mornings after

Winter arrived on cold wet feet yesterday and now the world outside is entirely white. Before the snow came I bought some pre-planted paperwhite bulbs (we used to call them narcissus). A couple of evenings ago - before the weather changed - the first flowers softly glowed against the sunset. I wasn't sure if my camera could capture what my eyes saw, but it came pretty close. This morning the scene was quite different though - washed of visual warmth and color.

At first light the flowers appeared silhouetted against the deep snow. When full light arrived I took pictures from my kitchen window for a good part of the morning since my neighbor's horses are back decorating the land and providing photo ops. This guy was following the hay truck driving off the land.

When it was out of sight, he turned abruptly and began to run in circles. The other horse followed, dropped down and rolled around on his back. When he jumped up, completely covered in snow, they raced together around the field before stopping near the hay barn. They don't have an enclosed barn to enter and aren't coddled or pampered. Rather, they live outside all year long and don't seem to be bothered by it. (How would I know if they were?) I trust that their hardiness has been proven over many decades, centuries, of northern New Mexico farming and ranching. I'm a former city girl whose only connection with horses came at the Bronx Zoo so I keep some questions to myself.

all night long
listening to snow falling
morning horses race

Yesterday I felt snowed in. There must have been some negative planetary thing happening because I felt, not cozy, but trapped in a basically sad/bad mood. Today, although still snowy and gray, feels better and I'm wrapping gifts to send to Connecticut. I gambled on shipping dates this year and lost. The packages will arrive after Christmas for the first time ever. But, hey, they're all grown ups now and the baby is too young to notice.

The flower pots planted in summer are still on the deck with a slightly altered look.
 
Down on the ground,
bowing to the very roots -
farewell to flowers
                            Basho