Waxing moon in the cold winter sky. Venus below?

The promised rain came, and melted all the ice and snow. Here is my attempt to show the dark and dismal swamp in late afternoon.

TUESDAY, JANUARY 4, 2011

Well, I'm not off to a very good start this year - I've missed two days already! Well, I'll try to make it up . . .

It's been very cold and clear, but tomorrow is supposed to bring rain and slightly warmer temps. I'm always sorry to see the sunshine go away, but getting above freezing will be welcome!

 It's been freezing for the past several days, and local ponds are frozen. My friend Cathi O lives in the Maxwelton Valley, where the beaver ponds are nice and shallow, perfect for two rusty skaters. Above, Cathi and Tui venture out. Below, cool bubbles and cracks in the ice - it made your heart stop every time it cracked, but it didn't break. The sun was out, and we had a grand time!

 Sun rising into a clear, cold sky on the first day of the year.

 Leftover snow - actually, more hail-like - surrounds the frosty grass in the lawn.

Ice skims over the swamp.