The winter solstice has always been special to me as a barren darkness that gives birth to a verdant future beyond imagination, a time of pain and withdrawal that produces something joyfully inconceivable, like a monarch butterfly masterfully extracting itself from the confines of its cocoon, bursting forth into unexpected glory.

– Gary Zukav

Yesterday I woke to a glistening blanket of snow covering the tiny corner of my world.
The snow created a quiet that only snow can bring and I stood at the door listening, until the chill of the air forced me back inside.
I found myself reaching for my camera often throughout the day, for it seemed all creatures were celebrating with me.

the birds emptied the feeders . . .

the dogs played . . .

and as the day unfolded I felt myself unfold with it, a turning point full of hope and clarity.
Today, as the temperature drops to single digits, the sun is out and the light shines brightly.
The dark will come so early tonight, and tomorrow, we head back into the light.