Beginning The Wintry Drive Back To Albany

I'd decided to leave the farm for home a day early because of the continuing winter storm. I'd shut off the water in my apartment and turned down the heat. I'd loaded all the dogs into the car and was on my way south toward Albany. It was so cold and snowy that I didn't want to roll down the window to take a picture, much less to actually get out of the car. But when I noticed this cabin alongside the road I began to do so anyway:

The firs which lined both sides of Route 458 in the northern Adirondacks were snow covered and accumulating more snow rapidly:

This is New York State Route 458, though it may look to you more like a graveled country lane. I was concerned about how safe it would be to drive, but the snow plows were out and kept the roads in pretty good shape:

These woods are filled with wildlife and I couldn't help but wonder how they survive such winters. Then again, people survived up here before they had all our modern day conveniences. I don't think I could live without heat, however. Or maybe I just wouldn't want to:

Do you remember the giant, reindeer lichen covered sand dune which the dogs and I climbed on Thanksgiving weekend? The landscape had been so changed by the wind and snow cover that I couldn't even identify where it was and wondered which little hills had reindeer lichen buried under the snow waiting for the spring thaw:

And yet there is significant beauty and grace in the winter scenery, a stillness and quiet dignity - at least when the winds aren't howling. Well, we were now committed to traveling all the way home. I'll post more photos of the journey in days to come: