Good day to read a Civil War novel

I had a busy schedule planned for today... I really did. But with my chair facing the view outside, I can't seem to get motivated. I find my eyes drifting up, and then my mind drifting away, as I watch a steady shower of snow cascading onto the tree limbs and bushes.

It is mesmerizing - as are the bird feeders strategically placed within my view. The male cardinals stand out in vibrant contrast to the whiteness of the snow, while the smaller chickadees and tufted tit birds blend in and are blurred by the blinding whiteness.

The scene brings to mind a quote by Mosby ranger James Williamson who wrote of the peaceful vista he witnessed before a fight: "Fields, roads, trees and shrubs were alike clothed in the white robes of winter, and it seemed almost a sacrilege against the beauty and holy stillness of the scene to stain those pure garments with the life blood of man, be he friend or foe."

Such was the way of the war, however. Many a pure snowflake was stained with the lifeblood of both friends and enemies. But today, I can sit back and enjoy the peaceful serenity that has settled here in Gettysburg beneath the silencing qualities of the ever-deepening snow.

I hope wherever you are - in sunshine state or, like me, in the deep clutches of Old Man Winter - you take the time to enjoy the scenery!