Eating My Words

Remember when I encouraged you in my previous post to get outside “no matter the weather?” Well today, I was eating my words with a dose of pain.

No, I’m not rescinding my axiom of getting outside despite the imperfect conditions, but today, I admit, it was a challenge to STAY outside.

My college freshman daughter was under the weather with laryngitis and general malaise.  She was still determined to get to class at the local community college on the other side of the county.  And it was snowing!  So as moms do, I offered to drive her  1) to help reduce the stress her body was already in,  2) to make sure our vehicle returned in one, unscathed piece and 3), if truth be told, to take the unexpected opportunity to explore a local nature preserve while it was snowing.  I love being in the wild during a snowfall.  Getting to hike in the snow was more compensation than I needed for being chauffeur.  I was excited!

Less than ideal conditions

However, upon parking at the nature preserve, I sat in my vehicle a few minutes trying to evaluate whether this was really a good idea or not.  Yes, the snow was picturesque and so was the landscape  .  .  .  . from INSIDE the vehicle.  OUTSIDE, the actual temperature was 22° F with a stiff 14-18 mph wind making the wind chill 10° above.  And did I mention it was snowing?   Not a day for the faint of heart.  I did come prepared though: turtleneck shirt, warm vest, winter coat, warm hiking boots, and the never-failed-me-yet hat.  OK, let’s do it!

The first 10 minutes were not bad.  The camera strap was over my shoulder, my hands inside my coat pockets and the 1st trail I took was in the protection of the woods.   It was when I wanted to USE the camera that I discovered my 1st challenge ~ trying not to succumb to frostbite while keeping my hands bare to operate the camera!  Since I was primarily there to see waterfowl, I had to be ready with the camera at the drop of a hat (not mine of course!) to catch these birds in action.

Was it worth the pain?

I was the only person within a quarter mile, the snow muffled my footsteps and the weather was bringing the birds close to shore. Conditions were perfect . . . .  except the agonizing pain in my fingers.   As I crept to the water’s edge, I’ll let you decide if it was worth it.

Canadian geese

Northern shovelers

When my fingers couldn’t stand it another minute, I swung the camera strap over my shoulder again, stuck my frozen hands in the coat pockets and headed off to another trail.  I needed to give my body time to bring life back to my unusable appendages.

Hiking during a snowfall has to be one of the best prescriptions to anyone’s ails.  It’s peaceful, quiet, breath-takingly beautiful, refreshing, inspiring, compelling, intoxicating and stirring all at the same time.  The effort and the frozen fingers were so worth it.  Here’s the surprise I found:

Adult Eagle

I knew it could potentially be an eagle but wasn’t sure with my naked eye.  The camera zoom confirmed it and I quickly got off my only shot of him while I could.  They don’t tend to hang around long so when I tried getting closer, he was gone.

The Hatfields and the McCoys, squirrel version

At one point, I stopped walking on the trail to watch a large, slow-moving Eastern Fox Squirrel amble along the lower branches of a tree with a walnut in his mouth.  We don’t have many Fox Squirrels on our 9 acres and yet here, they were plentiful at this nature preserve only 8-10 miles from home.  Suddenly a little Red Squirrel, half the size of Fox Squirrel, charged out of nearby tree and gave chase, all the while chattering and screaming in fast, unrelenting syllables.

Red Squirrel

Like Kronk in the Emperor’s New Groove, if I could understand “squirrel,”  I would say the little Red Squirrel was swearing like a pirate.  The Fox Squirrel, all of it’s 2-3lb average weight, could’ve easily stood his ground with no problem against his little aggressor averaging 7-8 oz.  Yet “Goliath” dashed away, leaving his tiny attacker back at the original tree branch angrily complaining for several minutes.  The incident didn’t seem to bother “Goliath” much.  He scrambled up another tree, sat on a knot and satisfactorily ate his walnut.

Eastern Fox Squirrel

To Wear or Not to Wear, that is the Question

I’m still new to DSLR photography.  Today I discovered a missing link in my equipment – gloves.  It’s still unclear to me how to keep my hands warm, or at least usable, while I maintain the ability to push buttons and turn rings on the camera.  Has anyone with more experience conquered this problem?  I would enjoy hearing your comments about using your DLSR in cold weather.

My time at the nature preserve had to be cut short as I had other errands to run before picking up my daughter, but I’m glad I chose to get outside and discover new things.  I’m anxious to go back, but maybe when the windchill is 15 instead of 10.

See you next time on another adventure in the wild!

Carolyn

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