More snowy pix

Cue the birds-

And morning has broken and Lola did not become totally covered by the snow....  this children, is a good thing.

This is actually an afternoon pic, but who's to know??

Meanwhile, the Mad-Art Teacher is attempting to get out to her horse and has to shovel Mt Everest out of the way to get to the path that she can again teeter around on and fall up to her knees at least 2 times before she gets to the barn.  By the way, you forgot to remind me to take the shovel out this morning and it was quite the trek to get there.  But you know me I am tenacious!

Shoveled and target is in sight.

 The reason for Mount Everest is of course our truly wonderful snowplow crew who came AGAIN this morning to break through the drifts that formed.  These people are worth their weight in gold this year.  We have a spectacular township when it comes to snow plowing (says the woman whose house is at the beginning of the snowplow route! :) ) Actually though, they do a fantastic job and show up before I am even up in the morning during the week.  Hard working peeps!

Since I have been sitting around for the past 3 days, voiceless, I decided that enough was enough and I had to go for a walk.  A snowshoe session was in order to shake loose the cobwebs and rev up the day. 

A lovely day with scattered clouds and sunshine

 So with scavenged camera in hand (and obsessively checked for everytime I tucked it away in my pocket), I went off on the "trail" that used to be clearly marked.  It was pretty easy to follow once I got into the woods, but it was not easy walking.  It snowed a lot, in case you didn't get the memo!  :)

this is one of those things that looks really cool in person and doesn't quite translate in photo form

So once I got to the edge of the woods, I found the path was actually being used! The deer have their own version of I-90 through the forest. Crazy deer.

Entrance to the woods road

 So even though it looks like the dead of winter, I have seen some signs of spring- or felt them.  I heard the chickadees making some of their spring calls.  They do change their vocalizations as spring gets closer.  Plus I saw the flocks of ravens flying around....  (no pix of that)

I'm sort of obsessed with the shadows on the snow on the trail

 And though it looks like it is -20, the wind felt relatively warm.  I said relatively, this wasn't tropical and I'm grasping at things for the effect of optimism.  Certainly we can all work together to perpetuate this fantasy, right??

Curves in the path is quite enticing- I always want to go around that next turn.

 I headed toward the cabin, stopping to take photos occasionally, listening only to my own thoughts and the wind and the birds and the occasional snowmobile on the nearby Tuscobia Trail.

This was just beautiful framed by the trees and grasses 

This is where the deer decided to stop using the former sled and snowshoe path as a thoroughfare and off I ventured.

LOVE these shadows

The shadows are just amazing at this time of the year under these conditions. I know I have had similar pictures, but they still spark my interest.  I can't not take these shots.

Webs of snow

The cabin shrouded in snow,  no recent tracks or signs of life yet!

 So I made it to the cabin and as I attempted to go one step beyond the trail, down to my knees I sunk in snowshoes.  This was a sign- to turn around!  I obeyed the signs this time!   So off I trudged back home to feed the horse and shovel out in front of the horse barn door.  Not to mention the second Mount Everest that was now piled up in front of the snowpath to the house.

This spot is my favorite snow photography location.  

Kinda cool how you can see the snowshoe tracks and the poles marks!!

It was one of those "If you can't beat them, join them" sort of days.  It snowed, so go snowshoeing.  Or skiing or maybe snowmobiling, but I like the quieter sorts of sports.

And as the forecast calls for some wicked cold coming our way, we are going to have to dig deep to find ways to stay upbeat and joyful as we face some more temps that are well below normal- again- still- yet.

But we Northern Wisconsin types are a persistent lot and we will find our joy!!  Because, you guys, spring IS on it's way!!