In Pursuit of Wonder

March 14, 2023

The sun shined brightly, not a cloud in sight, snow sparkled like diamonds. The trees were coated in frost. The most beautiful winter scenery. I strapped on my snowshoes and headed across the backyard, up and down the snowdrifts. I stopped immediately to take a few photos of the trees and the frost clinging to the playset. I followed my snowshoe trail. With longer, sunny days the snow has compacted and melted a bit, but there were still several inches covering the ground. The pieces of frost were so big and white. I noted squirrel tracks. 

Down the gravel road, up the hill, turn left and high-step down the slight incline, and over the pasture fence. Then I turned left again and downhill, over another gate, and a right turn into the pasture lane. All the while taking in the frost covered plants and fence wires. The snow is windswept, like sand on a beach. With a good trail the snowshoeing was relatively easy, though still a hard workout. I paused at the peninsula of trees, ash and boxelder mostly, to marvel at the sun glinting through the frost decorated branches, casting stunning shadows. 

I continued onward to the woods, stepping over the single strand of barbed wire, under the walnut trees. Snow covered down and leaning trees. A squirrel chattered. A hairy woodpecker worked over a tree, pausing in drilling, its call sounded like a squeaky toy. Brambles scratched against my snowpants as I weaved my way around the trees and the thickest brambles. I am still enjoying the snowstorm of February 23. I didn’t think I’d still be snowshoeing in the middle of March. I have been making the most of the extra weeks of snowshoeing. I trekked down and up the first small gully and over and around logs. The old, rusty truck and cars are peeking out of the snow more and more. I looked up at the frost tipped branches, such beauty. I continued onward, following my tracks from the last several snowshoeing outings. I took note of the rocky ramparts towering above me. Pausing every so often, I admired and photographed individual trees that held my attention. My fascination with the texture of various tree barks can’t be explained. Weaving through the woods, touching trees as I passed, my heart soared. I was so grateful to have yet another week of snowshoeing. Some trees had a thick layer of snow piled on their branches. 

The sun filtered through the nude branches casting shadows on the snow, making the frost glisten. I had gone up and down several gullies. The slopes on either side had grown ever taller. I marveled at the difference between March sunlight and February’s. Turning left, I climbed the slope, breathless as I ascended, thankful for the grip afforded by the snowshoes. I had been going further and further into the woods, following the same trail. Sometimes I had to duck under branches, in places squatting as I went to pass under. Several paces further up the slope, I spotted a paper birch with mushrooms growing on it. Each mushroom capped with snow – bells hanging on a tree. I turned back, retracing my steps, marveling at the frost covered trees and smaller plants all the way back to the house.

View more photos at https://www.instagram.com/bethanybenike/