Snow piles deep, but a community of small mammals isn’t deterred. Some of us are hindered by the snow, while for others snow provides protection and warmth. During a quick warm-up, the deep snow which had blanketed the lawn melts down, exposing a network of tunnels engineered by shews, voles, and mice. A deep ridge of snow under the eaves didn’t hinder the small burrowers, either—one foot of four feet, no matter, just dig and you’ll punch through. The large bare places in the photo mark where a pair of cottontail rabbits raced across the snow two days earlier.