Colors of Winter

No matter how busy one is, sometimes living is more important than the perpetual "to do" list. The sun came out and despite some nippy temperatures, we were out in it.

Domino whined in the car the whole way, twitching the way Domino does when he is anxious to be out.

But after all the miserable weather we have been having, I didn't blame him much for wanting to be out. Everything in perspective, so to speak.

The trail had the consistency of walking through deep sand and it wore all of us out. We lost sense of distance quickly.

Fresh air and sunshine wiped away the cold for a long while and doggy grins agreed.

The snow had become crystals whose edges melted in the reflected sunlight.

The forest has that ragged appearance with deadfall and bark stripped away by the winter storms.

The few enduring leaves of fall glow in the sun, their skins like satin.

The forest has revealed all the nests once hidden by the canopy.

And strange still-lifes hang suspended in unusual places.

The dogs stop a moment to try to locate the source of a woodpecker's knocking.

So I linger a moment listening and snap photos of the odd little flowers formed by the fallen seeds.

Until I finally pinpoint which tree the woodpecker is in.

We meander off on our walk and my camera cannot capture the immense size of the trees.

We finally reach the lake which is covered with snow and deer tracks.

We are all worn out by then and even Domino walks in my footsteps for awhile.

The lake pools the sunlight which is dropping from the forest too quickly.

We continue on around, stopping to check deer beds along the edge and the dogs listen to my warnings about the ice.

Everywhere winter has sculpted whimsical shapes and caps of snow.

And painted things in colors none of us could put together.

No art class ever taught shape and movement as well as nature.

Is it all in the simplicity or all in the complexity?

Maybe nature is all about situational art...moments where things come to rest precariously.

Masterpieces of one moment, memories in the next.

Or maybe it is merely art in motion.

Whatever the case may be...I think it energizes the soul and brings so much joy to hearts...I can think of no better cure for whatever ails you.

So with fingers numb from the cold and the dogs looking forward to a warm car ride home, I realized how amazing that taking time to be out in nature just revitalizes my outlook like nothing else can. It's like there is something in the air in a forest that seeps into you and lingers long after you leave it behind.