Epiphanous Tracking Adventure,

Today marks the Feast of the Epiphany. 

In religious terms, Epiphany celebrates the revelation of God incarnate as Jesus Christ through the coming of the Kings or Magi.  

The day also signals the end of the Christmas season.

In lay terms, the word means "a single remarkable occurrence or a revealing scene or moment." 

We all have epiphanies from time to time.  Sometimes we may even call them "A-HA" moments. 

Well, the day before this year's Feast of the Epiphany, I had my own "A-HA" moment or two while taking a walk around the fields and in the woods. 

On this trek, I spent double the time I had originally intended--- tracking down my Yak tracks. 

My epiphany:  don't wear Yak tracks while walking through deep snow. 

When they slip off your boot, they don't announce it to you.

So, the story begins with Bill off at the library tying flies for the afternoon and dogs lounging inside the house for their afternoon naps.  

Perfect situation for me to take off for a nice, leisurely walk through the woods and even take a few pictures. 

I also took along one of my new trekking poles, which Bill gave me for Christmas. 

When I go to the woods, especially with the ice and snow, the pole can help with balance, but it's also handy as a weapon in case some mean critter happens to be out there in the woods. 

The trail began on ice around the house and then turned bare just inside the woods where I took some slight detours and meandered among the trees, simply cuz in this easy winter, I could.  

Not much snow and wherever there is, some neat patterns of remaining patches of snow provide some interesting accents to the pine needle bed. 

On yesterday's walk, I decided to take off across the hay field, which is covered with about four inches of snow.

I knew it would be a workout, but figured the extra effort would be worth it for my body which hasn't gone through an abundance of physical exertion over the past few weeks. 

Actually, the trip to the far side of the field and along the fence line to our lodgepole pasture wasn't too bad, especially cuz I knew that travel would get much easier once I was back in the woods. 

It did.

 Again, I set off, leaving the general route, meandering through the trees where Bill has stacked  fire wood and lit bonfires to burn brush. 

I also stopped occasionally just to admire the scenes, both on and above the ground where afternoon sunlight was casting its golden rays through the forest. 

Twas a lovely walk, to say the least, but my old knees started telling me it would be good to get back inside that house, give them a rest and get back to the jigsaw puzzle. 

I had almost arrived back to the entrance into the yard when I looked down and noticed a YAK TRACK MISSING.

One has options upon such discoveries.  

Move on to the house.  Don't worry about the Yak Track and come out later to find it. 

Weather changes sometimes occur rather quickly, though.

  If it rains, most of my tracks through the woods would be gone.  If it snows some more, the Yak track will probably stay buried where it is for the rest of the winter.

Actually, then, I really had no options, except to turn around and do my best to retrace my steps. 

That was easier said than done in the woods where, as mentioned before, snow is spotty and bare pine needles don't show tracks. 

So, I did my best, finishing the trek through the woods to another point where a swale/ open pathway has a good blanket of snow.  

Easy to see tracks in this area, but I saw no Yak Track. 

About the time I was ready to re-enter the lodgepole pasture, I looked down again.  

Dah! Yes, I'm pretty stupid!  

THE SECOND YAK TRACK HAD COME OFF MY BOOT.

I looked behind me.  No sign of the Yak Track on the snowy trail. 

I had a new option to consider:  turn around and go look for that second Yak Track. 

Knowing it could be anywhere in those pine needles and obviously not in clear sight, I chose to move on.

One Yak Track found is better than two hiding in the snow for the rest of the winter. 

So, I trudged through the lodgepole pasture with no luck and then started retracing my steps through the snow in the hay field.

After turning and heading southeast from the northwest corner of the field, I looked ahead.  

About halfway across the field, I spied something black on the expanse of white snow.  

"Yes!"  I said out loud.  

Twas a beautiful sight to see the Yak Track for my right boot. 

Next decision:  did I really want to retrace my steps again through the woods to find the second track?

It took some deciding because, instead of whimpering, my achy knees were now starting to scream at me. 

Nonetheless, the well-honed mantra which has kept me going throughout life of "finishing what you start," drove me onward. 

Happily, I found the second Yak Track next to the first step I had taken in the snow at the south end of the swale. 

As I picked it up and held both tracks in my right hand, suddenly, the knees didn't hurt nearly so bad. Plus,I felt a sense of accomplishment rather than discouragement. 

 I also said to myself, "Don't ever wear Yak Tracks in deep snow again." 

Epiphany noted.  "A-HA" lesson learned. 

I'm sure that, I'll have a few more epiphanies as the year rolls on.

We're never too old.  

Happy Sunday.