Winter Returned!

My calendar says that Winter won't arrive officially until December 21.  But Monday's snowstorm said, "Oh yeah?" and dumped a foot of snow on us here in Saratoga Springs.  But compared to a few miles south of us, we got off easy.  The Albany/Schenectady area got walloped with nearly two feet, I heard. But we got enough to transform the landscape with a beauty that -- once I finished shoveling -- I could take delight in.

Here are just a few scenes from a walk I took on Tuesday afternoon in Saratoga Spa State Park.



A snowshoe trail through a snowy woods:

A pretty little bridge crosses the stream that flows through the Ferndell Ravine:

Sunshine dapples the snow and shines in the little creek of the Ferndell Ravine:

No picnickers today in the park's picnic area:

A turbulent Geyser Creek rushes along between snow-covered banks:

The Island Spouter's mineral water washes the snow away from atop the giant "tufa," a buildup of calcium carbonate deposits formed by the spouting spring:

A fringe of icicles decorates the edge of the Island Spouter's tufa:

Late in the day, a low sun gilds the forest's trees with golden light: