Where the forest murmurs there is music: ancient, everlasting. Go to the winter woods: listen there, look, watch . . . ~Fiona Macleod, Where the Forest Murmurs
Winter has truly arrived, with frequent snowfall and frigid temperatures. The browns and grays of the garden and woods have been transformed into visions of crystal magic. 
There is nothing in the world more beautiful than the forest clothed to its very hollows in snow. That is a loveliness to which surely none can be insensitive. ~Fiona Macleod
The familiar scenes of the garden are transformed, its bones and structure revealed as patterns and shapes. (click on any photo to see the larger view)
The woods and garden are visually connected by white instead of green.
The stone steps that lead to the lower garden are now just a suggestion of shape 
while the seedheads of plants still stand above the snow to nourish the birds.
Cherry tree
There’s just something beautiful about walking on snow that nobody else has walked on. It makes you believe you’re special. ~Carol Rifka Brunt, Tell the Wolves I’m Home
The turquoise pot containing a blue fescue looks like an odd cactus, a rare spot of color in the winter landscape.
After months of mourning and tears from losing Angel, we decided it was time to add some puppy joy to our lives. We were lucky to bring home a 6 month old standard poodle puppy last week – her name is Pixie – “a cheerful, mischievous, vivacious female spirit” – a name which she lives up to very well. 
She loves the snow and has created her own agility courses through it – she is quite the athlete and has free reign of the fenced-in garden and woods.
She is so fast that I’ve wondered more than once if she can actually teleport herself when I turn my head away for a few seconds and she is suddenly next to me!
(A special thanks to my niece Tracey for requesting that I add my music to this video)
It is good to snuggle up to a sweet creature and to watch her puppy antics . . . it is good to laugh again.
If you are experiencing snow and ice, I wish you warmth and safety amidst the beauty of winter; if you are in the midst of summer in the Southern Hemisphere, I wish you the joy of color and beauty filling your world.
Winter came down to our home one night
Quietly pirouetting in on silvery-toed slippers of snow,
And we, we were children once again. ~Bill Morgan Jr.
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