It’s not always golden in western NY on a winter morning. Sometimes it’s just plain dull.

Oh, it started off all right.  Just a little gray with a hint of sunrise.

In fact, only two days ago temperatures were in the 60s, fooling this great blue heron into thinking it was a lovely spring day.

But today a passing cold front churned up the lake effect machine, darkening the skies and covering everything beneath them with a frozen concoction of groppel and snow.

No golden hour for us!  More like a gray hour. . .

Today it was back to winter.  Any photography would be challenged by low contrast, low light, and the risk of moisture driven into cameras and lenses by the wind.  And any food forays would be snow-covered and difficult. . .

Grateful for my warm, dry car!