Genuine puddle
I had the late afternoon to myself—Stasia's mom and dad took my shadow on an adventure of their own—so, reluctantly, I went out solo. Just like old times. The rain by then had decided to call it quits, and I even got a glimpse or two of sun, a rare event during the past week and a brightness that made the day feel even warmer than the upper 40s. The pond ice was gone. The fields were brown, not white with snow. The water in the puddles was liquid, not frozen solid. This gave me a mirror in which to capture winter's retreat—winter's temporary retreat. In mid-January, no one is fooled by the thaw.