Moments after entering the familiar forest calmness settles in.
The sun barely finds its way to the forest floor. The partially ice-covered bay is inviting but the wind of Georgian Bay bores down and chills to the bone.
The recent cold spell has sculpted delicate dragons of ice on the surface of the shallow waters.
The wind is relentless. The cold from the deep waters of Georgian Bay wash over the shoreline’s edge.
Transitions between smooth and rough, light and dark and movement and stillness disorient but also provide opportunity.
Fingertips burn from the cold. The bay is unbearable. A few more interesting contrasts between water and ice catch the eye but they will have to make due with a hasty glance.
Back to the forest and out of the wind the body quickly warms up and the mind settles down again.
Diffuse light explodes outside of the woods. More transitions, more opportunities.
As the afternoon slips on and the wind dies down, simpler patterns arise.
Towards the end of the day, the sun dips into a cloud bank across the bay hiding and re-appearing from view.
The sun won’t touch the ground today. The last slivers of light fade in and out, in and out and gone.