Today was another frost morning with a deep red awakening sky. I took an early walk through the Birch portal, checked in on the shield beetle – the birch shieldbug [Elasmostethus interstinctus – also known as stink bug because it protects itself by secreting a foul smelling mucus] he was still sheltering in one if its scrolls, under the silver maiden’s watchful eyes, I left a footprint in the frost and admired the resilience of a yarrow and the etched forms of some lovely frost dusted leaves
