Longer Days, Friday the 13th

Here is Charlie giving me a good morning yawn. Yes, he does have his very own kitchen chair that he sits on anytime I am having coffee or eating. 

 

When it starting getting light out we bundled up and headed out for a walk. It was in the teens when we left the house and headed for the ridge.

We are back to doing our dawn walks as the days are a bit longer and when weather was nice. 

This is what we saw in a rather cloudless sunrise.

When we walked to the top of the ridge and looked down across the ridge towards the valley. I saw this.

It was a golden morning.

And it was mesmerizing.

It was a day of activity.  I did CrossFit at the gym with alternating doing 2 minutes of jumping rope and two minutes of deadlifts. 

On my way home I saw Olive and her hubby trying to move a round bale. I stopped and helped out. Three humans acting together can move about 900 lbs of hay.

Charlie and I took off for an afternoon hike. The weather was just too pleasant to stay cooped up in the house.

You guessed it, we went to hunt ice.

Cell phone shot

My Oly Camera

I counted 6 ice flows while walking this trail. I knew of two but over the years I've missed the others. I suspect the melt, the freezing at night, and warming during the day helped create them.

I also know that I couldn't have seen them under the blanket of snow the last time I hiked this trail.

Below is where two ice flows empty into the Kickapoo River.

Little Charlie thought he could just walk up the ice flows. 

He kept trying, he is persistent! Must be the Dachshund in him.

I went above him and when he tried again I assisted by grabbing him by the scruff. 

He was so proud of himself after that. 

Cellphone shot

This was an insanely difficult light to photograph in.  The bright white shiny ice, deep shadows, and brilliant skies make for interesting contrasts but hard to 'get' right in camera. It often confuses the sensors.

I've only hiked this trail in the morning hours and this was the first time with the afternoon sun.

My cellphone actually handled it a bit better than I did. But I guess that is the fun of it all.

Cellphone shot of the area I explored.

It is very steep.

Climbing in and out of there demands the use of saplings, bushes, and trees and a keen sense of balance.

We made it safely to the end of the trail and enjoyed a break from hiking on 'our' log. Dog Cookies, water, and pretzels for me.

The end of the day was as beautiful. I don't think we've seen such a pretty sunset in ages here.

We decided to skip Saturday doings for obvious reasons.

With the nice weather, I worked at raking up pine cones and picking up sticks. I had 3 large wheelbarrows full by mid afternoon. 

When spring does arrive, perhaps I'll have a bit less to rake up.

Onward.

And it was Friday...the 13th...

I went to my regular CrossFit time and was able to write up a warm up for anyone else who happened to show up.

So myself and my friend Bill were the only ones to show up. My membership ends on Monday so I figured this would be my last day in the Wellness Center.

The COVID-19 was splashed in the news everywhere. The amount of people on the other side of the gym was diminished greatly.

Our coach was in the process of renting a place for us. Everyone was excited. Me? Not so much. I told Bill that after this, I was not going to be around 'crowds'. Not so much for myself but I need to keep my husband safe.

I hit Walmart afterward and picked up some fresh lettuce and fruits and some pepper. I saw people with gallons of milk in their carts and signs up with limits on certain goods. The isle for hand sanitizers was barren. I know you can make that stuff fairly easily and I had everything at home in my bag of vet/human first aid things.

I picked up veggie seeds and an extra bag of food for Charlie.

Then I headed for the Kickapoo Valley Reserve.

And we hiked the Wintergreen Trail.

There I am a rare photo thanks to Bill of me after climbing a hillside to 

show Bill one of the ice caves.

Pictures from our hike.

Bottom of fern leaf on the bluff

Infrared shot from the lookout

And of course our pace setter...Charlie...

When I got home I opened my emails.

Banking should be on line or the drive up.
Master Naturalist Class was now cancelled.
All WI schools were cancelled as of Wednesday.
The VA had procedures for appts. Line up to get in the parking lot to get screened. Telehealth.
The nursing homes instituted more severe restrictions.
Local restaurants asked patrons to 'order out' and not eat in.

I spent most of the night awake even though I was tired.

How was our life going to change?
I didn't have to really wonder very much. Things were going to be a crapshoot.

I felt pretty lucky. Spring was coming.
Foraging in the woods would be a wonderful way to get exercise and fresh wild veggies.

~~~~~
And as always. Things are rapidly changing again today, Sunday.
The schools are closed now and won't extend until Wednesday.
A tent is being set up to triage people in the hospital parking lot.

I am done being a part of the madness. I am going to actively become isolated for my husband's sake.