One Day Until Winter

It's hard to believe that with all this snow, the official first day of winter isn't even here yet. Apparently we're well on the way towards the snowiest December on record with another 5 to 7 inches predicted for this evening. Every time now I pass the big group of Mallards still keeping the water open, I look for the white one. I usually spot him if he's out in the water but I'd probably never see him against the snow. The park was pretty quiet today with more snow flurries in the air. Near the north side I spotted those spiky looking seed pods I photographed once before. This time they were still clinging to a vine that had crept up a tree over the summer. I've never even noticed them in spring or summer time but I guess some people refer to them as wild cucumbers. Towards the end of my walk I saw this crazy looking chunk of snow somehow suspended in the trees. It's pretty amazing the shapes that snow and ice can form due to ever changing freezing and melting conditions. I've heard people call these formations "snow snakes." This one I call a "snow squirrel" for obvious reasons.