
A blustery day left me still wanting to get outside. The dogs sense this feeling and get all wound up. It was a good day to retrace a previous hike, from a few weeks before. That day the sun was never out and after wandering we went to return to our start and ended up traveling in the opposite direction. Not seeing any familiar landmarks I cut in a different direction hoping to hear the highway or road nearby. I cupped my ears and turned in all four directions before I could hear the faint sound of a truck. I assumed I was near the dirt road I had came in on until I walked out on a hill overlooking the highway. On a hunch I felt I needed to head to the right and found some lovely trails leading into a giant hay field. I followed the tractor trail and was soon in the backyard of someone's acreage. I stayed on the outside boundaries so as not to alarm anyone and found the gravel I came in on. I was happy not to encounter any pets since mine were running lose and I had not even brought a leash. Lily walks well on a leash, but Daisy has not been through class or had much training. She ran up and down the road until we came to the parking where I had left my car. I laughed how usually I might get going in the wrong direction when staring at the ground in search for morel mushrooms in the spring, but on this day marveling at all the beauty nature had to offer. I discussed this with a friend and in a week a package arrived. It had a compass for reading maps on a necklace and a book how to use it. Now if I remember to take it along I can avoid walking an extra two or three miles.


Water lily
Cat Tails from summer
Here follow us, we will lead the way.
That secret trail, the path to enter an new area.
An eye keeping watch over the pond.
Ice Monet, I shot lily pads here earlier in the year.
Perhaps the wrong shoes for a day on the ice, much better for riding horses.
Water Lily seed pod surrounded by deer hair
The edge of glaciation, do you see a figure?
Not much snow except in areas of deep woods where the sun doesn't get in directly.
The touch of green
In the middle of winter
Might be a treat when seen
By deer along the way.