A freakishly hot day yesterday up in the mountains brought some welcome relief from the ice, snow and cold we had been experiencing lately. Deer are hanging out under the pine trees a lot more while Turkey Vultures brazenly roam our property like an unchallenged street gang. Awful looking creatures. On a dark day their presence can be very foreboding.

I took a walk through the woods and am still amazed at how quiet they are. Not a single sound in winter. No animals, no insects, nothing. Just the dripping of melting snow and an occasional gunshot from a nearby hunter. I’m looking forward to summer and the ambient noise the woods will bring, filled with life.