Yesterday we had a surprise visitor.

Though raccoons do not hibernate, they may sleep in a den or hollow tree for weeks at a time in cold climates. So they need to eat extra to put on extra fat for the long sleeps.

A small amount of snow fell one day this week, and now there are tracks. Some of them are mine.

Some of them are tunnels. I suspect a small rodent, like a vole or shrew possibly.

And some marks in the snow leave you wondering…somebody or something landed with a belly flop?

It has been too mild lately, and almost all our snow was gone. There was a slight snowfall a few evenings ago, then the temperature rose again  but not enough for a complete thaw.

This left sparkling drops on grass, dried leaves, and branches. The water in the drops mingled liquid and crystal, for some magical results.

More snow would be welcome, as the pure white blanket would brighten up the low light levels and short days of this time of year.

When one walks on the snow in the woods, it is wise to stop and listen. Without the crunching of the snow and the creaking of the parka, there are small sounds to be heard. A faint tapping led me through the trees and underbrush until I spotted a shy woodpecker. I did not get very close before it flew away.