It is a beautiful still morning. The sun has just risen above Eagleridge on the mainland. THe water is the colour of a summer sky and the sky is the colour of a robin's egg. It's cold and yet there is no hint of a katabatic breeze, meaning that overnight all of the cold air has sunk to the valley bottoms and the creek beds where rocks will be coated with a thick layer of frost. Juncos and chickadees are the only noise makers outside, except for a deer which has taken up temporary residence beneath our house where it empties out the chicken feed we leave for the neighbourhood chooks.

Much is happening on a Bowen Saturday. Thinking about chopping some wood this morning, taking the recycling out, going to juggling club and then witnessing friends testing for their blackbelts before heading to the annual Tir na Nog Christmas party. But for now, I'm sitting before the fire, tea in hand, eye on the rising sun.