When there’s snow, go for a walk

Beautiful Snow

    Last weekend, we were lucky enough to get nearly 3 feet of snow.  It was nice and fluffy and turned the country side into a pristine playground.  Some people look at this as an excuse to hibernate by sitting next to a nice warm fire sipping hot cocoa  and looking at the snow from their window.  Well Georgi and I looked at it as an excuse to break out the snow shoes and enjoy.

    For those of you that don’t know, snow shoes are flat pieces of plastic that have a cleat on the bottom for traction that you strap to the bottom of your hiking boots.  This area that is larger than your normal shoe distribute your weight and push down on the snow allowing you to walk easier.  You don’t really walk ontop of the snow, you still sink down some but it certainly makes it easier than your foot sinking down and the snow coming up to your knee.

    The day we went the temperature was around 7 degrees so we had to bundle up.  Not too much though, you don’t want to work up a sweat.  Yes you can work up a sweat at 7 degrees if you wear too many clothes.

Georgi and Jay on the trail

    Well we donned our long underwear, winter coats, got some water and hit the trail behind our house.  It did not take any coaxing to get our border collie Jay to go with us.  He doesn’t need any snow shoes , he enjoys just plowing through to keep up.

    Behind our house there is a large maze of trails weaving through the woods.  Some is privately owned but the majority is owned by the park system.  I am not sure how much there is but there is a LOT of woods and a lot of wildlife living there.  There are a lot of deer tracks and other animal tracks.  In that area last spring there was a black bear that was roming looking for something to eat after the winter hibernation.  Sometimes at night we can hear the scream of a fisher cat and a few nights ago there were even a pack of coyotes hollering.  We really enjoy walks in this area and each season has something to offer.  We love our little corner of Vermont.

Making our own trail

Me and Jay Posing

 

My Snow Queen

 

Winter Wonderland

Goats enjoying? their winter wonderland

   A couple of days ago we woke to a nice suprise.  Once again, winter has expressed itself in a beautiful way.  The ground was covered by a blanket of snow and this time the snow had also decorated the trees.      I really enjoy the snow and nothing is more beautiful in the winter than to have the ground covered by a pure white blanket that covers up all the otherwise drab countryside.  Since the temperature was relatively warm (32) the snow that fell was wetter and stickier than at times when the temperature is lower.  Because of that the snow also sticks to all the branches in the trees giving them a picturesque view.    Although it is beautiful it is also sometimes dangerous.   

     The streets were a mess with the wet stuff making it difficult to drive.  Well the driving is not really the problem it is the decreased inability for the car to stop or make sharp turns at a fast rate of speed.  Since we do not live on a main drag the plows are always a little late getting up our street. In fact up until today the plows had not really been very active and with the cold temps the snow has not melted off the street. 

 The other problem is too much  snow sticking in the trees.  Luckily by the end of the day there was only about 5 inches of the wet stuff. 

Snow in my back yard

 As the snow gathered on the branches it weighs down the branches.  This can cause the branches to break since they are already less flexible since they are frozen.  As a boy I remember large sized branches and even trees breaking during a snow storm.  Especially since some snow storms also have strong winds.  The trees and the large bushes were bent pretty good but since there was only a small amount of snow and no wind with the storm, it produced a sight that was so beautiful that only mother nature could have done it.  No one in Hollywood with a team of special effects artists could reproduce this.

  I am not sure which of the four seasons is my favorite.  There is beauty in all the seasons but none is as peaceful, crisp and clean as winter.  Something about the quiet and beauty that surrounds you standing in the middle of a falling snow.

Snow in the trees in the front yard

More out front

Snow on one of the bushes that still has some berries on it

Green Mountains on Fire

Across the pasture behind my house

Well they are really not on fire.  It is fall in Vermont and with it come the chilly mornings, the sounds of thousands of geese flying south and a brilliant show of colors courtesy of mother nature.  Fall is a beautiful time in Vermont.  Each season, whether it is the lush green of summer, the snowy white of winter, the smell of spring in the air or the bright reds and oranges of fall each is beautiful in its own way.  I love all the seasons for what they offer.

It seems to happen overnight when the trees one day are the usual green and then the next day the colors start to come out.  These are caused by the dying of the leaves in the trees preparation for winter.  As the green parts of the leaves (chlorophyll) the colors under the leaves in some cases were there all along begin to show.  In the case of the maple trees, glucose is trapped in the leaves and the sunlight and cold nights cause that glucose to turn red or purple.  Then as fall continues the leaves continue to die and all it takes is a good wind storm and all the leaves are gone.  Well not really gone, they are on the ground waiting for a good raking and a trip to the compost pile.

