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Thursday, December 22, 2011

Nature's glory

Yesterday, I decided to heed the weather forecast, and I pulled another wildlife camera off a steep north-facing slope where the black bears live during the summer months. I took one last photo of "Bear Art" on a huge old Aspen tree. I won't see it again until next April when the snowpack melts enough to make it possible to walk the trail.
When I woke up this morning and peeked out onto our deck, I was very happy that I'd retrieved my camera yesterday. You can barely see the deck railing peeking over the snow. The big hump of snow is our metal round table.
I have to admit that my first reaction to seeing that huge pile of snow was to burrow further under the covers and sleep later than usual. Now that I can't telemark ski due to my spine, I don't love playing in snow as much as I used to. However, if I can overcome my inertia, I am always so happy to get out in it!

After a leisurely breakfast, I buckled on my snowshoes and started plodding through the seemingly bottomless snow. K frolicked like a puppy.
And, she turned into Frosty the Snowdog after one of her romps.
It was heavy and hard work breaking trail through snow that was nearly up to my hips. We didn't make it too far before we turned around and followed our tracks back home.
On the packed trail, K managed to keep her face a little cleaner so we can tell that she's a chocolate lab.
When we made it home, my spine needed the relaxing action of pedaling a bike after the wrenching work of breaking trail. I glanced at my stationary bike and said "Nah". Instead, I pulled out my snowbike and rode on quiet roads that were lightly plowed. I stopped on one road to look at the huge wall of snow that has grown weekly after each plowing this winter.
As I pedaled, the storm began to break, and I saw blue sky.
The mountains almost emerged from the clouds, but not quite.
I was very cold at the end of my ride but so happy that I'd gone out to see the glory of nature. To me, it is truly glorious, and I treasure each day, even the freezing cold ones.

25 comments:

  1. I think I will sing you a few choruses of Ridin' in A Winter Wonderland and once again tell you those pics are great. If Stella saw K covered in snow, she'd be jelly because we don't even have an inch of snow on the ground!

    Happy Christmas!

    Jo, Stella and Ziva Zophia

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  2. Oh me, I don't thinks da Puddles could gets through all dat snow...dat is some deep stuffs.
    K always looks beautiful covered in snow.

    I hope your back is feelin' betters.

    Puddles

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  3. Oh My Heart.

    Thats all I can say.

    Oh My Heart.

    Bert's My Vickie

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  4. Wow, That was an amazing shots and it really captivates our hearts while viewing your photos, You look had fun playing in the snow. me too I want to play in the snow with my friends. :D




    --------------------------------
    It's all About Pet Fences | Dog Fence

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  5. I am not sure The OP Pack would know what to do with that much snow, but they tell me they are willing to try. At this point anything has to be better than my muddy yard.

    Awesome photos, of course.

    Woos ~ Phantom, Thunder, Ciara, and Lightning

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  6. I was thinking on the same lines as Stella...A winter wonderland.

    Can't help but chuckle at the fact that I started my run this morning in a full on parka...and tucked my poor, numb thumbs inside my sleeves. Yup, 38 degrees warrants cold-weather war gear around here. I imagine moving somewhere with real seasons at some point. The acclimatizing to my first real winter will be humorous.

    Thanks for sending white Christmas imagines this way! Love it!

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  7. Absolutely awesome. I love Frosty-K. I'm glad you got in a little bike ride :-)

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  8. Frosty-K, on man that looks like fun.. The strom you got we had first, but I am here to tell ya we got cheated and did not get even close to what you got. Your pictures, as always, are beautiful. Even snow pics warms my MOM's heart. I sure would love to romp with K.
    Yes the glory of naure and creation is wonderus and it waarms my heart that people like you take notice.
    I hope your feeling well.
    Blessings,
    Goose

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  9. I can't believe the snow you've gotten and so quickly! My dogs as so tired of playing in the dirt. OK, maybe that is just me. There is nothing than a walk or ride in a winter wonderland. I go stir crazy if I don't get outside no matter how cold it is or how little or much snow. I hate being inside.

    So glad you have such a great ride and were able to take one today. Love that you take us along with you.

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  10. Man....it sounds crazy, but I wish we had that snow here! Moved from North Carolina back to Wisconsin....and all excited to have snow at Christmas. Got new PAC boots, dusted off the quilted carhartt bibs....but it's been in the upper 30s-40s all month! Rainy, wet and gray. No snow!

    Those pics are awesome.

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  11. I have SERIOUS blue sky and snow envy right now! I'd love to have enough snow for a white Christmas. All we've had here is grey skies and rain for so long that I think I've forgotten what the sun looks like!

    I love how you and K spent your snow day! :) It looks like it was magical!

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  12. Frosty K looks like she is having so much fun! I would like a pair of snow shoes to walk through the snow with you! I wonders if they make them- that small!
    Oh the snow is sooo deep,.,. I do not see that you could ride anywhere!
    When it cold- I think like you-- and I snuggle down under the binkies! Our pellet stove is not working - so we snuggles lots!
    Those photos are out of this world!
    We love them! Gosh! Burr!
    love
    tweedles

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  13. Nothing, but nothing, like pristine snow and a dog in tow.

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  14. We're glad you had a good day!! Nature certainly is beautiful!

    Licks,
    Ruthie

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  15. Hi Y'all,

    My Human tells a tale of the "winter to end all winters" when she and Papa had to spend a winter up near the Canadian border.

    Where they were, they officially had 14 feet of snow. The roads were passable whenever you were able to dig out. You'd get out and then couldn't get in because the snow blowers would have blown the snow into the drive and it was packed so solid that even a private plow couldn't open it.

    That was the first time my Human was ever around more than a few inches of snow. She thinks it is beautiful, but she doesn't like to see it 'cause it hurts her back to shovel all the porches and steps and sidewalk.

    Yep, she'll always be happiest enjoying someone else beautiful photos. :)

    Y'all come back now,
    Hawk aka BrownDog

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  16. Beautiful....I love the snow!! we just have ugly brown here now. I want snow so I can try out my new snowshoes. Hope your back is feeling better.

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  17. No white Christmas fur us dis year, enjoy dat beOOtiful snow. Great foto of Frosty da Snowdog!

    Woofs and Licks,
    Maggie Mae

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  18. Oh my dog. We think this series of photos are just some of the best. The snow is just so amazing. Merry Christmas to you all. We are very glad we have found you.
    No worries, and love, Stella and Rory (and Carol x)

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  19. Such beauty! We have no snow in Wisconsin.....so to see your mountains of snow makes it feel more like winter....
    Happy holidays!
    xoxo

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  20. Wow, that's some deep snow. Our snow is hard and icy now. :-( I like the picture of K with the snow on her face.

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  21. Thank you for those gorgeous images - a breath of fresh, very cold, air :)

    For all the work (usually) of breaking trail, I love to look back on a snowshoe trail in otherwise unbroken snow. That single line of offset ellipses always looks like some kind of perfect stitching across the landscape. Much lovelier than most human tracks, I think - and even more so because of the impermanence.

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  22. So beautiful Holiday postcards all :)

    Merry Christmas to all of you!
    Roo

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  23. Wow!! I had a feeling watching the national news that you all were getting lots of snow. I guess that's an understatement. It's good to see the dogs enjoying it. I hope you all have a wonderful holiday season, and I look forward to following all of your adventures in 2012!

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  24. What gorgeous photos! I would love to play in all that snow with Fre dand Gloria.

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