Snow

It is March 23 and it snowed 5 inches last night. 

My sister in Saint Louis is sending me photos of her blooming daffodils and we are shuffling through 5 inches of beautiful, fluffy, white snow! 

We did have a few days of 60-degree temperatures a couple of weeks back and melted nearly everything. The kids played in the mud and splashed in the puddles, and now the cold has returned. We're happily well above zero, but still, the snow sure makes it feel like winter. I actually don't mind. I know it is short lived and it is a breathtaking reprieve from the dirty brown mess that is early spring.  

These pictures are actually from just a few weeks ago. I am guessing that within a few days, all the new snow will be gone, but it sure was lovely to wake up to it this morning. I love snow, I really do. It is magical, even here in Wisconsin. 

Gavin thought he'd help us out one morning, by shoveling some of the freshly fallen snow off the driveway while he waited for the school bus. He is a sweet and thoughtful 6 year old and this was the perfect activity to burn off some of his incredible energy before spending the next 40 minutes sitting on the school bus. 

I love the light 

the snow

the snow in the light

and the light in the snow

magic

I love snow

I don't like cold at all

I don't like being cold

I love warm golden sunshine 

on a snowy winter morning 

there is nothing better

Saturday Morning Hike

Well, Wisconsin has finally climbed out of the subzero frigidity and into what we like to call the "big fake-out"! It's that week in mid-January or February when the temps get into the thirties and we all start to think Spring has arrived! Not the case, my friends. Spring is still at least two months away, possibly three. However, we won't complain about that. Instead, we put on our boots and we go out and savor every last soft and sticky snow-crystal! 

Saturday morning, we threw some snacks in a bag and grabbed a sled (for Addison) and headed down the road for an adventure. We were battling a little bit of "I don't want to go anywhere, I just want to watch TV" and neither Cliff or I were happy to be hearing those words as we are outdoor people! So, we nipped that in the bud and said "Let's go on an adventure". That was met with a sarcastic, "yeah, right, an adventure". So, Cliff said he had an idea and we'd go someplace we had never been before. We hopped in the truck, drove about three miles, and parked the truck along the side of the road next to this "undiscovered" (by us) public land. It was just the fresh air we all needed (although if I'm gutsy enough later in the week, I'll tell you how it all really went down - let's just say the fresh air didn't exactly knock the grumps right out of all of us).

Lots of deer trails across the fields, all meeting up in the few spots along the fence-row where the fence was low or broken.  

Racoon tracks meet coyote tracks. Hmmm... I think I'm glad I'm walking this in the daytime. Racoons and coyotes aren't my favorite creatures to meet up with at night.  :) 

Now these two little critters? They're my favorites! 

Cliff and I needed the fresh air and exercise just as much as the kids did! We live in a really, really beautiful area of Wisconsin and are blessed by many, many natural areas and parks. 

 

It was an unusually warm day and we didn't need snowpants or heavy jackets, as long as we weren't rolling in the wet snow like the kids!

 



What a beautiful walk it was. What a beautiful place we have for exploring.

Oh, and if you happen to be walking this patch of land and come across one pink mitten and / or a cute pair of polka-dot toddler sunglasses, pick them up. We miss them.