A Winter Walk

Oh, hello! It's been a while, once again. There are so many places I could begin. How about we just take a walk and catch up?
 

Here's where my morning generally starts, with a loop on our customary dog-walking route. After dashing across the busy road at the end of the block, we set off through this tunnel of trees. When the branches are all laden with snow, you'd think you were headed straight to Narnia. It has looked like this more often than not for the past few weeks. We've been having gloriously snowy weather.

My companions enjoy the snow as much as I do.

Bella Big-Tongue

Maisie Snow-Beard

At the end of the tunnel we come to this open stretch. Not Narnia after all, just a path along the powerlines.

I realize that I often edit the powerlines out of the photos I take on this route. But they are part of the story, this accessible piece of wild land so near my house and surrounded by roads and development.

I am more likely to point my camera toward this view, which looks far more remote than it actually is.

Or to zoom in on some small detail, removing the context of the wider view.

But it's hard to avoid the abundance of wires. And somehow in the stark black and white of these winter scenes, and as a straight-line contrast to all the graceful curves of the snow, the lines finally found their way into some photos. I find that I like the effect.

 

Occasionally Nick joins us for the morning walk. Here he is on one recent morning when the snow was falling fast and thick.

We continue on, skirting a marshy area that's only navigable when it's frozen and covered with a deep layer of snow. With both those conditions met, we ventured out across it a few times last week.

Nick dressed Bella for the blizzard, feeling that she should carry a few extra supplies.
Maisie, unencumbered and energized as usual, breaks trail.

Soon we emerge from the "wilderness" and carry on by way of the sidewalk. One more dash through the traffic and we're home. The house waits for us under its blanket of snow.

The chickens, meanwhile, bide their time in the snowy coop. I imagine they're dreaming of green grass and garden treats as I bring them water and toss in some scratch.

Though the frisbee is likely buried somewhere in the backyard under the previous night's snowfall, Maisie will surely find it and request some playtime before we head inside.

Hope you enjoyed the walk - it was a pleasure to have you along! Having reassured you that I have not, in fact, been spirited off to an enchanted kingdom or even just gotten buried in a snowdrift in the months since I've last posted, I'll do my best to return here soon and fill you in on a few more of the recent goings-on!