A first Snow Fall

[Jared Cameron]

I can still remember that first crisp snowfall.  Heading out on patrol for the first time with snow was a new experience. Tracking small creatures as they roamed the forest, searching out food caches.  How the air was crisp and cleaner. Different from the days after the rain stopped. I was  amused with how my large paws kept me more on top of the snow. Like having snowshoes on. Even the feeling of snow underfoot had a different feel.

But the thing I remember most is how the snow sparkled and shone on the snow. How the light hit each ice crystal and sparkled like hundreds of tiny gems.

I detoured from the normal patrol route so that I could take in more of the way the sun was hitting the snow. I wanted to take it in from every angle. There was something about seeing it through a fresh pair of eyes that excited me.

The first snow fall had become a whole new world for me to explore. Finding spots where the water had dripped and frozen on a stick in the creek. How frost formed on some leaves on the ground. I wanted nothing more than to take it all in. I marveled in every little detail.

Pausing to drink from a stream I had to marvel at how my break had crystallized and stuck to my fur.  I think I spent more time exploring and taking in the marvels of nature than being focused on patrol.  I was like a toddler exploring and discovering their world for the first time.  To this day I can still close my eyes and see the sun sparkling on the snow.