When the snow geese arrive at Fossil Lake, they descend in a great spiral, as if the breath of the north gently bore them toward earth. Snow Geese are said to be guardians of the North Wind and a teacher. For many weeks, I see them as they winter here, showing a beautiful sense of family, moving from the frozen pond to the warmth of the pasture grass and back again. When the icy wind arrives, they endure together with heads tucked into feathers, unmoving, quietly waiting for the cold to pass. Then when it does, they return to flight without dwelling on the storm. My rendition has iron oxidized to rust and acrylic with cuneiform-style marks cut in the hand-laid stone texture.