 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
Winter came early in
2005 with a heavy snowfall
in late November.
 
Leaves of the
Japanese maple in the snow
 Snow flower Winter flowers  .
 The forest
floor is carpeted with dead leaves
 .  The ice forms interesting patterns and crystals    If ice has formed on the tree branches, everything sparkles like diamonds in the sun. Trees coated
in ice in the winter sun
 .  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.
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 When it snows, everything turns quiet and white. Now that the chalet is well insulated, it stays toasty warm inside with a fire in the chimney stove.  The wildlife leave their tracks in the snow, so I can see that the badgers are still active in and out of their holes. The tracks of deer and hares are also common. They often use the trails I have built through the forest. Badger
dens
in the forest
 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
 . 
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 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.
Cutting
up fallen trees |
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