It is easy to get lost even with the sun out. One sunny day, I walk through a white field filled with thousands of flashing diamonds, interspersed with a few tattered remains of goldenrod stalks, a treasure to stow away against hard times. As I go farther into the forest, I hear the silence and soak my senses in its intangible peace. That first fluffy snow of winter absorbs the sound of my footsteps. I walk on feathers.
Trees bow down with snow.
I come to my favorite hemlock that lives on a small cliff overlooking a swampy place. I go inside and look up. Only an occasional crow or chickadee punctures the silence. If you fall, you land on a clean white pillow. After the snow has been around for a while it compacts so my steps make a friendly, crunchy sound.