Dawn on snow

The snow yesterday afternoon added a few more centimetres onto the existing covering. A very cold but beautiful dawn but the day has gradually become milder and the thaw has begun.
Stanley enjoys the snow but it clings into the pads of his paws and becomes increasingly uncomfortable requiring frequent clearing. He also got carried away today and seems to have hurt a muscle or joint so now is feeling very sorry for himself. 
The news of the new variant is very worrying, as is the capacity of some Tory MPs to argue for almost any policy that increases risks, at least for some sections of the world's population in the name of so-called 'freedom'.