Now fades the last long streak of snow,
Now burgeons every maze of quick
About the flowering squares, and thick
By ashen roots the violets blow.

Now rings the woodland loud and long,
The distance takes a lovelier hue,
And drown’d in yonder living blu
The lark becomes a sightless song.

Alfred, Lord Tennyson

Winter is slowly fading from view for us. The snow has melted in large part down here in the valley and what’s left up in the mountains will soon be gone, as well.

Most of it at least.

Some snow never melts and stays year round at the highest peaks in order to remind us that winter is never completely gone; we can visit it any time we’d like (if we can make our way up high enough to reach it that is).

Even the sunsets up there lately have been gentle and serene, as if to say a quiet farewell to winter.

The brilliant, fiery reds and oranges have turned into pale pastels.

You would think our pack would be mourning the passing of the season but they seem perfectly fine with it. They are happy as long as they continue to get to run and as long as we keep making extra waffles to share with them…

And afternoon naps in their favorite spot on the bed…

With spring almost here our daily afternoon naps will slowly fade away, too, I’m afraid. There’s a lot of work to do and no time to sleep the day away! 😉