Snow Shoe..in'

The proper thing would have been to take skis right? It is so much easier to glide across the snow.

Well.

Not exactly.
Not when you are crossing creeks and jumping rocks or going over downed trees.

Then my backcountry snow shoes are much better. Though after crossing water, you have to get the ice/snow out of the cleats or they clog up. I carry a stick for that. I have my Kenosha pal to thank for that nice heavy walking stick he made for me.
I abuse it a lot.

Once out of the wind, it wasn't too bad. There were no tracks on the ridge or in the wide open pasture areas, but as I got closer to the creek I saw more trails.
The deer, coyote, raccoon, and all other animals were sharing the trails along the creek.

Hmmm, snow day! Schools were closed. The desk is frozen in place so I don't think I will be moving it any time soon.

I kept getting surprised at the reflections in the creek. The snow had covered all the rocks and gave the bottom a soft look.

This photo above is my favorite place of all the creek.

I walked to the snow mobile crossing and then turned around and headed home.

I think I could have spent hours walking about and just enjoying the beauty...

But we eventually have to return home and the duties that await us there....

Magical....

 

This is what it looked like when I went to the ridge to get the mail. Inches of snow had fallen and more was coming down hard. I stuck my hand into the driveway to measure. The snow went from my fingertips to my palm.

In my best guess-ta-mate, that would have been about 4 inches. According to the NOAA, we should have been done. However. We weren't. It didn't really bother me that much. It was a welcome change to the constant rain/warm/ice/sleet weather we had been having.

At the mailbox I ran into my neighbors. Lauren and family had been out with their cross country skis, so had their dog Basil!

Basil was going back to the house but had enjoyed her first x-country ski adventure.

Lauren said the snow was a bit sticky but it wasn't too bad. I ran home and got my skis and was greeted by Allie and Lauren. The guys had enough and had gone into the house also.

And off the gals went on a snowy New Year's Eve ski adventure.

Allie decided that she would like to lead and take me to *The Tunnel* in the trees.
I was game and told her to go ahead.

She cautioned me that when we got into the trees I would have to crouch down and get low. It was like a secret cool place and she and her brothers had 'discovered' it.
I knew where she was going. I'd been through there before on my own but since it was her discovery, I was not going to ruin it by telling her I knew this trail already.

Besides, the snow had turned the box elders into fairy tale trees and the hush of the falling snow left only the swish swish of our skis to be heard.
And indeed....
It 
was
very
magical...

Hands down, this was one of my most enjoyable ski adventures yet.

Still Life on the Cheap

This is the spare bedroom. In the upper left corner is a fold up futon type bed. There is my basket of odd toys and other items.
The window is west facing and it lets in diffused light on cloudy days. I have black curtains on it for when the light is harsh, or I want to do some shots with a black backround.
On the floor is Charlie who is playing with an antler shed I found a few years ago.
I decided it was easier to have him underfoot than to having him upset at being in his crate while Rich was napping.
I collect old recycled things like the green bottle. In the summer I use old bottles and jars to put flowers in. They are my vases.

I put some Christmas lights in the bottle.

I played around with the two branches of fake pine.

It wasn't coming out exactly how I imagined it.

So I kept messing with it and decided to work some editing magic.

That was closer to what I wanted, but not anything that was super stellar

I gave things a rest and decided to go back later.
Note, the room is sort of a mess with things tossed all over.
Rich was awake and he and Charlie were watching Netflix, so I decided to try out some other ideas.

Colored pencils. Well, there you go. I just held them up in my hand and took a shot.
I worked with some ideas after the fact.

Still not anything I'd 'write' home about.

So back to the drawing board.

My favorite cracked cup.

Ahhhh....nope.

I liked this, a straight 'down' shot. The cup, the saucer and the little pitcher were all purchased for about a dollar at the flea market. The pages are from my pencil coloring book.
Nice...but...
I really wanted a different look and feel.

Edited with a preset for Vintage colors and a slightly white vignette.

This one I could live with.

~~ These are things I do when I can't get out to go hiking. I was waiting on more phone calls and watching the snow fall.