Light in the Forest

I went showshoeing yesterday, hoping to get a picture of some diamonds for my friend Shaman. They glittered everywhere, but as she later commented, "Proof Diamonds are hard to photograph." Husband took to the woods on his cross-country skis, our paths occasionally crossing and going along together.

I was hoping to see fisher and fox tracks, but deer and coyote were what I found. The beaver pond is frozen over and tempted me to trust it, but I did not, owing to the fact that the snowshoes had broken through and gotten wet and ice-coated at one place along its edge. I am not a fool.

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Everything was beautiful and pristine, brightly sun-lit and cold. The camera traveled inside my coat and at times my gloved fingers fumbled with its settings and shutter. Gradually, afternoon light began to give way to the golden glow of on-coming sunset, the temperature began its slide back to negative numbers, and we headed for home.

Near the end of our outing we passed through a dark spruce grove where I took the photo you see below. Titled The Light in the Forest; here is a haiku it inspired:

Woods quiet and dark

Winter sun peeks through branches

True enlightenment

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