I stand shivering at the edge of the field as the sun rises, watching the dog tear round the frozen field. There is a crow… it has to be chased, apparently, but all I catch on camera is a black blur of speed. That may be partly due to the fur and feather brigade’s obvious enjoyment of the high speed chase, but is more likely due to the frost bitten tremor of my fingers.
My own fault, of course; but going out in the dark means you don’t see what the morning has in mind… and Ani does not allow you the time to reconsider whether or not gloves and scarf are in order. She bounds through the open door like a bullet from a gun, dragging the poor unfortunate at the controlling end of the leash with her. I say ‘control’ but that is an ironic misnomer at this point of the proceedings. Her excitement knows no bounds and every day is an adventure for her which she greets with gusto. It is a daily reminder of how to live, this bouncing off into the unknown, embracing the day and its surprises. On mornings this cold, however, beating a rapid retreat seems preferable to me.
It has not yet been really bitter cold, not like this morning where the frost is winter thick, the cars encased in feathered ice and the unexpected freeze bites deep. I realise that I should have known… the darkness was less complete this morning as I glanced out of the window. That much had registered in the pre-caffeinated fog of my brain. Of course, it will be lighter if the world is white. And I can’t use the camera with gloves anyway.
The dog has disappeared completely… the fields are wide here, there is space for her to run in safety across the crisp surface. The rising gold sets fire to the last stand of autumn in the little copse and I watch ice crystals grow on the leaves of next year’s spring. Does it matter if I freeze when I can witness the beauty of a morning? Is comfort worth more than adventure and is the temporary pain of frozen fingers too high an offering for a sunrise? I think not. Ani is a good teacher.
Sue Vincent's Daily Echo 
How this resonates, Sue, though we haven’t had any frost yet.
Where would we be without our crazy, black dogs?
LikeLike
Possibly in a nice warm bed at dawn 😉 But then… where’s the fun in that? 🙂
LikeLike
she is, and it is all worth it, in my opinion.
LikeLike
I certainly wouldn’t be wothout her.
LikeLike
I am not sure there is a greater joy than taking a puppy for a walk and a more tiring experience, lol.
LikeLike
I don’t have to walk her far… the end of my street takes us onto open fields and woodlands… and once there, she’s away…
LikeLike
That must be nice. I’m afraid if I were to let Nina go off all willy nilly, she wouldn’t return. Well that and there are roads everywhere, so no wilderness for her to go run wild in. 😦
LikeLike
I’m incredibly lucky to live where I do, I know. Ani doesn’t like coming back either… the end of the run is usually marked with either a chase, bribery or subterfuge to get her back on the leash… though the harness helps by giving me something to lunge for 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Harnesses are grand things! 😀
LikeLike
They have their uses 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Magnificent pictures. ❤
B-r-r-r. I feel sorry for your fingers but that green plant, though somewhat attractive dressed in frost, made my teeth chatter. Oh the poor thing.
LikeLike
The whole field looked like that 🙂
As to my fingers… I have Raynaud’s, so… ever thankful for small mercies… I cease to even feel them after a while.
The thaw isn’t so good though… 😉
LikeLike
Sorry to hear that. Shouldn’t you take more care to keep fingers warm? I’ve been experiencing white-green fingers in the cold and must knock life back into them.
No, the thaw made everything wilt. Sad.
LikeLike
It’s not so much the cold itself as temperature changes that sets them off… and yes, I should wear gloves… but i can’t operate the camera in gloves… sighs…
LikeLike
So true about gloves not conducive to photo taking.
🙂
LikeLike
I may have to try fingerless mittens 🙂
LikeLike
🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Isn’t the frost amazing? And as for the rambunctious Ani, you go girl! Make your mistress go out with frozen fingers and send us such gorgeous pictures and text! I love you! Woof!
LikeLike
It looked beautiful, Noelle… though I could have foregone the early morning scraping of the windscreen. Ani loves it though.
LikeLike
I love how we absorb excitement from our pets!
LikeLike
They are definitely contagious 🙂
LikeLike
Yet another beautiful series of photos!! Thank you. Hugs, Leiah
LikeLike
Thank you, Leiah.
That is a beautiful name… I had plans for that had my youngest been a girl 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Why thank you! 😉
LikeLiked by 1 person
Beautiful winter breath….we’ve had nothing like this yet….it’s still warm and autumnal 🙂
LikeLike
Apart from an odd day, it has here too… so this morning was a bit of a surprise. 🙂
LikeLike
I am downright phobic about the oncoming winter. Today it’s warm. Almost 70, though it’s raining too, so it’s hard to figure the comfort factor of the day. The cold will be back in a couple of days. They’re talking about a “white Thanksgiving.” I wish I could look forward to it, but all I feel is cold. Brr. Two out of our four dogs like the ice and snow. The other two think the sofa is the perfect place to wait until spring.
LikeLike
Thick freezing fog building here tonight…I want to hibernate!
LikeLike
Love the frosty macro and all the frost-misted landscapes! Ani can’t contain her joy!
LikeLike
She loves these frosty mornings 🙂
LikeLike
We’re in the middle of a snowstorm and we just walked the neighbor’s Labrador – she was in absolute heaven! Snow is such fun to zip around in! 🙂
LikeLike
Ani adores the snow…. when we get it.
LikeLike
This reminds me of this morning Sue, all white with frost and numbing fingers to contend with heh heh 🙂
I’ll be glad and relieved when it’s spring – I do like the light 😀
LikeLike
It is a luminous day here, James… even if it is cold 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person