Here Comes the Sun!

I did something different this year, watch the fading of the shortest day of the year!  I did a 90 minute snowshoe into the woods at dusk on the solstice yesterday.  Cold temperatures have really hardened up all the trails, you can probably get by with hiking boots although snowshoes will keep you from slipping.

You can see signs of life in winter if you examine what falls onto the snow.   In several places you will find where deer have cleared 8 foot circles of snow to uproot acorns that they so desperately need to eat.  Also look under big pine trees and you'll see the skeletons of pine cones that have been picked clean, segment by segment, by red squirrels.  In some places you'll see big chips of wood in the snow.  If you look upward you'll see the woodpecker holes that have recently been created leaving the chips below.

The chaos of the holiday is in full gear but in a few short days it all comes to an end.  Folks will be looking to try out their new winter gear and discovering how fun winter can be.  The days will slowly start to lengthen, resolutions will be made, and another winter begins at Libby Hill.  Happy Holidays!