A Sundrenched Interlude

Sometimes a day brings a little surprise, even in January! I stepped out of the shower to brilliant sunshine streaming through the bedroom window, despite a forecast promising nothing but more cloudy weather. I dressed for the outdoors and set about a riverwalk, eager to take advantage of the moment before it slipped away.

I enjoyed the walk, despite the ice still clinging to the gravel road along the river, stopping to take a few photos and marveling at a flock of more than fifty Canada Geese spread out along a run of open water. My old bones need the exercise, and my soul a bit of deliverance, so any break from the recurrent ice and snow is more than welcome.

Going back out to retrieve a delivery a moment ago, I
found not only that the sun still glided high, but had warmed the microhabitat of my little porch to a balmy 59 degrees! I stopped to ponder just how perfect that is for the cheer of a cold beverage and a porch sit! My little Angler’s Rest’s western exposure collects the direct rays of the afternoon sun, usually warming that small, covered porch eight to ten degrees higher than the ambient air temperature.

Ahh, I simply had to step away to enjoy those fifteen minutes in the warmth of that amplified sunshine. The ale which accompanied me was a favorite known as “Breakfast Juice”, brewed by the fine people at Hidden Springs Brewhouse in Norwich, New York. They describe this as “an American style wheat ale brewed with blood orange puree” and I find it most satisfying whether enjoyed in summer, winter, or any other season. My interlude was brief, for the sun was just above the top of the tree line along the summit of Point Mountain when I sat down, and over the top within fifteen minutes. Still, such moments are something special to enjoy on a January day.

If you find yourself a snow and icebound angler, desperate for deliverance, raise an ale to celebrate any moment of sunshine and hope you encounter!