Winter Chill.

We've been having wonderfully chilly weather as of late, but today was the first snowfall that I've witnessed since we moved. It was just a light dusting, the snowflakes were more like airy pebbles than actual flakes, but it warranted an early morning walk outside. Why the sound of snow crunching underneath your feet puts me in such a happy mood, I can't say. H was trying to discuss the news about Finland attempting to start using basic income, and how it would be an ideal trial nation since the European Union could bail out the country if their finances went sideways, but all I kept thinking about was that crunch crunch crunch (and I suppose I thought it would be interesting to see what mechanics of society basic income affected - rent, groceries, drive for employment?).

We were the first ones to venture out in the cold. 

We were in the homestretch when we turned a corner and the cold north wind nearly iced our faces off. I started walking backwards and told H to do the same, but he said one of us had to see where we were going, which I suppose is true. Wouldn't want to accidentally run back-first into any abominable snowmen.

My baby tulip tree has the fuzziest buds right now. 

Covert ops shot of the neighbors snow-stricken houses. 

When we got back to the house I opted to do some backyard investigating (snow angel making and knocking snow off of still objects) while H amused himself by watching my investigations. I was able to lose his interest when I jumped the fence and made my way to the front of house.

You never realize how pointy your shoes are until you see the tracks in the snow. 

It was here at this spot I reached down with my bare fingers,
picked up a small mound of snow, and tossed it into my mouth.
Tasted just like I remembered.  

I've started walking around the duck pond during lunch again. I had stopped for a while, thinking it would be more like a rest to sit for a while. Turns out it's quite nice to breathe intensely cold air while walking at a brisk pace. Let's you think through a number of things without other people unintentionally interrupting your train of thought. And you get to work on your Making A Murderer theories.

That would be our resident gaggle of geese. They're cute until they crap all over the
parking lot and you literally have to walk through crap to get to work. It's a minefield. 

On Friday's walk around the pond there weren't any geese, just the small team of ducks that live like trolls under the bridge. I stopped to take a picture of them paddling away from me when the whole lot of them careened portside and made a beeline for me. I wasn't so pretentious to think that they were actually aiming their bills at me until they began climbing up the steep embankment and honking their displeasure at my lack of bread. I believe I said, "I'm sorry, I don't have anything for you," and walked away down the path. After a few minutes, I saw they had gotten back in the water and were paddling towards my general direction.

Well, I obviously out-locomotioned them as I made my way around the wide oval path, but when I peeked around the next turn there they were at the water's edge. They ended up following me en-water the whole fifteen minutes it took me to make a loop around the path. I felt both special and sad, for I had nothing to give them for all their effort. As I exited the walkway, another bipedal took up the gauntlet and away they went. What single-minded ducks.

Looks like we might get another snow dusting on Tuesday. Stay tuned for evidence of snowman sightings.

Post snow romp.