The trail through the trees was packed down but not a soul had ventured out onto the lake. That trail was drifted over in the open areas and covered in four inches of soft snow where it bordered the tree line.
I had to break trail today. That is always easier done with trekking poles but I was not about to turn back. The pristine, sparkling snow was calling me.
I attempted to remember where the packed trail was but did find myself in snow up to my knees when I mistakenly stepped off the beaten track. That's where the poles would have come in handy.
The sun made the snow sparkle like a million mini crystals. My tracks were the only human ones visible but there many animal tracks that crisscrossed the landscape.
It was evident that the deer, moose and hares were out and about. There were tracks of smaller creatures that ventured out of the forest and onto the lake; looking for twigs, grasses and seeds to nibble. There was evidence of dog and cat-like tracks that appeared to belong to hunters looking for smaller mammals.
I didn't see any animals today but the birds were out. The chickadees were singing their 'cheeseburger' songs in the willow thickets. The ravens were calling in the treetops and a grouse was rummaging for food in the underbrush.
The entire trek left me exhausted; in a good way. It was quiet and peaceful. It was rejuvenating. After a number of grey, snowy days, it was fantastic to see the sun and the clear, blue sky.
I got home and didn't want to spend the rest of the morning inside so I fed my backyard bird friends. I went in only long enough to make a cup of coffee which I then enjoyed on the back deck, in the sunshine, watching the action at the bird feeders.
That was the perfect ending to a perfect morning.
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