Our temperatures climbed into the 20’s today, making it much more enjoyable to be outside.  I headed out for a walk in the woods this afternoon.  All was quiet except for the sound of my boots breaking through the snow.  Occasionally the wind would kick up and rustle the remaining oak leaves that have stiffened in the cold and still cling to the trees.  As we’re in the northern part of the United States, north of the 45th parallel of north latitude, the sun still hangs low in the sky even near noon, resulting in lovely shadows that stretch across the landscape.  With snow covering the ground, these shadows create patterns and designs that are soft and seem to dance in the wind.  It was a beautiful show that was put on for me as I stood in the relative quiet to soak up the available sun.