The last two weeks or so have been very cold; we had storm no. 8 almost ten days ago and that was the last significant snow. We have not ventured out much and photo taking has been minimal. Image manipulation from the comfort of the living room is the order of the day.

We checked out the beaver’s pad yesterday and it looks like he has greatly reduced his operating area. Significantly, the pile of brush I first spied last summer and then dismissed as his residence has the only noticeable tracks in the whole area. But that is the extent of the tracks; perhaps he is staying inside and munching on the limbs as he waits out the winter with the rest of us.