Magical morning

I think the first day after the first snowfall of the year has a magical quality about it. It's that quality that has me drop everything that I should be doing and head out into it, as though to a new, unsullied world. This photo was taken in the middle of the day in Benmore Gardens (again - I know!) as the sun appeared hazily at the end of the snow shower that had surrounded us all the way from the top of the hill. It's one of the few times I've actually captured falling snow; the wind was minimal and the light ethereal.

As a contrast, and because I have a notion to use up all my allocation of extra photos this year, I'll add one taken from the Andean Refuge at the top of the gardens, and one blue sky one, just because I can ...