Winter in the mountains

A snowy hike on the Blue Ridge Parkway, a slippery walk around the neighborhood, and watching birds yumming up black oil sunflower seeds from the feeder (we're refilling it daily) are primary nature components of winter days in the mountains.   But the sunsets are special, and the clear winter air makes them crystalline.

view from the staircase window

We don't see expansive sunsets at home in the Piedmont, but in the mountains, our windows and the siting of the house give us a backlight forest as well as a direct view of the sunset from the stairs up to the loft.