Winter quickening

Yesterday's trip to Hudson, WI resulted in swans being found. They were all floating on the open water on the Minnesota side of the river, downstream of where the Willow flows into the St. Croix. It was cold enough that a long hike on the "no unauthorized vehicles" road will come some warmer Winter day. On our way back North, we did see a flock of four flying from the river to feed somewhere, maybe in some corn fields.

swans along the edge of open water

Photo by J. Harrington

This morning, before the snow started, we noticed at least three whitetail does pick their way across the open fields behind our property. (at least we think they were does). By this time of Winter, bucks should have dropped their antlers so it's hard to be sure. Today was the first time this year we've seen deer that weren't just slipping out of the headlights' beams. Maybe it's a sign of more activity to watch for. Still haven't seen any turkeys for months.

whitetail looking toward the house

Photo by J. Harrington

The number of goldfinches at the feeders, and on the ground under those feeders, seems to have increased markedly over the past week or so. Perhaps it's today's snow showers that's motivating them to visit the feeders. Perhaps Spring's onset(?) the beginnings of Winter's demise has triggered some flocks to start migrating North? Perhaps we should stop wondering why and just enjoy. Soon enough we'll have to turn our attention to tax preparation, which is much less enjoyable than watching deer in the fields and finches at the feeders.

                     How Is It That the Snow

By Robert Haight

How is it that the snow

amplifies the silence,

slathers the black bark on limbs,

heaps along the brush rows?

Some deer have stood on their hind legs

to pull the berries down.

Now they are ghosts along the path,

snow flecked with red wine stains.

This silence in the timbers.

A woodpecker on one of the trees

taps out its story,

stopping now and then in the lapse

of one white moment into another.

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