Mid-Week

The end of the day came [Wednesday] and I realized I hadn't taken my camera outside. 

After two days of mizzling rain and fog, sunshine appeared and the temperature soared up to 62 F. 

We've let the wood fire smolder along at a low ebb and been comfortable indoors or out without the layers of clothes we piled on during the cold weather.

Charlie and Willis taking a break on the retaining wall--a good place to dry damp cat feet. 

Jim has been using the chain saw to cut a load of hardwood slabs into stove lengths. 

Willis appreciates the tidy stack as another spot where he can perch to survey the back dooryard.

The landscape is somber at this season, especially on an overcast afternoon.

Bobby Mac, undaunted by the damp, sits at the edge of the little brook, his favorite destination.

I was late in beginning my day, having fallen soundly asleep after waking while it was still dark. 

The sunshine and mild air prompted me to peg a wash on the back porch line. 

I was considering whether I wanted to drive into town for some fresh veg for salads when Jim announced that he had an errand in Liberty and we could drive back through the South Fork community and shop at the Mennonite produce market. 

The tomatoes on offer looked good [though not on a par with the juicy locally grown ones available in summer and fall] Yukon Gold potatoes, a favorite, were 2 bags for $4 and the ruby grapefruit though small, were firm and appealing. A stop at the discount food store across the way to see what we could find, and then home to serve the cats their 'tea.'

The sun had given way to clouds--not dark and forbidding, but soft scallops of pearly lavender grey.

We noted that as we finished supper--a bit before 5--it was still light outside. I carried out scraps to the compost heap without stopping to pull on a sweater or jacket.

Colder weather is expected to move in by the weekend, but this reprieve of relative warmth has buoyed our spirits.