Southeasterly Along the Crest â“’ 2013 Michaela Harlow – 16″ x 16″, Pastel on Paper

Although the sun rose warm this morning, peachy glow illuminating violet-hued trees along the southeast ridge line, my thermometer told a different story at daybreak: -10 degrees fahrenheit. That’s cold under any circumstances, but add a steady northwest wind to the mix and by noontime even the brilliant sunlight couldn’t improve the downright inhospitable conditions outside. Purple finches, chickadees and sparrows huddle on the back terrace, and squirrels skitter about as they quickly snatch a nut and dive back to nooks in the woodpile.

In addition to the regular flock of wild turkey, I spotted an ermine this morning —white coat prematurely morphed back to brown— and an unidentified, grey-white owl gliding between hemlock trees. It’s amazing to see anything moving in this cold, and yet the forest is lively as ever.

Southeasterly Along the Crest â“’ 2013 Michaela Harlow – 16″ x 16″, Pastel on Paper

My satellite service was down most of the morning and into the early afternoon. Whenever this happens, I realize how dependent I am upon the internet for everything from news and weather to much needed contact with friends, family and the rest of the outside world.

However, my internet provider’s downtime left me with little distraction; pushing me into the studio extra early this morning. And it’s not altogether bad to disconnect from everything, once in awhile, now is it?