This morning’s moon, still high in the sky at just after 8:00 a.m. this morning. And the sky still very dark as sunrise is currently 8:24. This far north in the United States, the winter sun follows a low southern arc, so even on a clear day it does not seem as if we get full daylight until 9:00ish and by 3:30 in the afternoon there is that softening of light that is the prelude to dusk.

I walked out with Bear this morning, a dark morning with no snow on the ground to help the waning moon light the ground. As my eyes adjusted, the moonlight seemed a bit brighter. The air was balmy for a pre-Christmas morning at 32F. Bear bounced around the woods on his rounds and then came to stand near me and we both watched and listened. I am sure he saw, heard and smelled more stories than I will ever know of. I use this early morning time to be still and hear whatever I can.

This morning, by the light of the morning moon.