Several years ago I established an annual practice of “gifting” myself with a roving ramble of this place that I love—the Upper Delaware River region—on my birthday, which transpired recently. With camera and pen and my beloved pup, Buddhawg, in tow, I choose an area to focus on, then let the day unfold as it will, capturing what presents itself, accepting the gifts and moments as they occur. Without hesitation, I heartily encourage our readers to give it a try. 

This year, Bu and I ambled along my favorite local waterway, the Lackawaxen River. Within a few short hours, we encountered a bald eagle in a cemetery, mallards and mergansers bobbing in the rapids of the Lackawaxen and countless expressions of water in its various forms, from frozen to flowing. What are you seeing out there in the winter landscape?