In addition to enjoying the textures of falling and fallen snow, we saw some interesting ice features, animal tracks and even some wildlife.  And, of course, we stopped to appreciate the creative efforts that Brittonians made to light up the festive season.

Here a some samples:

Twin Rivers freezing up for the winter on Boxing Day …

Snow accumulating on New Year’s Day …

Ice building up on Harris Creek at Hwy 529 …

Delicate filigree in the ditch along Hwy 529A to Bayfield Inlet …

A deer left its tracks as it crossed Niffen’s fence line on Old Still River Road.

Pair of River Otters left their tracks and slide marks on Harris Creek along Hwy 529 …

Festive lights in Britt:

Dave and Irene’s…

Doug and Doreen’s …

Diana’s …

MJ’s …

Notice the shadow of the condensation trail on the closer cirrus clouds:

Red sky at night, sailor’s delight … clear, calm and cold the next day …

This ruffed grouse isn’t as fluffed up as the two in the following pictures…

These Ruffed Grouse have been feasting on the buds of Aspens, all species of cherries, and White and Yellow Birch…

And they appear all puffed up to insulate themselves from the cold…

Chain and its shadow across sparkling snow early afternoon… (click on the photo to see the detail.)

Snowball leaving tracks much later in the afternoon —– giving long purplish shadows and pink highlights.

We are getting our deep cold a month or two earlier than normal this year.  Perhaps we will enjoy an early spring.   While that would be very nice for us humans it might lead to further de-synchronization of floral and faunal associations.

It is not the fact that the climate is changing, it is the speed of change that ecosystems cannot keep up with.  Last year’s spring, with its huge damage to deciduous leaf buds by the early hatching of larvae — before the arrival of their migrant predators (insectivore birdies), might be becoming more common.

Meanwhile we will enjoy it while we can.