We’ve quickly moved from late fall to snowy winter.  The last two weeks have brought snowfall after snowfall, some were quite significant!  The forests and woods take on a whole new feeling with winter.  Stand still amongst the trees and there’s a quiet that surrounds you.  After a minute or so there’s a rustle in the remaining oak leaves that are now brittle with winter’s cold.  Eventually the birds ignore your presence and go about their singing and flitting from branch to branch.  The snow has marked the direction of the storm on the sides of the trees.  And as the sun clears the forest’s edge it lightens the entire area and sparkles off the whiteness all around.