Slight Detour: Snow Country Scenes

The pathway I plowed on Monday for the dogs and me to walk around the hay field has been almost fully plugged with drifts.

In addition, those drifts would be hard to plow.

Dang!

Still, this morning, Bridie and I did some walking in areas in the woods and the field where we left the very first tracks.

There's something kind of neat about leaving evidence that you have forged a trail for the first time.

We now have a pretty decent covering of snow after more fell last night.

I'd say that's enough because I'm guessing the skiers at Schweitzer are extra happy with the new powdery deposits.

After looking at my phone, I can say there is both good and bad news with the upcoming weather forecast.

The bad news is that it's going to get colder again with several nights in the single digits.

The good news---as I see it----is that the cold weather could harden the snow enough that we could walk on top of it and not have to worry about plugged up trails.

Keeping my fingers crossed that it will happen.

In the meantime, if I can't walk around the Lovestead, I can drive to places to enjoy our newfound winter wonderland.

If a road is plowed this snowy week, it offers all kinds of scenic possibilities.

Yesterday Bailey Road, Samuels Road, Grouse Creek Road, Colburn-Culver and our own Center Valley complex provided some beautiful wintry scenes.

Timing was right when I pulled up to the Grouse Creek Bridge near the McNall Ranch.

As I looked south down the creek, I saw a deer adding a very special touch to an already pretty scene.

Later, I drove up the main Grouse Creek Road, where 50 years ago I helped survey a nine-mile stretch for the U.S. Forest Service (Are you reading this, Dick Creed?).

I drove past the first bridge over the creek and then realized that I needed to turn around.

I hadn't even noticed the bridge because it was snowed in as was most of the creek, creating some nostalgic winter scenes.