How Wonderful to be Outdoors!

It had felt like weeks since I'd been for a walk in the woods, but finally today, a day of sun and temperatures in the mid teens, mild after much miserable weather, I strapped on my snowshoes and left the house. After days and days indoors, I feel as though I'm missing a large part of my life: my attentiveness to the outside world. The first thing I noticed on the slope in front of my house were the small snow eddies formed by the wind, here with an errant seed at rest.

More tiny seeds were nestled in the track of a deer.

I loved seeing the reddish raspberry canes, dark against snow, light in front of trees. Their vertical lines cast horizontal shadows.

Also on the snowy ground, graceful sweeps of pine needles, singly or grouped.

Thawing and freezing left lacy patches of ice on a boulder.

Frosty patterns covered flattened leaves, whites over warm grays.

I don't spend my entire walk with eyes glued to the ground; when I look up I see light sparkling through evergreens, bright shadows on snow.

I noticed that the spell of warmer weather, with rain, had allowed the open collars around tree bases to form.

This tiny beech tree looked like a bouquet with its leaves gathered at the bottom and its elegant sprays of new branches.

And finally, the view of my house and barn as I step out from the woods and field. It's always a pleasure to see them from here after a happily vigorous walk. I feel refreshed, warm, more healthy even with a constantly running nose as I walk; doesn't it clear out my system? Here's hoping for more nice weather.....