Winter has settled in at my mom’s place in the Columbia Gorge. This past weekend I had the pleasure of going out to visit her on my own for two days of blissful rest. It snowed lightly the entire weekend. We stoked the fire, drank tea, and took walks with the dog. I appreciated how quiet the landscape had become under its blanket of snow – everything was resting from the orchard to the tree swing. For those of you still catching your breath from the stress of holiday break, I recommend taking in the quiet of a winter landscape.