Now that the holiday crazies are done with, I love to take advantage of the sunshine when we get it, bundle up and walk. We were lamenting the lack of giant blizzard this year- last year that was a real treat to be snowed in for so many days. We took great walks and came home crusted with snow and ice, and then settled in to drink hot cider and whatever ended up in the huge vat of soup that was on the stove constantly. I really hope we get a good winter this year. Nothing makes you appreciate springtime more.
Regardless of the unseasonable warmth and muddy footing, walks were taken.
The light in winter, however brief it might grace your face, is perfect for pictures nearly all day.
The woods and underbrush were fairly silent- there were almost no songbirds at all. The deafining noise was all the from the large gatherings of big water birds- gulls, geese, grebes and ducks.
As the sun was setting over the bay and giving Manhattan a final peck on the cheek, we watched intently as gulls cracked mussels and clams on the beach.
Ever since I saw a Jamie Wyeth exhibit at the Farnsworth Museum I've had much appreciation for gulls. They are annoying as hell in summer when they are stealing from your beach bag and fighting over hot dogs and pizza crusts, but in winter, they become such interesting creatures.
It was mesmerizing to watch them.
Some of them were better at this game than others. Other birds have decided that the art of the steal is a more useful skill.
Alas, darkness fell, and we trudged back through the mud and back to our urban dwelling, craving raw shellfish in great numbers.
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