Dog Day Sunday

Text: Hey, would you like to join us sledding?
Answer: Absolutely!

My young neighbors went out to do some sledding. Unfortunately, the adult in me had to stay indoors and fix someone an early lunch. When I got dressed and ran outside, I could hear that the sledding up on the ridge had ended. 
Little kids don't tolerate a lot of sledding like teens do. 

I texted back that sorry I was too late, but they had given me the idea to go sledding anyway.

I grabbed my old plastic sled. Charlie decided to come along for the adventure. What a dog!

The snow was deep enough even with the warm temps that he had to do the Charlie Leap to get through the snow.

We hiked across the ridge cropland out to where there is a gentle slope with no obstacles other than perhaps some long grasses and corn stalks in the contour strips. I picked the waterway that is left as grass in the summer. Linda cut it and baled it the fall so it was a perfect gentle hill.

The first pass was rather disappointing as you have to make a trail before getting a good go at it.

The second was great and I put Charlie in my lap. The ride down the cropland slope lasted at least 30 seconds.
Since the snow is so deep Charlie elected to ride with me and by the 4th trip he didn't even try to jump out.

The walk back to home was nice too. Charlie was worn out from Snow Leaping. When we got inside, he immediately curled up on the couch and went to sleep.

All that fresh air and walking back up the long hill made for a very good night's sleep.

Friday all day

Most mornings, Charlie and I go up through the woods and take a round about way to go get the previous day's mail. We get out for fresh air and take our time following trails that the deer and other critters make.
Sometimes it requires rerouting because of the underbrush and low limbs. 

Charlie is on the look out for squirrels, he loves the chase but generally loses them in seconds.

Hey, I give the guy an A+ for effort anyway.

Later on in the day after doing chores and the usual stuff we went for a second walk. I get cabin fever if I am stuck in the house all day. 
I chose to hike across the snowy crop fields and down to the tree pictured below.

 

I was looking to get out of the thick woods for a bit and see just what it looked like from the huge dip in the field.

Charlie wasn't in a hurry to go anywhere. He was checking for mice, I think.

The walk was rather uneventful and by the time we got down by the old oaks, I was warm enough to take off my hat and scarf.
The hollow blocked the northeast wind and the sun was extremely warm. Things were melting all around us and in places I could see corn stalks and parts of the soy bean plants from last year.

The temperature when I left the house was 16 F.

This area of the cropland is called a 'waterway'. It is left with grasses and plants growing all year round and when there is a hard rain, the water runs through the grasses and trees which slows down erosion.

I marveled at how warm I was and after admiring the large twisted oak's shadows, we headed north and towards the top of the ridge to cool off.

We walked up the waterway in the shot shown above. By the time I reached the ridgetop, I had to put my hat, scarf, and gloves back on.

We crossed into another field that had been planted in corn last year. I hope they rotate to soy beans this spring. I love coming here in the summer to watch the sun come up.

It an was interesting hike. I plan to go back and explore more of the field to the east of this spot. If my memory is correct, the farmers who once lived here would park their old machinery in the the woods on the edges of the fields. 

I wonder what I might find?