Thursday, February 11, 2010

Now It's Really Winter

Yesterday we got eight and a half inches of snow. That's the same as about twenty one and a half centimeters to all of you who are outside The United States. Up until now we've had a mild winter where I live. Now with this last snowfall winter is really here.

Winter was very easy before this, but now it looks a little more like it did last year. This big snowfall was probably inevitable. And who knows, we might get a lot more before winter is done. And I have to say that I still enjoy it! I've been waiting for this to happen, and now it's finally here!

I wanted to know if I'd still enjoy winter this year, even after we got a good amount of snow accumulation. I do. I really do! It may look bleak and cold in the pictures, but there is so much to see that you'll never be able to see at any other time of year! Just the animal tracks are worth it. We don't see the animals, but we see where they go!

In all honesty the snow on my short hiking trails is very deep right now, and it is very difficult to walk through without the proper equipment. I only use my boots with some ice cleats strapped to them. I usually won't slip and fall, but I'll still sink into the deep snow. Sharkbytes can tell you what you should really use for walking in the snow if you ask her nicely.

Nature Center

In just my boots the snow is difficult to wade through. I got tired very quickly as I slogged through these trails of my smallest nature park. The only solution was to walk a little bit slower and to step in the few footprints that were already there. I also took breaks frequently, but my ankles still ached from my trek through this deep white stuff. It was absolutely great! I loved it!

This last picture is the meadow area in the back of the park. This is the first time this year that it looked this white on the ground here. The tall grass grows in tight clumps back here, and in the winter it looks like small hills all over the meadow. It takes a lot of snow to cover those hills. This time it was enough to do it.

When I was a kid my state of Michigan was known as The Winter Wonderland. It seemed to slowly lose that nickname over the years as the winters slowly got milder. I remember one year that it was as warm as spring most of the winter while it was cold all around our state. It seems that in the past several years winter is making a comeback.

I loved those warm years, but I always missed our winter wonderland. Now that it's back I'm going to enjoy it as much as I can. Spring is not very far away, so I have to appreciate this while it's still here. This extra snow will make spring even better when it gets here. Spring, winter, I love them both. And then comes summer, and fall, and...

11 comments:

  1. Yes, winter is here..It's cold but watching the children having fun snow fighting and building igloo is really amazing..

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  2. Yeah! Snow! It's so much prettier and you can see so many more signs of animal activity with a good covering of snow! And, as Icy BC said, it's much more fun!

    I read an article years ago that said the Detroit area gets about the least precipitation in MI. It's the lake effect—the west to east prevailing winds pick up moisture from Lake Michigan, but usually dump it before it gets all the way across the state.

    So, if you really want snow, head west to the lake!

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  3. According the Chinese calender, as when we celebrate Lunar New Year, Spring is back.

    Yes yes yes!!!! We are going to celebrate this new year this coming Sunday.

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  4. Ratty, you need to go and pick up some aluminum snowshoes..they are light and wonderful to walk about in the snow with...you can get skipoles to go with them and you will be all set...you will be SO glad you got them as you can go anywhere off the trails with them in the snow! And we still call the U.P. the true winter wonderland of Michigan....!!

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  5. Here in Tacoma we are fortunate that winter so far has been just gray and damp, per usual. I am So glad I moved from the east coast to the west.

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  6. I wish I could share your enthusiasm for the white stuff but just can't do it. Glad you are enjoying it though. As for me bring on spring

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  7. Well for those of us, like me, who neve see snow it is glorious. Though trying to live in it day after day I guess would be difficult. You need some snow shoes Ratty.

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  8. Oh, I am so jealous! You got way more than we did. We have barely enough to make the skiing possible. But barely is better than not! And yes, it's so hard to walk through deep snow in just boots.

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  9. Since we don't get snow in my part of southern California EVER (I can see snow on the mountains of the Angeles National Forest and that's about it, I'm really enjoying virtually hiking with you this winter!

    NOTE: Okay, it doesn't NEVER snow in L.A. - this link tells you just how much it has snowed in the past 80 years. You might find it amusing: http://www.laalmanac.com/weather/we17.htm

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  10. wow!! we have a summer time now, very hot!! and we dont experience that snow yet :)

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  11. You're right, winter photos do look bleak and cold. But winter also gives you the chance to see the lay of the land better. Small streams, ravines, vernal pool wetlands, and other areas that may be obscured by leaves during the rest of the year come into sharp focus in winter. That enough is enough to get me out of my hibernation and into the snow during the cold months.

    The other benefit of getting out and hiking in winter is that there are fewer people brave enough to get out and enjoy nature when there is snow (other than skiers), so there is a real sense of solitude.

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