just a dusting

Lingering flakes decorate the Chalet de Capri.

It started snowing around 545 this morning, and stopped within an hour. Every surface was still covered with snow when the goats began to stir.

The babies had never seen snow before. Tsuga barely seemed to notice, and got right on with her breakfast. Sambucus was a bit unsettled. Fortunately, a few pieces of apple peel brought the world right back onto its axis.

Mmmmmm...apple! Watch your fingers!

It's cold enough that even now, when the sun is going down, there is still a little snow here and there.

I've taken many photographs of this particular mullein plant, as it is between the house and the goat barn. This is what it looked like in mid-May. Every morning, it seemed more soft new leaves had magically appeared in a furry rosette on the ground:

By early June, it was knee-high.

By July, shoulder-high mullein stalks were rising dramatically above other vegetation. As soon as the first flowers began to open, bees appeared and got right to work.

And on this November morning I had to hold my camera straight up over my head to take this picture of the top of the stalk:

~~~

A little dusting of snow is a gentle way of easing into winter.

Just a little reminder of where we're headed.

As if a reminder is needed!

As I fall asleep at night, I'm thinking about which pre-Winter task takes priority the next day. And every morning I regretfully add items to the task list.

~~~

I just came in from giving the goats their evening hay, and I had to break through the ice on their water buckets again. So yes, Winter is very much on my mind.

But that's no reason to forget all about Spring, is it?

Let's see. Here's a reminder of Spring:

At 3 weeks old, Tsuga discovered the Chalet and immediately attempted to scale it. She saw no reason to subdue her optimism in the face of Gravity. I think I will try to follow this model in relation to Winter.

~~~~~