The world wakes

The day after Christmas, I got together with Ern who was visiting her parents in Logan. I was also, in Logan Richmond Idaho, whatever. The point being, we where only 30 min away from each other and decided to meet. Perhaps, we could scare up some bird life too. 

I left early in the morning, when all but one in the house were sleeping. As Quiet as I could, I stumbled into layers of gear. Expecting the worst from the weather. When I was finally dressed, I headed to the door passing my father-in-law on the way out. He gave me a look that seemed to say "you wont make it 10 minuets" or "you might be bit crazy"... or, perhaps, those were my own thoughts knowing December in Logan is very cold. I started my car and dreamed of coffee while it warmed up. My car registered the outside temperature at 4F. I hoped it would get warmer. It didn't. 

Ern and I meet at Sues ponds a half hour later. It was 0F. After documenting the temperature and noting the frost forming on my hair, we walked down the dirt road that splits the small preserve in half. The world was white with fog and the layers of frost and snow. It was incredibly beautiful. Serene. Tranquil. We invaded the silence, with the crunch of footsteps and quiet chatter. 

I longed to be quiescent with this sleeping world. My mind silenced by place; the bitterness of cold, the visual weight and depth created by fog, the purity of white, and the scarcity of life. A passive and frigid world of  ice, fierceness and peace, sleep and silence, exquisite artistry, and penetrating coldness. Soon the cold has its effect and we move on to a new location, Hoping our car heaters will warm us up before the next stop.

As we reach the next stop, at a small pond along a major road in Logan,  the sun starts to break the fog, turns the world a golden hue,  and initiates the awakening of the world around us. We start to see the subtle movement of feathered life at the back of a pond. Cars drove by. A muskrat slowly swims along the bank. 

We then went to the 20-20 ponds and Starbucks for a mid morning warmer before ending at a cemetery where we are entertained by Golden-crowned Kinglet's, many American Robins, a dog who barked enthusiastically, and a man who recognized our passion and then shared his mothers love for birds. The lowest temperature was -2F and the high was 4F.