For those that have never seen fall and the turning of the leaves all of this may seem magical.  I feel it is.  Since it is our last real look at color as too soon there will be only branches where the leaves were.  The trees will be ready for the winter which is right around the corner.  The real magic of nature comes several months later though when the ground begins to thaw and once again the trees wake up and again seemingly over night the leaves will be back and the mountains will again be the Green Mountains.

A beautiful tree in my front yard

A maple in my neighbors yard

Goat Farmer goes Brush Hoggin

Having a GREAT time

About a week ago my friend Rick from up  the way asked me if I would be intersted in spending the day on his property in Randolph VT driving one of his tractors.  My first thought was that he was teasing me.  I have a lawn tractor and an opportunity to drive something bigger……  Hey I’m a guy what can i say.Well I tried to play it cool and said sure and asked him for the catch.  There was none and I agreed to go brush hogging on his 28 acres.

Brush hogging is like mowing the grass but instead it is a large mower that is pulled behind a tractor.  It doesn’t do a fancy job but will cut through all sorts of brush up to a thickness about the size of your forearm.

The day was perfect weather and the scenery was beautiful like most of Vermont.  Rick and Bonnie are great people, and of course a lunch was provided.  I hope they will invite me again next time.

View from the top of the hill. Yes me at the bottom

Old farm equipment on land

Nearly there

Bicycle trip to the mountains

Georgi had the day off from work yesterday so we did our 2nd favorite outdoor activity, bike riding.  It was a beautiful day so we loaded our bikes in the back of the SUV and headed to Stowe VT in search of the bike path there.  There are many bike paths for people to enjoy in our area, all paved gentle slopes and views that look like they are out of postcards.

On the ride up we stopped and looked at the famous Trapp Family Lodge.  This lodge sits on top of a mountain with a great view of the surrounding Green Mountians.  The Von Trapp family was made famous with the making of the “Sound of Music”  The settled here in Vermont and the lodge is theirs.  Since it is on top of a mountain we did drive up to take pics.  While driving up there we saw a large group of wild turkeys and a doe with two little baby deer.  The baby deer reminded me of the baby goats as they were running and jumping all about.

Front view of the Trapp Family Lodge

view from in front of lodge

Once on the trail i was amazed at how beautiful the scenery was.  The trail ran down next to a stream and crossed over the stream in several places using these really cool bridges.  From the trail we could see fields of corn and other things growing and of course the mountains,  Mansfield in particular in the back ground.  I am really looking forward to making this trip again when the leaves are all changing.

A view of part of the stream from one bridge

View of path with Mt Mansfield in background

Georgi looking great as always

A rare sight

This morning when i let the goats out i heard a familiar but somewhat rare sound coming from over in the corner of my property. It sounded like someone was hitting a tree with a hammer, only up high. I hurried over, no camera of course I never seem to have it when i need it. Up about 10 feet hammering away busily was a red headed friend that i had not seen for a while. It was a pilliated woodpecker. I had never seen one before i came to Vermont. We have three other species living on our property in various sizes from small to about the size of a large starling. We put suet blocks out to attract them especially in the winter. When i had heard about this large woodpecker i laughed and thought they were making fun of me being new here and all. I said things like “Oh does he talk to you” or “Was his name woody and did he smoke a cigar”. Well last fall I was getting ready to go to deer camp when i looked out my window and there he was running in my back yard. I thought it was one of the family of Grouse we have living here but he had the unmistakable red head. I woke my wife up since she was also a non believer so she could see the light, or woodpecker that is. They are as large as a crow and you know they are around because of the LARGE holes they leave in the pines and cedars around the area in search of their diet of beetles and army ants. And of course their hammer like noise.
Unfortunately like i said i did not have my camera since i was just going to feed the goats, but i did find a couple of pictures online that will help illustrate what i am talking about.

Pilliated Woodpecker

Pileated Woodpecker adult male

I included one of a person holding one just to show the size of this visitor to Vivian Acres.
Oh yeah, I read that this woodpecker was the inspiration for woody woodpecker.
Here in Vermont you just have no idea who you will be sharing the dream with.

Fishing with worms, catching worms

Today we got up early and after getting the goats all set Georgiann and I went fishing at the pond here in Colchester.  It is beautiful there.  The pond is a mile long and surrounded but nothing but trees and green.  We caught a bunch of fish, mostly all small ones but I did catch a 18 inch 2 pound bass!  Yeah dinner right?  Wrong.  that is where the catching worms thing comes in.  When i got him home and of course made sure everyone saw it i filleted it.  Worms in the meat.  I feel so bad about having kept the fish but i didn’t know.  Looks like catch and release until fall…..  But we did have a good time as always and just being near the water is so relaxing, especially when I am with my favorite fishing buddy.  thanks Georgi.