I didn’t expect to see much at this morning’s sunrise. Yesterday I remembered the fog of the night before that had hidden the lights on the Wurts Street Bridge. As I drove north east on Strand I notice the fog over the Creek and the River on my right. I decided to stop at the edge of North Street on the Rondout Creek. The view was heart stopping. The fog was the backdrop in the distance towards the lighthouse. The water was in slack (the point between the high tide and low tide where the current is still, not moving north or south). What I realize is that in the dark morning fog the water becomes a mirror. My favorite pictures are during these times which are infrequent. Precious. I took this picture as I took in the breath of the scene. Everything is quiet, still.
Then, after I got my fill of this magnificent scene, we drive to the Rotary for a brief walk to the footbridge. The temperature is 29 degrees. I can’t be out too long. But the walk on the frozen grass makes me feel like a child enjoying the crunching of our shoes on the frost glazed blades. Sweet.

Every day is a gift of Mother Nature. Unfortunately, life goes on. I have things to do, places to go, people to see. On with life. See you tomorrow, Mother.

Finally temps rise above the 20s and I feel like getting up early to go to Kingston Point. It is 6:45am and still dark. Sunrise this morning is at 7:18am so I am hopeful of having the beach to ourselves. Last night it was VERY rainy and foggy. I could not see the Wurts Street bridge lights. Was it because of the fog? Or has the nightly turning on of colored lights ended. Won’t know until tomorrow, I guess/
The moon was still up in the northwestern sky. I see it to my left as I go on the Strand towards the beach. It was full moon a few days ago so the moon is still plump. A waning gibbous moon. Lovely.
Of course we will not see the sunrise as it has shifted so far to the Southeast, 121 degrees, to be exact.
I want to get a look at the Hudson River beach “deliveries”. It is going towards low tide and there should be plenty of driftwood to collect. Driftwood is excellent for woodstoves. It lands on a beach along the Hudson River banks and the sun dries it…often to the point of turning it into heavy wood for burning. Also, when we are lucky, we find wood that the beavers have lost due to the rising and falling tides. Those seem to be the best wood to harvest. They are thick and burn wonderfully. A very cozy fire is provided by beaver slips!
The seagulls also enjoy the low tide and harvest little shells along the waterline. Sometimes they get into big arguments over chunks that one of them has been able to pluck from the water. They are the only birds we see now by the river. The herons and crows have left for the winter. At least I have not seen either one for a while.
Then we park at the Rotary entrance and walk to the footpath. The cardinals and wrens around the entrance greet us.
I am looking forward to a week of sunrise visits until the frigid temps make it too unpleasant again. We are getting more rain this evening, I think. But Thursday promises to be quite pleasant.