frostfingers

redpoll finches nibbling on old seeds, by the river, whitehorse, feb. 8/08.

frost on weeping birch, whitehorse, feb.8/08.

Friday it was -45 C & I was having a difficult day anyway, but the sky was so blueblueblue... & I had to walk outside, I had to take off my mittens & take photos of the little puffed-up redpoll finches nibbling on the aspens & the frost on the weeping birch... all against that blue, sun-infused blue of the sky & the long grey-blue shadows of noon-light stretching all over the snow...

& I was feeling discouraged with my research progress that day, but at the same time I really knew there wasn't anywhere I'd rather be, anything I'd rather be working on,

& the wind coming off the river left my bare fingers burning, but that was worth it too.