Yes, it snowed -  it's a bit ironic, after my recent post about needing some winter...it's only an inch of the white stuff, but it's enough to shift perspective and put some red into our cheeks.

 These family hikes are getting to be a regular thing...I  love that. 

 These are trails we often hike - filled with beech trees, sassafras,  oak, hickory, with patches of white pine - and it's always lovely to get to see them a bit differently. Wakes up my mind amidst the familiar.

 The walk was very playful...lots of running, hiding, climbing...more reasons to love having Dan along.

Is it a bear? Or a Dan?

After a struggle with Ani, while Dan and Eliza waited in the car - this girl has a problem with layers: sleeves get too bunchy, the sweater won't go over the dress in a way that feels good, and the scarf makes her hair feel weird at the back of her neck, as does the hat, and why do they make the pinkie in the gloves so very long?  Argh. I feel for her, but I was in a bad way when we finally got to the car.  As we buckled ourselves in, the sage from the back seat said something along the lines of, "It'll be ok, Mama.  We're going hiking and we always feel so much better when we're hiking." Ha! I guess she might have heard that from someone before...

 And it's true.