What is YOUR season?

  What season leaves you breathless?

To me it has become the season of winter.  I am winter.

All my senses come alive

The cold, the bundling up, the extra energy it takes to get around, I love it all. 

 What season takes you away. 

My SOUL fills with contentment when I take my first step onto the trail.  I wonder what gift the trail will give me today

Often I feel like I'm in another place, I must be in heaven for how can I be experiencing such an overwhelming feeling of astonishment

I am part of a miracle

"A Spell Has Bound Me"

The frozen earth has put a spell on me

Winter, a season of doubt? A season of dark? Season of silence? It doesn't have to be

It can be a time of wonder, reflection, beauty and discovery

The calmness that the Spirit gives to us for an image yet to be discovered in Spring

Complete stillness, a wonder that is welcomed

To hear the thundering sounds

Of the season that God created for  hibernation of our minds, and souls

Be thankful for this grand season.  For hope follows

Discover the wonderment of winter

Today we had a beautiful snow fall. 

A crisp, clean, weightless blanket of white

Aaawwwww

First Snow

Today was different from my other walks

 I have never walked the trail with snow on the ground.

Walking in the snow and cold feels very different. The isolation of the cold was very present.

I will let the pictures talk

I'm gonna like walking the trail this winter.

The European Larch

It was an amazing day on the trail. Even though it was very windy and the temp was about 40 there were a lot of walkers and bikers. I learned something today. First...

Eagles were every where.  I was told by a fellow trail walker that she witnessed two eagles dancing.  Their talons were hooked together and they were performing acrobats in the sky.

I wished I would have witnessed that.

It was not only windy but the skies were quite ominous.  

I met the man who planted the trees below. His name is Mark.  He planted them in 1983.  I had to tell him thank you for, to me, this spot is a sanctuary. This beautiful passage protects you from the wind on very cold windy days and from the sun on very hot days.  He told me that he planted several of them but only these survived.  I also learned that they are not technically Tamaracks, they are European Larch.  He also planted the Norway and White pines.

This is how the European Larch looks in November. Now the needles cushion my every step. This will always be one of my favorite places to be.

In Search of the perfect purse

I'm a woman who is desperately seeking out the perfect purse

Tonight I exchanged purses.  From the black one to the the more artsy one.  For the past few winters I have been using the one on the left.  I like it but it isn't the perfect purse for me.

  The white purse is cute but not within my purse "comfort zone" and it is white. So even though I took a poll ------ about being able to carry a white purse during the winter season, I just cannot do it.

Yes, I have more purses.  Why do I keep them?  I do not like the brown one on the left, but I still have it. I tried many times to use the middle one, buutttt, I don't know.  The black one on the right I  take on trips, but lately, I haven't taken any trips. But wait, I'm going to CA in February!!

The red one on the right use to have an orange bow on it, but I lost it and it just doesn't look cute  anymore and I don't like the way it hangs on my shoulder.  The knit one on the left I like but doesn't have any pockets inside. And there is that ugly brown one again

Now, this is an old Coach Buckett purse that I found in an antique store.  I do love this purse, but one of the leather straps broke.  I don't know how to fix it.

I seem to pick out black purses, and I wonder if I should get a green purse, maybe a yellow one or a purple one? Maybe one of those colors would make me happy?

Have you found the perfect purse?   

Cast of Characters

Please allow me to introduce my trail" cast of characters".

I have no idea what mushroom this is and if it is eatable.  But I really like the looks of it.

I was told by a fellow trail walker that this bambi and the mother(who is near by) are not afraid of people.  No wonder, they live on the trail

My young friend, Ashley took this picture.  

 I would look forward to seeing certain places on the trail, A little over 1.5 miles into the walk you will come upon this little passage of trees.  

I saw hundreds of ducks, geese, and seagulls 

One would always know exactly where they were upon reaching these rocks. Very important role in my cast

The sun was always around, whether setting like here, or under a cloud or shining down on me and the trail.  The Sun is one of the most powerful characters.

Mr. Little Guy. He was eating some seeds that a fellow trail walker had given him.  

 what is the "grass" hopper doing on the trail anyway?

The grand blue heron. Yes, there really is a bird in this picture. I was very worried about this heron (as I mentioned in a previous blog)  Day after day, which turned into weeks, this one would always be there when I reached the bridge. The other herons had already left.  He is now gone.

The past few weeks I have seen several sunsets.  By the time I get to the end of my walk the sun is setting.  Stunning

The moon is also a main character on the trail lately.  What more could one ask for, the sun setting on the west side of the lake and the moon rising on the east side of the lake and I'm walking right down the middle. Priceless

I have seen many many eagles.  I have pictures of eagles sitting in the trees in my yard.  But I never ever get tired of seeing them. I'm always in awe of them.

Lately I see beavers when I get to the trail bridge over the Mississippi River.  They have been very busy!

I took this picture today.  This is the passage of trees I mentioned earlier. 

Well, I have introduced you to my cast of characters on my trail walks.  If you haven't walked the trail, get out there.  And if you see any of my characters tell them I sent you.

Oh, Rachelle, I left out the picture of the snake.  I didn't want to stun you.

OH OH, Rachelle, I forgot to tell you something.  One of my fellow trail walkers informed me that they saw a..... ?????