February 6

Thursday, Remi and I hiked at Forest Hill Nature Area where the sky was mostly cloudy and the snow was deep. After putting on my snowshoes, I started on the north trail where I spotted a Cooper’s hawk flying north from Mallard Marsh. According to my new, hand-held weather monitor, the early morning temperature was 10 degrees and the wind varied between 3-6 mph out of the southwest. Today, given the harshness of the winter, I decided to envision what things were like last summer. Pausing at the crest of the hill, I glanced west at the white landscape while recalling how different it looked then. At Mallard Marsh, I noticed the ice-covered surface and again imagined what it looked like last summer. I trudged through a silent Bobolink Meadow where some of the snow drifts were two feet high. Entering North Woods, I crossed a fresh deer trail and arrived at the boardwalk where I thought about the vernal pond that was there last summer. Exiting the woods, I turned west and followed the trail around Succession Field while remembering this same trail last September. Turning east, I hiked through the stand of white birch and also imagined what this path was like back then. Turning into South Woods, I came to the edge of Swanson Swamp and recalled standing at this same spot last summer. Also, I spotted a fresh hole in an Ash tree made by a Pileated Woodpecker. I exited the woods, passed Artist Overlook and followed the south trail around to the east side of Sora Swale where I remembered this vista from last summer. Further along, I came across a patch of grass that had been cleared of snow by a deer pawing for anything green. Turning at Frog Fen, I came to the entrance to Brady Cemetery and recalled this very sight last summer. I turned north into Native Grassland where I saw a deer running east to west toward Frog Fen. Then, I came to frozen Grebe Pond where I thought about what this scene was like back in July. I continued north toward the barn where I remembered this view in the warmth and lushness of summer. Finally, I came to the car to warm up and head home thinking of spring.

Drifting snow grips the meadow

Old man winter has come to stay

Silence sweeps the forest edge

All the robins have gone away

North wind brings arctic air

Ice conceals a verdant pond

Muskrats hide in their mounds

A crow calls from far beyond

In the middle of a cedar swamp

Sheltered from the bitter chill

Steam rising from its nostrils

A Whitetail deer stands still

D. DeGraaf