Flashes of color

Today was a cold (but warmer than it has been) winter's day. It was a day for wandering without a camera, a day for mind pictures...

Blue sky studded with white clouds, a light layer of snow remaining from last week's showfall; it's been so cold that the 2 inches has stayed much longer than you would expect. Rolling down the road, two wheels propelled by two feet, visions by the side of the road of naked trees and bushes, brown against a background of white, frozen ponds, streams still flowing.

What's that? High and off to the side, a flash of red. A beautiful cardinal settling on a branch. And then, a hawk, wings spread, floating. Wonderful.

Later, driving down the road... The late day sun was gleaming, creating bright yellow highlights behind gray clouds. As moments pass, the colors continued to change. Sun sinking, blue sky deepening. Looking to the north and east, the sky was darkening, near nighttime black. To the west, there was still a red glow at the horizon with deep blue above.

Fleeting color, captured in my mind...