The Abandoned Skates and the Lonely Christmas Tree

Today, we should be getting our first "more than a dusting" snow accumulations.  Perhaps, tomorrow, I'll have an actual winter post to offer for my Wednesday Winter Wednesday feature.

So today, let's mourn (or celebrate) the end of our snowless streak.

This Sunday, spouse and I took a walk on the Vestal Rail Trail near Binghamton, New York.  As I've blogged about so much, we had an unusually mild winter until last week.  After a few days of seasonal cold, it started to warm up again.

Sunday was showery and in the 50's (high of 11.6 C). When we started to walk, showers threatened, but I wanted to see what sights awaited us.

Before I do, though, I wanted to show you something special.  About halfway through our walk, the sky opened and we were drenched.  We decided to turn around, as the rain beat down on us and our one small umbrella. 

But then, the rain stopped, and nature apologized with a sight we usually don't see in January.

Stranger sights awaited.

Scatterings of green leaves here and there.  This is not a normal January sight in upstate New York.

Shortly after we began our walk, we passed these abandoned skates lying near a bench on still-green grass.  Green grass-another never before seen sight in upstate New York.

The skates were still there when we came back. Oh, if we only knew their story.

Or the story of this living Christmas tree, ornaments dancing in the wind.

What was your weekend like?