The morning dawned quietly.  There was little wind and the air was unusually warm for mid-winter.  But we’ve been enjoying the ubiquitous January thaw the past few days – temps have climbed into the 30’s and even 40’s, people walk around without their coats, and melting and dripping are common sounds.  We were out for a drive, rounded a corner, and this lovely lake outlet was open water.  The mallard ducks were startled by our sounds and they quickly took flight.  But the stillness of winter was evident in the reflection of the trees in the water and the large piece of ice that hadn’t given up to the warmth just yet.