I was winding down last evening at all of 4:30 p.m. New Year’s Eve fireworks kept Bob, Karl and I on edge until after 1 a.m. and the short night was catching up on all of us.

But as I was puttering in the kitchen I noticed the glow to the east.

The alpenglow light through the woods is other-worldly when it appears. A band of blazing pink-orange light typically causes me to do a short dance of stutter steps as I waver between getting the camera or just running out to see. The color can be so fleeting. Running to see the alpenglow has been part of my winter afternoon walks long before I was so regularly taking photographs. And while I love capturing what color I can, there are times when I just want to stand and watch.

But last night was clear, the light was strong and my camera was near.

First night of the new year…

New Year Alpenglow!