On Sunday, the last day of a delightfully quiet winter break, I desperately wanted to go cross-country skiing. Thanks to some December rain, my yard is more grass than snow now, but an hour’s drive into the mountains solved that problem.
I kept an eye out for wildlife, but the best I could do were a few sets of snowshoe hare tracks leading into the trees.
Beech trees in winter always make me smile. They’re the last trees in the forest to give up their leaves, and to me, they always look like they forgot to change their clothes with the season.
Back at school today, I watched the clouds thicken outside the hallway windows. There’s a storm on the way, with another 6-12 inches of snow expected tomorrow. I know where I’ll be this weekend…
Those are such beautiful photos!
Pretty!
You know, we’ve always got snow and there are local trails. You can always come over here.
Snow. Cross country skiing. Upstate. Jealous jealous jealous. Last year we got all of 2 inches here in the DC area! We had a ton of rain last night and as I looked out at the sogginess I thought, “why couldn’t it have been snow?”
I doubt many of my neighbors share my sentiment.
But you inspire me. We just need to pack up the snow mittens and drive an hour west or an hour north. Voila, snow!
Thanks for the beautiful pics, a nice start to my day.
enough of your shameless flaunting of snow! enough, I say, you braggart!
Thanks! It was a lovely end to the vacation.
Oh I’d love that! Do you cross country ski? I love it but often fall down because I’m distracted by animal tracks and things…
Thanks! Yes, I’m in the minority with my snow-love, even here sometimes. But we’re getting another 6-12 inches as I type, and I couldn’t be happier.
Sorry…I guess you don’t want to know about the big fluffy flakes falling outside the window right now either then?
Grrr! I moved back to the East Coast for snow (well, not really, but it was certainly a perk i was looking forward to)! But the rains of Seattle have left Seattle and followed me here!
I bet it’s the powdery, sticky kind that’s great for snowballs, isn’t it?
*sigh*
Those are beautiful pictures! I admire your bravery taking a camera while you ski. I’ve only snapped off some pics with my cell phone camera and I want to do so much more while I’m out on the trails.
The solitude and beauty that you experience while cross country skiing is so awe inspiring that I often fall myself while gazing at some remarkable sight and completely forgetting to slow down. Unfortunately, or not depending on one’s view, my “home” nordic area is at Cypress Mountain just outside Vancouver BC and it tends to be quite hilly and icy. Inattention means humiliation and bruising as you skid sideways down a particularily steep run.
I’m hunkered down in my hotel room in Whistler while it rains today but I’m hoping to get out to the Olympic cross country site in the Callaghan Valley tomorrow. Maybe I can be brave and take something other than my cell phone to capture the moment.
*sigh* Thanks for reminding me what snow looks like. This winter insists on showing me rain over and over!
Beautiful
Those pictures are gorgeous. I so wish I was beside you.
I grew up in NY and lived in Chicago, as a transplanted Southern Californian I miss a snowy forest.
Thanks for sharing,
jill