Coarse Scent of Winter

The acid tang of autumn leaves mingles with dry air
- wet dog - we walk along the path to the ski jump.
The rain has swept the leaves off and away leaving nothing.
Crystalized mud crunches beneath my feet
we move quickly up the trail.
There is no moment wasted.

Every day I see new signs.

They are only new to me.  Each walk in the woods, thoughts drift through my mind, changing the focus of my vision.

The stone lodged up high in the branches of a leggy hemlock.
Another day silent mystery of a swooping owl.
Slate quarry Brackish water has a skim of ice today.
The wind breaks it up and there is a soft skree skree shushing
 - the dog- tests the air with her muddy snout.

Winter symphony take my heart
to the certain knowledge that I belong.

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