Winter Adventures

     The new year is supposed to start off cold so I've been trying to enjoy this unseasonably warm weather as much as I can before the numbers of layers needed makes walking near impossible. Today that meant pulling on heavy boots and heading into the woods to look for turkey tale and Usnia scouting (of which I found none, unfortunately). Surprisingly, my parent's old dog-- although forever a puppy-- followed me out.

 

Red Squirrel paw prints. There's only one section where I've ever seen them in the woods; everywhere else there are only Grey Squirrels

Ash trees bowed by an ice storm years ago

A stand of noble White Pines



   Finally got a self-portrait with him, he doesn't get many chances to go out past the fields, even though he has the freedom too. In the end it started to rain and I was almost dragged back to the house. He kept turning around to make sure I was still following him.

The path goes around and over the drumlin, and has a loop that runs across the top through stands of white and red pines, as well as Norway spruce and the odd hemlock trees and a few large larches.

Deer paths are the best for spontaneous adventures here.

Even found some yellow slime moulds!

 

      It's been going slow, but the beacons are coming along. I hope to finish the third tomorrow, and the fourth by the weekend at least. I'm also working on opening an Etsy shop to sell photo and art prints, as well as some other exciting things (an orange-rose lip balm proved to be a huge hit over the holidays, not to toot my own horn but it's the best I've ever used!). However, the decision will come down to finances and stuff, and the final choice will come out in the next few days with any luck!
     Finally, here's a slice of summer from my internship. I hope everyone had a wonderful Solstice/Yule/Christmas if you celebrate and has been staying warm and illness free!