A soft dusting of snow drifted down from the gray sky above. There was no breeze to speak of; the layers of puffy clouds hung in place below a thicker blanket of gray. The weak winter sun tried hard to shine through the layers as it sunk closer to the horizon, but only a small amount of light made it, casting the snowy world in a dim milky glow where shadows were thin and stretched out to meet their neighbors.
Hills rose and fell gently, not making much of a ruckus in the landscape. The little fuzzy heads of dried grasses poked above the chilly drifts. If there had been a wind, they would have been dancing wildly, but on this evening they stood still as if they were sentries guarding against the coming darkness.
The world was lacking color, but one could not rightfully call it dull. The bright whites of the snow, the swirling grays of the clouds, and the range of browns of the plants all came together to paint a neutral colored masterpiece.
As seen from a distance, the world would seem to be at a standstill, save for the snow that fell straight to earth. However, if one were to look closer they would begin to see signs of life. One would see the small, sharp imprints of an animal quickly being erased by the fresh snow. Following the tracks, one would come across a small, dark hole in the base of a hill. The dark entrance was streaked with white where loose snow had tumbled over the edge of the burrow.
Deep inside, where their body heat warmed the dirt and air around them, was curled a family of foxes. A black nose rose from the mass of fur, sniffing inquiringly. A small redhead soon followed, pupils wide in the dim light of the den. Yawning, she extricated herself from the pile. She stretched luxuriously before padding up to the entrance of the burrow. Poking her head outside she scanned the darkening wilderness.
Turning back inside, she went to rouse the others. The few flakes that had landed on her head a few moments before quickly melted. Now awake, and with much yawning and stretching, the little family scampered from their home out into the fresh snow.
For a moment, just as darkness truly enveloped the land, one would be able to see streaks of red against the white of the snow before the world darkened into another masterpiece of neutrals.
Happy New Year
Happy New Year!
What a lovely read on my first day in 2018!
I’m so glad you liked it! Happy new year!
What a lovely thing to read as I begin 2018.
A stunning small piece of beautiful writing! Thank you for that. Happy New Year:))
Thank you! Happy new year!
Beautiful description and imagery!
Thank you!