After a week of repeating snow storms the clouds have once again been driven out by a welcomed high pressure system turning the sky to a bright deep blue.  The crystallized landscape is beautiful without question, but the tradeoff has been temperatures recording in the single digits even at midday. The wind that accompanied the change of weather has caused a chill factor that I don’t personal know how to factor but can testify as being somewhat brutal to any exposed skin.  For example, I walked out earlier this morning to take a few pictures thinking that a sweatshirt would be adequate for my short outing only to return to the fireplace within minutes to thaw out my gloveless fingers.   These few pictures can’t do the chill factor justice, nor the beauty but they might show a bit of why I feel so blessed this morning sitting here with a hot cup of coffee, a warm fire and a big double-pained window to gaze out of.