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Thursday, February 10, 2011

Thankful

The snow fluttering out of the trees and glittering in the sun is a glorious sight. From inside the house, it makes the wind seem like my friend.
But, when I'm outside, it doesn't seem like my friend anymore.
Both dogs turned into snow-dogs from the snow and wind.


After an easy early winter, we are now officially in the toughest phase that cycles between snow storms and wind storms.

K lay down and wriggled in the midst of a gale of snow pellets being hurled at us. It didn't seem like a bad strategy. The wind moves more slowly down next to the ground due to "ground effect" which is really friction between the wind and the ground.
Then, K told me what she really thought of the wind during one of its few lulls.
Near the end of my snow bike ride today, I began to believe that I was truly never going to make it home. Believe it or not, I was retracing the route that I'd taken on my way out. Do you see any signs of my tracks? Nope. A huge slab-like drift had covered them.
In a spot where the wind was whipping away all the snow toward our eastern neighbors, funny little sculptures remained. For some bizarre reason, little towers of snow with elk turds atop them had formed in the wind. Each tower was a couple of inches tall, and flying snow pellets are streaking past them in the photo. I laughed in the midst of my wind misery.
When I was almost home, I found another spot where every trace of my recent ride through a meadow was erased. If I'd been strong enough, I would have picked up my bike and carried it. It was so hard to push it through the slab of snow that constituted the meadow.
I whine about the wind. But, while I played with K in the forest in the gale, I remembered how thankful I am that she can run again after an entire fall of enforced inactivity. I also remembered that, one year ago, I was not allowed to ride a bike because I was recovering from spinal fusion surgery. Wind or no wind, I'm thankful to be capable of pedaling my snow bike.

19 comments:

  1. I'm shivering just reading it and looking at the pictures! You're a much hardier soul than I am, that's for sure!

    I love that first picture through the trees, and the snowy dogs! Wow!

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  2. Those two pups look like little kids on Christmas morning:)

    I don't know know how you do it - I can't stand getting out of the car to grab the mail:)

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  3. I am thankful that I get to read your posts and see your beautiful pictures everyday.

    Your pal, Pip

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  4. Me and mom agrees wif Pip, your pictures are amazing!

    Woofs and Licks,
    Maggie Mae

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  5. I agree with Pip, too! And I love that picture of how K really feels about the wind!

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  6. What a view you have, beautiful! You guys like that snow on your face? BOL
    Benny & Lily

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  7. Wind - the biker's nemesis! I really don't know how you do it in the snow. The intensity of K's gaze is just wonderful in both of her photos. Those elk dud sculptures are quite unique!

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  8. I'm hung up on the photo of K telling you exactly what she thinks of the wind...words are not necessary...That's one of those "if looks could kill" expressions.

    BrownDog's Momma

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  9. At least there are creatures that like the snow:) Good shots of dogs playing in the snow-so vivid!

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  10. Beautiful pictures, they show how cold it is!
    We have been having a bit of trouble here with cold and snow. It is making it difficult to go on walks, safely because the snow is so hard!

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  11. The peektures of the snow covered dogs made me smile. Thanks for that!

    I'm with Pip, I'm grateful I get to read your posts and see these peektures all the time!

    Woofs,
    Pepsi

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  12. I'm with Pip too!

    Great pics and if you want to be out in that weather, whose to stop you? Me, I wait for at least 20 degrees and low winds.

    Cheers and hugs,

    Jo

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  13. I got the biggest kick out of the turd towers. They're certainly unique. I've never, of course, seen elk turds before. Somehow, I assumed that they would be something like deer droppings, but they look much different.

    Sigh, leave it to me to be fascinated by poop.

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  14. You're very right. Those are all things to be Most Thankful for. But ESPECIALLY the elk turd snow sculptures. I wish I had one of those.

    Wiggles & Wags,
    Mayzie

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  15. What gorgeous pictures again!! I shiver just looking at the ice and snow. It is so beautiful there though! Lots of love, Holly and mom

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  16. KB
    The way you describe the misery of the wind is beautiful. How could it not be? The forest so touched by the breath itself of mother earth as she sighs. That is all it is,, mother earth sighing at the beauty. And its right before your eyes.
    I saw this post last night,, I wanted to come back and feel it,, so I did- because of you
    thank you
    love
    tweedles

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  17. I cannot imagine riding through wind-packed snow. Tom had to plow and plow again last week and over the weekend to keep our driveway passable. That snow really beats into spots when it's driven by those harsh winter winds.

    That raspberry photo of K is the best.

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