Winter Beauty

It seems like we've had a long cloudy stretch but, this morning, the sky was clear and the sun was bright, bring happiness to my heart. It was extremely cold and windy. However, Shyla and I don't mind because our bodies are used to it by now.

The angle of the sun at sunrise has already changed substantially since the solstice, even though we've only gained a few minutes of daylight. Shyla and I follow the sun so its rays hit us as early as possible. I'll never stop being in awe of the red glow of sunrise and sunset.

Perhaps due to the cold or due to being in a great mood, Shyla was in high speed mode this morning.

She did everything at warp speed. I had fun trying to keep up with her with my camera.

And I loved seeing her shadow move with her. It was able to keep up with her!

When we are in the heart of winter, I actually love weather like this. The snow-packed trails stay smooth and firm because the temperature is well below freezing. Most people don't go out on the trails so the forest is quiet - all except for a few hearty birds who I heard chirping and cawing this morning in the snowy aspen groves.
After suffering a migraine yesterday afternoon/evening, I truly appreciated the winter beauty this morning. I have to laugh that I thought that I'd totally figured out how to prevent migraines (by getting enough sleep). If nothing else, these monster headaches keep me guessing because life grinds to a halt when one hits. I think that a few stressful things (like figuring out R's surgery situation, etc.) this week made me more susceptible to a migraine. Today, the headache is gone but I have the "hangover" - that tired and subdued feeling after the storm.

I hope that all of you are enjoying your Saturday!