Sunday, January 22, 2012

Tracking the Wild Arctic Cat

A light freezing rain was falling this afternoon, as I set off in hopes of catching a glimpse of Felix Polaris, more commonly known as the Wisconsin Snowmobile. The temperature was a balmy 20º, and several inches of fresh snow made for prime snowmobile stalking.

On the corner, a tree bears strange bean-like pods. For once I remember to take their picture:

Can anyone identify these?

This is what I see when I turn off the road and onto an old track which leads to the trails:


A romantic-looking building stands empty on the right...


...in a field dotted with these unidentified plants.


Up a slight grade to the favourite tree...


...through snow deep enough to bury my feet with each step.


Then a left turn and I'm on the snowmobile trail proper, which leads across a broad field. Along the way I am distracted by some frozen Queen Anne's Lace:


and a tiny perfect birds-nest, empty of eggs but full of snow.


Across the field is a small thicket, where the ground is covered with...


...snowmobile tracks! Yes, the beasts have been this way, and recently by the looks of it.


As I reach the far side of the thicket, I hear the distant snarl of snowmobiles at play. Perhaps I shall see them in the next field, which contains the prairie restoration project.

No snowmobiles, but plenty of fascinating dried flowers are there. These little beauties are tiny - each blossom less than 1/4" wide:


While this spiny fellow is much larger - nearly 2" tall. Teasel, perhaps?


A sign for the snowmobiles. I can hear them all around me at the edges of the field, but can't see any.


But I do see....

Oak twigs fooled by the recent warm spell into putting forth buds:


The warm peach hearts of empty milkweed pods, some single...


...some clustered like exotic birds.


A fascinating dried blossom draped over a tree branch several feet above the ground:


And an icy thistle drooping under a spreading oak.


I'm back at the road without having seen a single snowmobile. The freezing rain has left a film of ice, so I stop to put on my YakTrax. Just as my hands are fully occupied with the strappy rubber-and-coil contraption, a snowmobile zips across the horizon to my left and quickly disappears behind some trees. (The one that got away.)

Next week, weather permitting, I shall again set off in search of the elusive Wisconsin snowmobile. Perhaps I'll even get a picture.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

19 comments:

  1. Dear Mrs. Micawber,
    First, please go to my blog to see just exactly what you have done. :)
    Next, how do you think you can catch a glimpse of such an elusive creature. I think you need to build a snowmobile blind and lie in wait.
    And last, do you like your Yak-Trax? The Goatmother has been thinking of getting some. I wonder if they make them goat-sized, but then I guess I don't need them since I never go out of the barn if it snows.

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  2. Also, the Goatmother wonders if the tree could be a Catalpa? You will probably have to wait until there are leaves and perhaps blossoms to know for sure, but they were in Oklahoma and there is a northern species. Check out:
    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Catalpa

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  3. I agree with Goatmother, it sure looks like Catalpa seed pods. The old-timers used to call them Plantation trees.

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  4. I've seen bean pods like those on locust trees in the Pacific Northwest and again on the honey locusts in Texas. Is that possible?

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  5. I wish I'd been with you, I can almost feel the cold and the snow crunching under my feet.

    SP

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  6. Have you always lived in the wilds of Wisconsin? Do you enjoy the cold weather. I keep telling myself I could get use to a cold weather, but I haven't convinced myself yet.

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  7. What simply beautiful Winter Photo Op you had, while seeking the elusive snowmobiles, though! I'd rather see all these lovely remnants-of-summer, in their winter setting, than any ol' elusive snowmobile, anyway! ,-)

    But be careful, treading about, with ice covering of any thickness! Beeeeeeeee carefullllllllllll... "Auntie" sezzzzzzzzzzzz... :-)

    .♥.
    'And what are you reading, Miss-?'
    'Oh! it is only a novel!' replies
    the young lady ...
    with affected indifference.

    ~Jane Austen
    .♥.

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  8. Oh and nope, I don't know what those pods are. But have seen them, here in the NE.

    .♥.
    'And what are you reading, Miss-?'
    'Oh! it is only a novel!' replies
    the young lady ...
    with affected indifference.

    ~Jane Austen
    .♥.

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  9. Brrrrrrrrrrrrr, that looks very cold but oh so very beautiful!

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  10. What a wonderful walk through the brush on trails..although I am not a fan of snow it does look so pretty...I am not sure what the pods are but one looks like thistle weed? thanks for entering my give away...Debb

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  11. I love going along on the walks with you. Watch out for those sneaky beasts.
    I would second the idea that it could be a catalpa tree.

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  12. You are so good at capturing the beauty of each season!! Your eye for seeing artistry in nature is captivating!!! Thank you so much for giving us a glimpse of the world through your lens!! :)

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  13. Until I saw the foot in the snow and you mentioned Yak Trax, I was going to ask if you got snow tires for your bike!

    I love the winter flower remnant portraits. I think printed on fabric they'd make a fabulous quilt!

    I love the idea of a snowmobile blind, Margold. In the blind, you could wrap up in a warm blanket and sip cinnamon hot chocolate. Although I know you would rather have peanuts. And maybe the illusive Felix Polaris (great name, by the way) would curiously center near, enabling a proper photo and positive ID!!!

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  14. Darned auto correct, venture near, not center near!

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  15. Those tiny dried flowers are quite perfect.

    Do snowmobiles hunt singly or in packs? Tread carefully Mrs M ;D

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  16. I never really appreciated Wisconsin winters while I lived there, but you have made me look again! Thx!

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  17. OK, first: you set off in a light freezing rain? You are intrepid!

    I agree with the others that the tree might be a catalpa. We had one in the yard I grew up in, and we used the green pods in summer for pretend silverware or pretend cigars.

    No idea what the other flowers are, but aren't they beautiful. Thank you for sharing your walk with us.

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  18. Such a beautiful walk - it looks so tranquil (I guess if you ignore the snowmobile sounds!). Juliex

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  19. I too think the tree is a catalpa, known also as Indian Cigar Tree in Virginia, and the pods smoked by badly behaved children......

    Cecilia

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