Winter Hike

Friday we took the day off from school since we were four days ahead.  We were all sick of being indoors due to the weather so we decided to take a hike.  It was in the forties but we bundled up and made our way to a hiking spot by a lake.  I was freezing when we first started, but very quickly warmed up, unzipped the jacket and the gloves came off.  It was perfect! 

It was such a different look from the last time we went on a hike.  Our last hike was in the fall and this hike was the dead of winter.  There was not much color, but I found beauty in what we saw.  And I did see a little bit of color here and there.

There were birds everywhere! Of course what caught my eye were the cardinals and the red-headed woodpecker.  The cardinals teased me all along our hike because I never could get close enough to get a good shot.  Both the cardinal and woodpecker are native to this lake area.

As we got deeper into the woods we started seeing tracks.  We assumed they were deer tracks, raccoon tracks and coyote tracks.  Later we did found out these are all listed as wildlife in this park.

It was after we started seeing all the tracks that the hike became very quiet and slow.  We walked without talking hoping to run into wildlife.  We all walked in a single file line trying to avoid the leaves on the sides.
I had just whispered, "I can't believe we have not run across any wildlife", when two deer ran in front of us about forty yards away.  Brant saw them and whispered loudly, but I only saw their tails.  The boys were too short to see anything.  BUT we were all on alert now.  The walk remained very quiet and we all walked as if we were hunting to kill.
Killing was not really on our minds(OK maybe Brant's), we just wanted to see some deer.  Some wildlife!!  It was the quietest I have ever seen the boys.   We never saw anymore deer or any other type of wildlife for that matter, but they were out there.  We came across track after track.  Fresh tracks too!  And even this nice little spot to potty.  No we did not use it, but I am sure that is what it is for.  Besides that I just thought it would make a nice picture.

I continued to find beauty in the woods on this cold, dreary winter day.  Beauty all created by God.

Although we were not indoors having school we were outdoors learning all about nature.  Seeing it first hand, touching it, smelling it and walking all through it.  It was an almost 3 mile hike going up and down so needless to say the boys were tired.  But we all enjoyed our time being outdoors.  I was not keen from the beginning on taking a hike, but am so happy I went.  We hope to make it to the other side for a longer hike soon.