Happy day

This photo showed up in my cell phone's memories of February 2018. This was one of the last times he was able to use his beloved skid steer. 

His smile was infectious. Plus he was a an awesome plow guy!

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So Monday my friend Pat said she was ready to go with me on a snowshoe adventure. Off we went. 

 Charlie led on the trail below the caves.

It was quite a feat climbing the steep hill in snowshoes, but it would have been worse without the extra traction.

The warm weather last week did do a number on the ice sheets, but I am always impressed by them. I never fail to think Wow when I see them.

I convinced Pat to climb up into them with me. It took a little coaxing, but she was brave and did it.

Here she is taking a picture of me while I am taking a picture of her. 

Her photo gives one a clue as to how large these formations actually are. You can barely see me behind some of the ice.

We trekked some more in the area and then headed back to the parking area. I then took her to the biggest Ice Cave in the area at Wildcat State Park. It was only a few minutes away.

Again, the warm weather last week didn't make the ice formation look as beautiful, but it was still quite impressive.

I nabbed the following shots from Pat's FB post. I had no idea she was taking shots of me.
Apparently this is my best side. 

Here is Charlie and I going around to the back of the ice at the large ice formation at Wildcat. I look positively tiny!

This is what I found with my camera on the backside. The sunlight coming through the ice gives off oddly beautiful shades of green and blue I assume from the minerals in the ice.

I was hooked on looking for ice in the winter the very first time I saw these strange colors and beautiful shapes.

Multicolored ice is more common than one would think.  Here is a photo from two years ago in another location. Note the colors in the ice. 

I imagine it is from the clay, the limestone, and the dirt the ice absorbed? 

I know there is a lot of crap going on in the world today. But I had to choose nature to go out and find the joy that it brings me. And I got to share it with a friend.

So it was a happy day.

I stayed home sort of

We had some very heavy and wet snow late Thursday through Friday mornings. Enough so that our county actually closed a couple of roads due to accidents. 

I knew it would be a while before our driveway got plowed out. Frank and his red truck showed up and Charlie gave the alarm.

I enjoyed seeing the snow once more as things were getting pretty dull around here. I shoveled a path for the boss dog to get out and do his business without trying to snow swim and did the chores early so the gals had plenty to eat.

They ate, took snow baths, and then slept in the sunlight when it cleared up.

Charlie and I decided to make use of my snowshoes and check out our woods.

When we hit the back pasture, Charlie took off running and bounding through the snow. He literally charged along.

I followed at a slower pace but kept him within eyesight.

 Our planned short walk became a long walk. 

We headed to the valley and the creek to just check things out. I learned to snowshoe on this land with all sorts of obstacles since this wild wood has no groomed trails.

Charlie is relentless and full of energy while we are in the wooded areas. He leads along the routes we've taken all of his life and seems to know exactly where we should be going. Sometimes, I just let him pick the route.

One would think he'd get cold right away with snow up to his chest and walking through the creek. That is rather rare for him. 

The temps have to be below 10 F for his back feet to get cold. He has a water repellent thick hound dog coat which keeps him insulated. 

He'll actually sit in the snow to wait for me when he gets ahead.

We followed the valley and came to the snowmobile trail. It hasn't been groomed or used all year long. But it is an old logging road that is nice and wide. We chose to go up that 1/2 mile climb to get to the ridge and circle around to go back home.

Charlie found deer tracks and gave them a good once over as he headed up the hill.

I followed, very happy that I'd chosen to use my snowshoes.

It was interesting when we got to the ridge. The fields that for years had been corn and soy beans were rotated to hay last year. The fields were snow covered but at one point as we were coming across the field it looked like this.

It was as if the sky and the land were almost one...except for the clouds moving in.

The deer had been out digging for food. We saw coyote tracks along with a trail going down into a sink hole where the racoon den up.

This was probably the hardest leg of our hike. Open fields, snow, sky, clouds moving in, and cold winds in our face.

The valley had protected us from the winds.

We made it to the road and I took off the snowshoes and we went home. I had a cup of hot chocolate and Charlie got a treat.

This past week I purchased a 'dog stroller' for Charlie. Eventually, he won't be able to do long walks with me but he still will want to go just like Morris did in his elder years. 

So I figured we'd eventually use this to walk on the easier paved and graveled roads. He does drag his feet on those trails so ... here it is....

And this is the look I got. If this doesn't make you laugh, I don't know what will!

I crossed a line

 My GPS said, 
"You are now entering Iowa."

Well, I knew that, I was on my way to a State Park just over the border called Pike's Peak. Iowa's State Parks do no require a fee to enter. I don't know how they do that but I'd noticed on my map that it was almost directly across from Wyalusing State Park on the Wisconsin side.

If you can se that bump across the river, that was where I was standing in October, November, and January gazing out at the confluence of the Mississippi and the Wisconsin Rivers. 

I did a search of State Parks in my area and ended up with Pike's Peak which advertised a few really cool things to see. One being a few lookout areas over the rivers from 500 feet above them.

What better time to go exploring than on a slightly chilly day during the week. I'd left Charlie at home, he'd gone with me on Wednesday exploring the Reserve. I wanted to change things up and I let him have a recovery day while I got the low down on the State Park.

