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| Old Farm two-track |
In an hour, maybe less, the sun will set, but not that I will notice on this cold gray day in which the skies kept spitting snow. The ground was white, but only an inch or so deep. I wanted to get out and let my secret slip to my dog. Excitedly, he headed for the closet by the front door, where his leash is kept, dancing around as laced up my boots. In the closet, I got his leash out and also a vest and a waterproof shell and after getting dressed and hooking him up, together we headed out, walking down the streets toward the woods on the edge of town. Although I had to button up my tightly to keep out the wind, it felt good to be outdoors on a day when most people stayed inside. I entered the woods on an old farm two-track lined with huge maples. It almost time to see pails out on these trees as they’re bled for sap to boil into syrup. At the top of the rise, I cut across on a side trail that runs through a pine forest, and then dropped down to a pond that’s mostly frozen. This is a magical time when the light fades rapidly even though my eyes don’t really perceive it as everything is gray. But the light meter on my camera does perceive the fading light and after thirty or so minutes, when the sun should be safely tucked in for the night, he camera is suggesting a flash. To get a shot I had find a place to prop my camera so that it wouldn’t move as the shutter opened long enough to capture the image. Coming back, the wind blows harder out of the north. The snow is heavier now. I placed my camera under my shell for protection and kept my head down to shield my eyes from the pelting snow. Ninety minutes after leaving, I’m back in town. The lights are on in most homes, their windows casting a cheery glow into the gray darkness. I head straight for the warmth of home and soon am building a fire. Although today is an exception, this has been an usually warm winter and the fireplace hasn’t been used nearly enough.
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| My non-photogenic dog, Trisket |
The past week has been a busy one and I haven't had much time to blog or to get around and check other blogs. Sorry.
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| In the woods |
Trisket is a wonderful walking companion, I think. And the fire sounds lovely after a brisk walk.
ReplyDeleteHe's a great dog!
DeleteMy favorite time for a walk in the woods is also when no one else is around!
ReplyDeleteBeautiful Post my friend!!!
ReplyDeleteHave a super weekend!
J
Thanks, you too!
DeleteWHAT a trail to walk down! I'm jealous. And By The Way...love your dogs' name:)
ReplyDeleteI have been neglecting my blog world lately...and miss it all dreadfully. Life carries us on I guess....
I do believe you have more snow than I do!
I can't believe there is more snow here! Of course, you're not THAT FAR from the Canadian Rockies! We're a long ways from such hills!
DeleteTrisket looks much like my dog Lady. Her mother was a pure bred collie but we have no idea who her daddy was! Your adventure outside on Friday is just the kind I so enjoy this time of year! We certainly have had an amazing winter this year! Thank goodness because last year was horrible and made a complete mess of my septic system, not to mention half of the pole barn roof falling to the ground! I hope you have a less hectic week ahead! Enjoy your weekend!
ReplyDeleteWe think her father must have been a collie, the mother was an Australian sheep dog
DeleteIt's odd how similar our lives are. Here in city I did just about what you did with your day- except for the Kevlar, the cracked chunks of sidewalk concrete thrust upward at impossible angles as if the devil was trying to break free of the underworld and the occasional crack that you know was not from a breaking branch. And when the air blows across the river from Canada if you climb up high enough on a burnt-out building you can smell just a hint of fresh air. Just another glorious day in Detroit.
ReplyDeleteA nice contrasting hike! I'm across the state from you.
Deleteout in the woods like this is where i prefer to be. snow, wind, it hardly matters. the fewer people the better. sounds like a perfect day even with the grey.
ReplyDeletexo
erin
nice....they are saying we might finally get snow on sunday...i am so psyched....and i will be out in it all day...haha
DeleteEnjoy your snow, Brian!
DeleteErin, I agree, in fact the weather only makes the setting more interesting.
DeleteI'm loving the unusually warm winter :) But you finally got to enjoy some snow. There calling for a possibility of snow flurries here on Sunday...cute dog :)
ReplyDeleteLast weekends snow (we ended up with about 4 inches) left with Wednesday's rain, what a crazy winter.
DeleteThere are times when being alone in the outdoors is the only thing that will recharge the powerpack.
ReplyDeleteWith me, lately, as in the past few years, I'm less of a forest walker and more riverine, mountain or the coast. Don't know why the shift, but I find the phalanx of Scots pine oppressive. I seem to crave light.
I like a mixture, but there is still something about the wide open spaces of the American West (or Mongolia) that lure my soul
DeleteTrisket looks adorable! Isn't it weird how dogs are uncannily telepathic when it comes to walkies? Sometimes I need time to get my act together before loading the mutt up in the car - avoiding eye-contact, sneaking to another room to put my coat on, non of that gets past him. Yet, when I get ready to go out and have no intention of inviting him along to where I'm going - he balefully stays put, and doesn't even flip his tail in hope, he just KNOWS there's no point in working himself up!
ReplyDeleteThere is a bleak beauty to those pic's up there.
"Bleak beauty" is a great description
DeleteYour dog is named Trisket? I know where your heart lies. :)
ReplyDeleteGray skies here, spitting rain. Not very cold, though.
My daughter named him and he has the color of a "Trisket" cracker (or Trisket Biscuit as we sometimes call him) in his coat.
DeleteWhat a terrific dog he is!
ReplyDelete90 minutes!!! that's the equivalent of 9 miles that I dont easily do unless the climate is nice.
ReplyDeletePoor dog...;)
I wasn't running! I might have walked 2-3 miles, I spent a lot of time exploring and just looking
DeleteI'm glad, I can see spring around the corner. We had snow last week, but fortunately it didn't last long.
ReplyDeleteCheers.
Nice description of a late winter's day, Sage. Today felt a little more like February here, but we haven't had many.
ReplyDeleteTrisket is a great name for a dog. We got our first snow too, about 1", that melted by 10am (which met with my approval!)
ReplyDeleteLove the snow covered trail through the woods! And I bet the fire felt good when you got home. Great way to relax!
ReplyDeleteI think Trisket IS photogenic :-)
ReplyDeleteHe just refuses to look at a camera and will often run away, but he is a beautiful dog!
DeleteThere isn't a much better spot for me and my own camera, than in the woods. I felt like I joined you on that walk.. thanks for that. And Trisket.. he's a beauty.
ReplyDelete