In the winter with the leaves gone, the forest opens up and one can see through the trees across to the farm up the trail, the mountains on the other side of the river, and down into the valley.

Winter Sunrise                        View from the balcony
             

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The garden is very different in the snow

Leaves of the Japanese maple in the snow

The forest floor is carpeted with dead leaves
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If ice has formed on the tree branches, everything sparkles like diamonds in the sun.

Trees coated in ice in the winter sun
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In 2008-2009, it was cold for so long that seepage on the upper road froze into a long slippery ice slide.

With the trees bare in winter, it is possible to see my chalet from the other side of the valley across the River Usses.

Badger dens in the forest
  

footprints in the snow

I can see much further in winter when the trees do not block the view.

Collecting wood for the fireplace is a year-round occupation. Since the chalet is at the top of my property, the wood has to be carried up hill using my trails. This ensures I get exercise when no other gardening is possible.

Carrying firewood up to the chalet
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Clothing is unnecessary when working

Building trails through the woods has been one of my favorite activities since I was 14 years old and built trails through the forest where I lived in California. The steep slopes on my property make this particularly challenging. In the winter snow, the trails get slippery and I have to clear them if I need to carry firewood.

Clearing and repairing one of my forest trails
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For kindling, I cut up branches and small trees with large shears. This way I get warm twice, once in cutting the wood, and again in burning it.

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There are sometimes trees to be thinned or removed

Cutting up fallen trees
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