Silent Trails

A beautiful sunny day today - 25º with a strong, cold west wind as I set out to capture a shot of the thus-far elusive Wisconsin snowmobile. We got plenty of fresh snow this week, and I was sure the trails would be packed.

Right outside the door, squirrel tracks lead across the driveway towards the ash tree.

Detail of the empty building which stands at the start of the trail.

I see that someone has been here before me - but not today. These prints are several days old.

They turn aside at one point, and lead straight to a plant I was looking at only last week. Wait a minute - those are my footprints! (I can't believe I'm the only human that walks this path. Don't people realize what a great offroad trail we have right here on the edge of town?)

Warm days and freezing nights have put a deceptively firm-looking crust on the snow. At any moment you can break through the crust and find yourself knee-deep (as I did later on in my walk).

The field is lapped by frozen waves.

I seem to take a lot of pictures of this little copse. I love the trail that winds through it...

...and the interesting plants that grow to right and left. Here's one with a rather large seed pod:

These red-twig dogwood grow right on the trail. I'm surprised they haven't been run over by snowmobiles yet.

Speaking of snowmobiles, the trail is eerily quiet. Where is everyone? I thought I'd be dodging them right and left, but no one is out except me.

(Cheated of her photographic prey, the Purple Peril turns the camera on herself. Note the chic crochet headband and the casually windswept coiffure.)

A young moon is rising and can be glimpsed between the power lines.

Almost half-full.

The snow has drifted deeply on the edge of the next field, and I break through the crust at each step, wallowing up to my shins. (I am reminded of The Long Winter, with Almanzo and Cap falling through the snow crust on their dangerous sled trip to find wheat for the starving townspeople.)

Ooh - here's a side trail I hadn't noticed before. Where does it lead?

Past a derelict pickup truck...

...right to someone's back yard. Back to the main trail for me.

It's such a lovely day I decide to go as far as I can. The trail leads past a small quarry (to the left of this photo), up a short rise...

...and down through a long cornfield which contains a hunter's stand and a rather nice tree.

Shorn stalks cross my path at a pleasing angle.

The trail leads down to a road and turns to run parallel with it. I'm at least two miles from home, the sun is beginning to sink, and it's time to turn back.

A good time for a shadow picture - an action shot this week.

Blue-shaded snow under the lengthening shadows of trees.

Contrails, wide and narrow - a picture for Project :: Sky 365.

What would a Micawber Sunday walk be without a wildflower silhouetted against the setting sun?

And one last sunset photo, with clouds looking like ruched ribbon across the sky.

All this time, I hadn't seen a soul. I began to wonder if perhaps it was Super Bowl Sunday and I had somehow missed hearing about it (could I really be that far out of the loop?) Some major sporting event must be keeping people indoors on this lovely day. (I found out later it was the Pro Bowl.)

To each his own. I think I'd rather be outside, looking at trees and sky, breathing the cold crisp air, and enjoying the sound of snow crunching beneath my boots.

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