December 20

Tuesday, I resumed my hike on the Heartland Trail, heading east toward Alma. The early morning weather was foggy with a temperature of 32 degrees and no wind. Leaving the car on the edge of Winans Rd., I headed east, surrounded by a thick layer of ground fog caused by warmer moist air cooling and condensing over the cold snow. Plodding ahead through 8-inches of fresh snow, I spotted a variety of deer tracks including those made by heavier adults that sunk down deep as well as those made by lighter immature ones that did not. Further along, I noticed some coyote tracks. Even though from a single track I could not make out the lobe arrangement on the footpad that distinguishes it from a dog, I could tell by its overstep gait which creates a straight and narrow track pattern. Proceeding eastward, the snow-white path provided a good background to spot the small seeds that recently fell from a Hophornbeam tree, a Red Oak leaf with its u-shaped lobes and bristle tips as well as a purple stain from wild grape juice. After turning around at Luce Rd, I headed west where I could barely make out a rafter of about two-dozen wild turkeys walking through a farm field to the north. Continuing west as the path cut through a woodland, I noticed a disturbed area where several deer had bedded down last night. Just ahead, I paused to watch a melanistic Gray Squirrel perching motionless in the crotch of a tree. Nearby, I spotted the last vestiges of chlorophyll in a few leaves of Autumn Olive. Also, I noticed the accumulated snow made it easier to spot bird nests like this one. Still moving west, I came upon a birch tree with unusual bark color and concluded it was a rarely seen Chinese Red Birch. Finally, I got back to the car and headed home

Time once again

To recognize you

In gratitude

For all you do

For every plant

Your daily rays

For every creature

Warmth that stays

Star of the day

Orb of the sky

Sun of the heavens

Your solstice is nigh

D. DeGraaf