A time of wonder

I guess it's telling that I remembered a childhood book that I loved today, out skiing in Parc National du Bic on a favorite trail in summer and in winter, looking towards the small islands, surrounded now by snow and ice.

The book was Robert McCloskey's Time of Wonder. 

I was thinking that maybe I'd posted about "a little bit sad about the place you are leaving, a little bit glad about the place you are going" last summer, leaving Quebec, but it was actually leaving our old house and garden in South Carolina, another special house and a garden that we'd created over 20+ years.

My father had reminded me of the book, I'm remembering, re-reading that 2015 post.

My thoughts are similar today.  We'd stay through March, except we have many prior commitments for lectures/classes/programs, etc. in March and April back in Asheville, and it would limit our time in fall, if we're to stay within our 6 month time frame in Canada.

And it's wonderful in Asheville in the spring.  It's already started with the early flowering red maples and all of the Asian species.  And the woodland wildflowers won't be far behind. April is a good month in the Southern Appalachians.

Woody is glad to be with us here in winter.

Woody on our neighbors' porch, with our garden shed and the chicken coop in view

He loved the visiting daughter-in-law of our neighbors, a dog lover through and through.  He recognizes dog-lovers and ran over to their porch, yesterday afternoon, where she took this photo.