The snow that fell last Dec. 9 was followed by some rain and un-seasonably cold weather. For more than a week, we have ice over driveways and steps. The snow cover includes a crusty top layer but it is not deep enough for snow shoes. Our only walk in the back woods since last week extended only to the beaver bog, shown here.
There are deer tracks and the squirrels have been having a grand time eating pine cones that are scattered across the woods as a result of the big Oct. 30 wind storm.
Last week we went out to the beaver bog on a chilly but sunny afternoon. This was the first day after the end of the deer-hunting-with-guns season and the return of the woods to the non-hunters. People can still hunt non-deers (like turkeys) with non-guns (like bows with arrows) and this has less risk to non-combatants.
This season has started with chilly but snowless days. From this spot, in the past we have seen large and small deer appear out of the reeds on the left. As we sat here, a piliated woodpecker flew into a thicket to the right of the evergreens and foraged fifteen minutes unseen in the thicket. He never appeared out of the thicket and I never had a chance for photos but it reminded me that many times getting good shots depends on patience and luck.