Or When the woods stop by...

That beautiful snow last night didn't stop.  Nor did the crack / crash of the tree branches that sent us home from our walk.

All night there was a constant crashing in the woods - and occasionally on my roof - of branches that couldn't withstand the weight of the heavy snow.

Then around 3am there was a flash and a bang, and the power went out.  This morning I drove around Wilmot Flat and had to turn back 4 times because of wires or trees in the road.  The local power company did an amazing job and our power was back by late afternoon.  We spent the day reading by the wood stove.  Love wood stoves.  Heat and hot water for tea no matter what happens outside.

No more drifting in my kayak until next spring

This happened just after my neighbor move his car

Pines are built to shed snow, but eventually the weight gets too much

Things that go bump in the middle of the night - on the roof

I'm learning to not love old pine trees

Stopping by woods...

Today's nasty drizzle has changed to a beautiful snowstorm after dark. Heavy, wet flakes covering everything very quickly. We went for a walk along the road to town. The trees frosted, no sound at all except for our footsteps - and an occasional tree off in the woods dropping a branch. We heard three trees falling in about 20 minutes. Somewhat disconcerting.

Stark Beauty

When I spent a January week in Iceland I was struck by the simple, stark beauty of the country.  The quiet, the black and white landscape, the brilliant light (yes, even in Iceland in January) reflected off the snow, the fresh air, all were a wonderful cure for the hassle of daily life.  And yes, coming inside to warmth afterwards was good also.

Yesterday we drove up to our home in Wilmot Flat, NH and I was stuck by the similarities.  Clean, fresh air, the white of the snow and ice, the black of the water, the green of the pines and firs.  Breathing deeply and slowly.

Almost frozen over.  

A small stream running into the pond

Warmth inside!

 The almost full moon on the snow was bright enough to see by, and we went for a walk.  My camera was not at the right setting to capture the moon-shadows on the snow.

Our neighbor's house

Walking into town

Moon over the barn

The Bog in November

The Philbrick-Cricenti Bog in New London, NH is famous among botanists for the wide variety of rare plants, from several varieties of orchids to carnivorous pitcher plants.  I get out there often, but have not been there in November until now.  Amazing colors.

Bunchberry

Highbush blueberry

More blueberry

Bog Rosemary, Andromeda polifolia

Cranberry, Vaccinium macrocarpon

More bunchberry, with yummy goldthread

Larches lose all their needles every year

Pitcher plant

lots of pitcher plants in the sphagnum and cranberry plants

Pitcher plant

Winterberry

Sunny afternoon in early winter

The leaves were more golden than brown, and the sky was not always gray, but I was thinking of The Mamas & the Papas while floating on the pond this afternoon.

Mergansers have come in to harvest the minnows, and a cute, fluffy, demon-squirrel is harvesting the neighbor's insulation.

Blueberries

Merganser

Not a nice red squirrel

When

When the ground is saturated and the lakes and ponds are full and it keeps on raining and raining and raining as it has done this year,  the little babbling brooks climb out of their banks and start to roar.  Here are two small brooks in Wilmot, NH

This is Kimpton Brook, that flows behind the library and down along Route 4A.

Kimpton Brook out of its banks.  From the back of the  Wilmot Public Library

Kimpton Brook

Kimpton Brook facing the other way

Cascade Brook as it exits Chase Pond.  Usually at this time of year it is possible to walk across

I'm not going to try to cross this!