Shadows

The snow that was predicted to begin falling around midnight didn't get going until just before dawn today. It stopped a couple of hours ago, leaving us with a few more inches.

Once I'd finished shoveling the sidewalks and my share of the driveway (the 15-year-old is responsible for the rest), I ventured out back to see if we'd had visitors overnight.

I spotted evidence of a solitary rabbit and four deer, no doubt the whitetails that pass under our tall trees before sunup most mornings. The powdery snow had softened their tracks some, but I could see that they'd grazed on the pumpkins and corn I'd left for them.

Every creature leaves its mark, regardless of the season. One of the great things about winter is that the shadows linger.