First Snow

We were all sort of down in the dumps and needing a break, so what better than a romp in the snow? Domino has been thinking that snow is something you walk around so Charm was anxious to show him what fun it can be.

Because there is nothing Charm loves more than dashing through the snow...

So Domino gave it his best shot...

Which led to lots of wrestling and playing.

That kept them noisily occupied so I could enjoy a walk.

And the beginnings of the winter wonderland to come.

Pretty soon Domino got the hang of the snow.

Always watching the woods for any sign of squirrels.

The sky was filled with honks as we walked.

As we approached the lake the honks were joined to the flocks of geese flying over.

But Domino was more interesting in snuffling through the snow.

The lake gets so stark this time of year.

We climbed carefully to the top as the path becomes a little treacherous in the snow.

And the only green to be seen was the moss along the tree line.

Of course treacherous footing never slows down Domino.

The climb was worth it, but we could not linger because the sun dropped so quickly.

And soon the trees were silhouettes against the sunset.

We set off home, stopping here and there to examine the tracks left behind by rabbits.

And the smaller things that share the forest.

Stocking up on firewood and collecting dogs, we chalked up another walk...another first snow. Missing one member who would have loved it but enjoying first times with Domino. We miss you Ripley.

Memorial for Ripley

It warms me many times over...

With the sun out and some warmer temperatures on tap for the day, we were off for a walk with a mission.

It's that time of year when we set off on our adventures with wood bag in hand with kindling in mind.



With foresight I left the fallen branches from the early fall storms and now they are a harvest to start the winter fires at home.

The dogs were in high spirits after a week of frigid winds which kept us all indoors. They dashed through the woods while I lingered to snap photos and crack branches into pieces to stow in my bag.

The forest was filled with the sound of woodpeckers searching for the grubs who have buried themselves in the trees.

In the distance are gunshots marking the opening day of deer hunting, but I think our hunting is of a more wholesome kind.

I have never let the hunters drive me from my outdoor pursuits. It is always a counterpoint to my experience in the forest. They boast of their deadly harvest...but I have harvested things all year long from the forest that fill the soul and not the stomach or ego.

I have never had to open a beer to enjoy it, or been driven to sit in groups to savor it.

Just me and dogs forever in tune with the seasons.

So we enjoy the crunch of the forest, our branch gathering clearing the trail as we go.

Its an endless harvest with no season.

Old man willow has dropped his leaves at last. He is so ancient I cannot even begin to imagine at what point in time he established himself beside the lake. His leaves lay in reams on the water.

The water in the lake has that odd thickened quality. The river has ice on it already, so I imagine the lake is getting ready to begin spinning its own ice soon.

Domino snorts through the leaves checking every nook and cranny for mice or shrews...on his own hunting venture. He reluctantly obeys my occasional "leave its" as we climb.

The higher we climb the more the wind hits us but we are all warmed by the climb itself.

The first rays of the setting sun igniting bits and pieces of the climb.

Domino who has spent many a hour in front of a roaring fire or bundled under a blanket, relishes the chilly air.

He and Charm are zigzagging flashes of black and white along all the offshoot trails.

We reach the top in the best of the day's light.

And spend some time in the miniature meadows, navigating fallen branches as we go.

The joy of just being out outweighs the wind nipping at ears.

We stayed longer than I intended and with some reluctance dogs were recalled for the hike back.

The sun plunging quickly these days.

We retrieved our wood bag and headed back to feed the trout who were waiting patiently.

I loaded the car with as much firewood as it would hold and my bag filled with sticks and off we went to enjoy the fruits of our harvest.

Domino rested his head on my leg while I coaxed our kindling into a fire. He sighed in such contentment that it made me think of all those centuries that people have performed this task...building a fire while the dog lays by...sort of a primordial satisfaction as the first crackling begins. The best sort of fires are the kind you make from scratch. They warm you many times over.

All in good fun

After spending major time playing with Fable, who is the cutest cat I swear...the sun dragged us out into the chilly temperatures and chillier winds for a long needed hike.

I was bundled up and the pits were raring to run and so we were off.

The forest is all shades of browns and golds with only a few accent pieces thrown in.

The trail is inches of crunchy leaves that make one slow down long enough to enjoy the smells from kicking through them.

This time of year always brings out nature's more sculptural talents.

Odd little abstract pieces.

It is like walking through an art gallery where everything is suspended on invisible wires.

And slightly expressionist in its impact.

The few hold outs of color are few and far between and offer a joyful contrast against a forest buried in monotones.

The dogs dashed ahead, so excited to be out after the miserable weather of the past few days.

They ran through the woods in such dizzying, death defying spurts, that I turned my attention to the view through my lens.

Where the wind has torn away most of the fluff and left only skeletons behind.

We travel fast these days without Ripley. I still stop to listen for the sound of her huff huffing up behind us, but then maybe she is, in spirit.

Domino surprises Charm in a sneak ambush.

Well at least they both got a few laughs out of it.

The breezes on top of the cliffs that once were so welcome on a hot summer day are now forceful hints for us to be on our way.

The bare trees are slowly giving up the solitude of the forest and revealing the surrounding neighborhoods.

What once seemed vast distances are shrinking.

So off we were down the trail to load yet another load of firewood up. Happy dogs who most thoroughly shook off the doldrums of some dreary rainy days.