Hadlock Brook Waterfall

  The time has been that these wild solitudes,
Yet beautiful as wild, were trod by me
Oftener than now; and when the ills of life
Had chafed my spirit—when the unsteady pulse
Beat with strange flutterings—I would wander forth
And seek the woods. The sunshine on my path
Was to me a friend. The swelling hills,
The quiet dells retiring far between,
With gentle invitation to explore
Their windings, were a calm society
That talked with me and soothed me. Then the chant
Of birds, and chime of brooks, and soft caress
Of the fresh sylvan air, made me forget
The thoughts that broke my peace, and I began
To gather simples by the fountain’s brink,
And lose myself in day-dreams. While I stood
In Nature’s loneliness, I was with one
With whom I early grew familiar, one
Who never had a frown for me, whose voice
Never rebuked me for the hours I stole
From cares I loved not, but of which the world
Deems highest, to converse with her. When shrieked
The bleak November winds, and smote the woods,
And the brown fields were herbless, and the shades,
That met above the merry rivulet,
Were spoiled, I sought, I loved them still; they seemed
Like old companions in adversity.


from A Winter Piece, by William Cullen Bryant


I was going to go in to work but my wife pointed out that today would be much nicer for hiking. She said she didn't want to hear me complaining tomorrow when it would be raining and I would most likely be moping around around the house talking about how I had spent the sunnier day cooped up at school. She had some pretty good logic there, and truthfully I wasn't difficult to persuade. I made it up Sargeant Mountain where it was surprisingly warm and pleasant. I thought I glimpsed a snowy owl, since snow balls don't appear on boulders, change shape, and then disappear. I wasn't able to get a definitive look though, and despite loitering around up there for awhile I saw no further sign. I did see some evening grosbeaks on the feeder back at home though, which is a rare thing. So that's something. All in all a pretty good day.

Edit: A Winter Piece Part II