I often forget just how beautiful it is outside in the wintertime. Even (and especially) when there isn't any snow. The sun hangs lower on the horizon all day, casting a beautiful amber glow on everything it touches. Even on days when the sun is in apparent hiding from the cold, I can't help but love the hues found in the forest this time of year. There is a sort of monochromatic aspect to everything, but rather than grayscale, the woods take on deep copper and khaki tones that complement and accentuate the vertical structure of the trees.

It's infinitely more difficult to get excited about being outside this time of year compared to the balmy glory of any other season, but when I work up the courage to voluntarily lose feeling in my fingers for hours on end, I am always rewarded with a beauty that can only be witnessed by paying some painful winter dues.

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