Two seasons.

The snow hasn’t melted.

Our first few storms dumped a lot of snow, but warm temperatures melted it into mud each time. This last storm stuck- winter is here. These are the weekends of sipping my coffee in long johns and extra snuzzle time under the covers. I pulled out a few sparkly craft projects, to get into the holiday spirit (it’s time!). And my hikes with Cholula required snow pants and gloves. Brrr!

On Friday, we headed for Toll Canyon. It’s a lesser known trail near home that seems to be something of a locals’ secret. (Remember when I discovered The Love Tree?) The snow was deep, shimmering in the sunshine like a white blanket studded with diamonds. I snapped photos along the way, as I always do, watching Cholula happily bound through the drifts like a deer. When I got home, I took a peek at the photos and compared them to my last Toll Canyon hike at the end of August. What a difference a few months makes!

The gate was once tangled up in sunflowers.

The trees that flank the road are now weighed down by snow.

August’s red shrubs were now leaf-less and coated with ice.

Cholula seemed familiar with the area, despite winter’s changes.

The trail that cut through deep grasses and wildflowers now cut through deep snow.

I love being able to compare the seasons with photos taken from similar vantage points.

I remembered that this snowy tunnel was overgrown and almost impassable by late summer!

The big pines are easier to recognize in winter than the naked aspens.

Summer or winter, there’s nothing like time spent under happy trees.

When we came upon fresh tracks that weren’t human or canine, we decided to head back, taking a quick detour under some tall, slender pine trees.

In August, we may have dined on summery Ahi Tuna Taco Cups or some pasta made with Farmers Market veggies and herbs from our garden. We likely ate outside, in the warm daylight that lasts until 9pm. Not this weekend. The night takes over by 6 o’clock. The already chilly temperature drops even further. Cholula barks at unseen beasts in our backyard- the elk and deer come down the mountain each night now. I continued to uncover holiday trinkets. I made a spicy lime chicken soup, perfect after a cold day in the snow, warming us from the inside.

These winter nights are for tucking my feet into slippers and pulling a throw blanket over my legs in front of the fire. These quiet moments will be few and far between over the next month. I’ll use them to count my blessings.

Life is good.

One year ago: Tell me a story.