After a cold spell and tons of snow, the weather in upstate New York has temporarily turned milder. In fact, it's going to be unseasonably warm for the next week. This, of course, is reason for celebration--for myself and my four-legged pals. Dog walks aplenty!
While the pooches and I wandered the roads, paths and snowy trails near my home, I realized winter is, in many ways, the best way to enjoy the wildlife in the area. Without the lush veil of leaves, the trees reveal their secrets. I can see exactly where the squirrels nest in the high crooks of branches; I can more fully enjoy the fluttering variety of birds, who may not sing as much--conserving their energy for keeping warm--but dodge and dive from snowy pillar to post. I've learned to identify tracks in the snow. It's how I know to keep an eye out for the skunk who enjoys the shelter of my front porch. His distinct gait (little footprints with that tail-dragging line between them) leads right to the front step.
There's a reason the great poets often chose nature as a theme in their writing. Perhaps Ralph Waldo Emerson said it best when he opined,
“Who looks upon a river in a meditative hour, and is not reminded of the flux of all things?”
We are intricately entwined with our surroundings, but so often fail to notice it. Luckily we can remedy this--by simply taking a walk on a lovely winter morning, and noticing the beauty that abounds.
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