Dogs are welcome on a leash. So he can go next time. 

This was an expedition for me. I haven't gone this far from home for a hike or anything in more years than I can recall.

Across the rivers where that hump is in the distance is the Wyalusing State Park. In fact here is a long lens shot of the look out at Wyalusing. I was able to actually see the rock wall they put up for safety and the bench one can sit at and view Iowa.

Here is the shot of the Wyalusing Lookout with my long lens.

Photo of one of my grand kids in 2016 taking a photo at the Wyalusing Lookout.

I studied the map and then I decided to go ahead and follow the well marked trails and explore.

There is a really nice walkway that was built so that people wouldn't end up going on the bluff and falling 500 feet.

Going down.

Looking back up.

Bridal's Veil Falls

Overlooking the gorge.

Apparently during the summer and also during the frigid weather, this is spectacular. It still was worth the hike there and to listen to the sound of the water flowing.

This area is very steep and has built in wooden stairs with a railing to help going up and down in this section.

For most of the rest of the hike, I just followed the Hickory Ridge Mound trail to the end and circled back to join up with the Weeping Rock Trail to the parking area. 

The clouds started moving in and the temps started to drop so I decided to eat my snack and put this down for a revisit on another day. This map below is just a small part of this park.

For a point of interest. The Hickory Ridge Mound Trail circles burial mounds and one of them is in the shape of a bear if seen from 40 feet up. I would have loved to have seen that.

As you can see from the map below, there is a lot more to explore. This is the northern half of this park.

There will be quite a bit more to see this year. I've added one more State Park that is only an hour from my house. 
There are 4 that I've visited so far. There are 3 more within decent driving distance on either side of the river to explore. This doesn't include the numerous State Natural Areas that dot this part of Wisconsin.

The line I crossed was different this time. This is the first time I've gone off to a place that was not only in another state [yes we have close borders] but it felt like I broke through something that had been holding me back for so many years.

It was an overwhelming sense of freedom -- intense joy -- intense anxiety -- and intense sense of well being and peace. 

I chose where to go, what to do, and had no worries about time constraints. 

Holding onto that feeling has felt very good. Sure, it will fade. But for the moment, I'll take it.

"You are now entering Iowa" changed everything. Such a simple and strange way for it to happen.

I say.

Go for it

The Gremlin

Her Daddy calls her 'Martian'.

This is my youngest son, his name is Jeremie.  I call him Jer and this weekend I called him Daddy so Mari --- Amari, could figure out who I was talking to. He isn't her real Daddy, but he has been caring for her since she was born. 

She is the daughter of his fiancé. 

They don't really celebrate Valentine's Day. Jer suggested giving Mom a weekend off. He came Saturday night and we watched a movie he picked out.

Sunday, he asked what I wanted to do and I asked if he'd like to go 'hiking'. He does like hiking and we got the Reserve by 8am.

The day was going to be record breaking warm, so we got there before the temperatures rose and made the trails into slimy messes.

Mari usually wakes up very early. Like really early. 4:30 am early. I sent Jer back to bed. Afterall I'm a pretty good Grandma and I adore kids.

Mari and Charlie hit it off. He is such a kind hearted dog. Jer, who prefers cats also fell for Charlie. He quipped that he could so love to take Charlie home with him. 

Um. No. 

Here Jer is showing Mari a Pileated Woodpecker hole in a tree. Five year olds are curious about everything.

Mari has boundless energy and curiosity.  Jer and Emily, are taking her to one of the University Clinics to be tested for her neurodiversity issues this month.

I'd hiked this trail on Friday and knew it would be a perfect place to go on Sunday.

We found ice flows and explored bluffs together. We went to this ice flow or ice falls. Mari climbed up above and pretended to hide behind the tree. I was so happy that she stayed there while I got a photo of her and the flow.

Then Daddy convinced her to do this. 20 second slo mo of her first Ice Slide.

Just having fun....

The Kickapoo River was mostly frozen solid and of course my 'kid' wanted to see how far out he could go. I yelled at him. It is what mom's do even when their kids are no longer kids. And of course he didn't listen to me. However he did not fall through.

Jer and I sat on the porch later and watched Mari explore the yard and run back and forth. Fresh air, dirt, running, and hollering are all kid activities. 

So Mari didn't want to take a bath Sunday night. She was absolutely not having it. All she wanted to do was cry, moan, and say that she wanted to go home. Kids get that way when they are tired.

I asked her if she wanted to take a bath with Charlie. 

That changed her mind. 

So after she got in the bath, I picked up Charlie and put in in the water. Charlie played statue while Mari took a washcloth to him and rubbed his back and head. Charlie gave me 'the look'. I let him be in there for a few minutes and then took him out.

That was the trick. One happy bather, one unhappy dog. One clean 5 yr old.

For all the lead up and advertising for Valentine's Day finally had gotten to me. Even at the gym, it was the subject of the day in conversation. As the only 'widow' there I just was quiet.

Jer and the little Gremlin were exactly what I needed to distract me and make me laugh. 

I disconnected from the digital-interweb-internet- world for a couple of days. It was a good break.

 

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.