Can Winter Be A Gift?

Exploring outdoors, even in the winter, can bring you a surprise.

The blues on a blue jay became very vivid in the heavy snow last year.

When the temperatures drop and a few snowflakes fall, what is going through your mind?  Do you have the kid-like wonder waking up to new winter snowfall yelling “Yay!!” or are you dragging yourself to the coffee maker saying  “I don’t even want to look outside?”

Whether you enjoy dropping to the ground to make a snow angel or you rush from the house to the car to avoid the blustery cold outside, winter is coming.  And if you HAVE to endure it, why not try to enjoy it!  Not only will finding the smallest pleasures help to make those dreary, cold months go by faster, but you might actually discover a new wonder that only winter unveils.

Bundle up and take a walk!

Gaining a more favorable perspective on winter is as easy as taking a 10 minute walk outdoors.  And don’t fear being cold.  Most of the time the thought of “freezing to death” is larger in your head than it is in reality.  Wear layers, bundle up and you’ll find you’re not as uncomfortable as you thought you would be.  If your head has a warm hat (I recommend a double layer fleece hat) and your feet have warm water resistant boots, that’s 90% of the battle. Is there a nearby park with trails or do you live on lesser traveled country roads where you can walk safely?  Is there a nature preserve near you or can you walk the dog around the subdivision? Even a golf course will do in the winter.  Get outdoors once or twice a week, or like me, make it a daily routine.  Your spirits will rise, your health will thank you and best of all, if you look for it, you’ll see newfound wonders that will bring you joy.

Very few days are perfect.

I’ve gotten into the habit of taking a morning walk NO MATTER THE WEATHER.  I admit I haven’t always liked being outdoors when it’s less than ideal outside, but I’ve discovered I see even more amazing sights when the weather isn’t perfect.

A new snowfall highlights the tracks and trails of many animals, big and small and makes a walk particularly interesting.  There are times to keep your head down and after a snowfall is one of them!

Did you know during a rainstorm, water birds hunker down on the water and the chance of seeing out-of-the-ordinary waterfowl greatly increases?  Migratory birds may have to “hotel it” on the nearest pond or in the nearby woods for a day or two to avoid the stormy skies. Even if you are not “into” birding, there is a certain thrill seeing a new species you’ve never seen before! Otters and beaver love the rain. In the rain, your scent is less detectable by the animals.  Depending on the severity of the downpour, the rain can mute the noise of your approaching footsteps too. Of course, take precaution if it is lightning, but otherwise the drama of a rainstorm is a great time to get out to see nature in her glory.

Windy days are fun times to explore nature just for the sheer excitement.  The smaller animals are skitterish and are stirred up in a frenzy by the wind in the trees. You may catch a cottontail or a red fox early in the morning darting quickly along the edge of a country lane. Squirrels, chipmunks and mice are very active during windy days.

My own recent walks after a first snow.

My morning walks recently led me to discover new delights.  Our 1st dusting of snow came early this year, while the fall colors were still fading in the woods.  I love the combination of greens, tans, white and greys.

Even the ground became a canvas of color with the sprinkle of snow.  The grass is still green underneath and our red maples are shedding leaves of red and yellow.

People generally tend to think of the woods as a large area difficult to navigate without paths, but to those critters who live there, there are super highways and byways we humans tend to miss.  I found this grey log covered in footprints.  The dusting of snow was not but a few hours old, and the log was already was well traveled.

The change in weather even caught my neighbor, Mrs. C., off guard.  Her fall pumpkin looks rather chilly sitting at the end of her driveway wondering what happened to the warm autumn days.

What’s happening outdoors in your neck of the world?

I’d love to hear any new discoveries you are making as you explore nature!  Please comment below.

I’ll leave you with this thought by John Muir:

“In every walk with nature, one receives far more than he seeks.”

Till next time,

Carolyn

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