The weather has been pretty consistent over the past week: below zero at night, daytime temps of 6°-15°, and several gentle snowfalls. If I had taken a walk today, it would have looked much like this.
Snowmobile tracks curved across the marshy lake-around-the corner:
Near the start of the trail, tiny grasses peeked out of the snow. I like their delicate little seeds:
The snow was deep, drifted, and deceptively crusted over. I never knew when I might break through the surface and be suddenly submerged:
A Favourite Tree leaned over the snowy fields, rubbing twiggy fingers together and dreaming of spring to come:
As always, there were plenty of fascinating dried flowers and grasses to be seen.
Umbellifers:
Coneflowers (I think), looking like brown pompoms:
Curly mystery grass:
Wavy-stemmed mystery grass:
And these alien-looking flowers:
Around a few corners, the trail curved back towards town. Somewhere under the snow was what I believe to be the entrance to a badger sett - though on this walk it was completely hidden:
Also nearly hidden in the photo is a snowmobiler who had just crossed the trail some way ahead:
Around another corner was a tree (possibly alder buckthorn?) still covered with dark berries:
Some websites suggest that buckthorn berries are a food of last resort for birds - which may explain why there were so many left on the tree.
The trail branched temptingly to the right, through grasses engoldened by the westering sun...
...but I turned left and headed for home.
Snowmobile tracks on the road evoked Art Deco architecture (to my eye, at least):
And that was last week's walk! Soon, I hope, things will settle down so I can get back to regular blogging.
How have you been?
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Glad your dad is getting settled in. And happy you could rest up today. As beautiful as your snow looks, I am glad we do not have anything like that. Think we have to get out and blanket cover our agaves again this week. They are beginning to look really awful, so I pruned the knock-out roses today and now everything looks awful. But Spring is on its way for us and for you guys up North. I promise! Linda
ReplyDeleteIt's not unusual that it snows early March here. Therefore, I still hope to be able to enjoy a snowy walk across the fields this winter. We haven't had much snow so far. Have a nice week. Regula
ReplyDeleteSeriously Sue, your pictures were worth the wait! Just look at the sunlight you captured on those wintery trees and the dried flowers make splendid delicate sculptures.
ReplyDeleteI hope you find a semblance of routine from today onwards and, might I add, I am a teeny bit jealous of your amazing snow.
Warmest wishes,
Stephanie
What stunning photos. I especially love all of those seedheads and amazing natural forms. I'm glad you've got your father settled into his new home. I hope you feel a bit more caught up this week.
ReplyDeleteGood to hear your Dad is getting settled - now perhaps things will quieten down somewhat for you, Sue, and you can take time to breathe! Your nature pics are beautiful, so stark and real and wintery - just wonderful, thank you! Take care of yourself and enjoy your week! Hugs, Joy x
ReplyDeleteMe, I wouldn't have been able to resist the path illuminated by the sun.
ReplyDeleteI know how you feel re. keeping up and catching up ... my blogging is suffering because I am stretched so thin and I really don't like it at all.
Such lovely pictures! Glad you Dad is getting all settled in now...I bet the snow is a big change for him after being in sunny SCal for so long. :)
ReplyDeleteTake a rest...and then, let us know what's on your hook.
Wishing you a most lovely day. :)
Glad that your Dad is getting settled in. Hope he gets used to life with 'weather' as my DD says. (she lives in SoCal).
ReplyDeleteYour pictures make me want to go out and walk. Then I remember how bitterly cold it is....
Thanks for sharing the beauty of winter walks with us.
Lovely pictures Sue, so clear, I could almost imagine myself being out there they even made me shiver! , I hope that your Dad likes his new home and that he settles in well. :)
ReplyDeleteIve been pretty good ! I love the snowmobiler photo. It looks too cold for me to ever enjoy but then again I should try it. THis is the winter for it
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing your wonderful walk, Sue...so many lovely views. And I am glad you are making good progress getting your dad settled in his new apartment. At the moment the ice and snow in the Portland area is starting to be washed away by rain...chunks of ice and snow are falling from the big cherry tree outside my window. Schools are all still closed today and I am enjoying knitting more rows on my blue merino blanket... I just made a pot of tea a bit ago :)
ReplyDeleteIt looks like a beautiful walk. It must be so cold though. I hope you're staying warm.
ReplyDeleteThanks for taking us outside with you on your walk.. now I don't have to go outside, you've done it for us. :-) We've been snowed in for 5 days now, tomorrow I'm determined to get hubby to the doctor to get the staples out of his knee. ((hugs)), Teresa :-)
ReplyDeleteGreat to get out and see the pared down beauty of the grass and plants from last Summer.
ReplyDeleteLove the second last pic Sue, so nice to capture and share these wonderful images.
Looking out my window this morning the we have a 'white out' thanks to the smoke from bushfires across the state. Thankfully, no where near here...... Xx
Take good care of yourself Sue, taking care of your Dad is great but you need to take care of yourself too.
ReplyDeleteHugs,
Meredith
I think your snow tracks look like a potential quilt design!!! And your mystery grass looks an awful lot like my poor outdoor rosemary... (For that matter, even the indoor one gave way to winter.)
ReplyDeleteI hope all goes well with the changes Sue. Your pictures capture the season. Beautiful!
ReplyDeleteYour photos are stunning. I feel as though I'm standing right there next to you .You have a great eye capturing things that others so often miss. Beautiful
ReplyDelete