappeared altogether. Now (or so it appears) we are in for a day of freezing rain and treacherous walking, here and out in my highlands too. Mukluks, cleats, thermal underwear, hip waders, oilskins, umbrella, raincoat and heavy parka - I shall need it all today, and it is either on me at the moment or all packed up and ready to go.

Is that sunshine I can see through the window of the study?