Looking back and remembering what it was that made me feel like a kid, waking up on Christmas morning
Nature and all of its splendor should never be taken for granted. If we are not the stewards of what has the power to consume our very soul, NATURE, then shame on us.
Some of the most unique pictures can be captured during the frigid temps that accompany January. Almost all signs of life disappear as temperatures plunge into the single digits and below. Indications of any life are left behind in prints, highlighted by the snow.
The sun positions itself just above the horizon well before diner time.
Dressing in layers takes some time, but the exhilaration one feels as the warmth from being indoors is whisked away in a moment, is well worth the effort. Just steps from the front door, the initial silence is palpable and singular.
February brings more of the same as the axis of Earth starts to tilt in the opposite direction. Every few days, an additional minute or so of daylight is yet not apparent.
Being in the path of the lake effect snow coming from our northern neighbor Canada, the fridged air mass travels over The Great Lakes bringing snow along for the ride. Almost daily, these frozen crystals show up. A daily dose of an inch or two, of that fluffy white stuff, coupled with winter storms, leaves the landscape blanketed with several feet of nature's cleansing element. To venture outside requires snowshoes.
By the middle of March, daytime temperatures rise above freezing, only to drop below that mark through the night.
Because of these temperature swings, the sap in the Hard Maple trees makes its daily roundtrip. The tree's nutrient and vitamin-packed nectar reaches the awaiting buds and returns to the roots as evening approaches. Nature's gift awaits those that enjoy activities that are there for the doing.
The entire process of taking this raw material, sap, and cooking it down into pure maple syrup, is almost magical.
and the sweet smell of the boiling sap,
are rekindled every time nature's pure golden sweetener is enjoyed.
What the locals call the 5th season, the Mud Season, is in full swing.
Again, nature tickles the senses of those that venture into its midst. Vegetation springs from the thawed ground. Early arriving plants are decorated with flowers that remain incognito, unless one knows to expose their hiding place below the canopy of leaves.
Local waters have been stocked with trout, joining the native fish in a feeding frenzy. Nature, with its streams and rivers still pure, has the deftness to sustain life. With conservation comes the ability to live off of the land.
Lush forest floors teeming with ferns, tall grasses and wildflowers, berry bushes, and saplings, all give you a sense of peacefulness and privacy. As daylight hours continue to add up, time spent admiring, foraging, managing, and dreaming, seem to pass in an instant, when lost in the serenity that only nature can furnish. With daytime temperatures ranging from 75 degrees to the mid-'80s, almost every waking moment is consumed by the sheer physical attraction of all that is offered.
By sunset, every morsel of my energy has been depleted.
Come July it's game on. Once again Mother Nature is prepared to sustain other life than her own.
While harvesting the various berries of the woods, songbirds, hidden from sight by the dense foliage, serenade all waiting ears.
The gentle breeze disperses just a tinge of the berries sweetness that is encapsulated by its skin.
While gathering these little nuggets of nourishment, your admiration for all that surrounds you reaches a crescendo.
A realization that these pristine conditions can be fleeting, brings forth a sense of urgency to become more protective.
The long days of Summer, having consumed the prior month, now make their way into August.
Recalling the year spent being a caretaker of the forest, strikes a chord of pride.
Efforts to revitalize small pockets of the once marred landscape have taken hold.
Black Walnut, Figured Poplar, White Ask, and Black Cherry trees now stand tall, replacing trees that long ago reached their prime.
Another food source has been established, 😁
and nurtured by nature.
Brisk nights are a reminder that the colder months are just around the corner. Memories of sitting in front of a warm fire become aroused.
These feelings land you back in the presence of nature.
Knowing that if managed properly, wood, another bestowal of nature, can be sustained. Diseased, fallen, and insect-damaged trees are felled, giving saplings a chance to take their place.
Insects of all kinds are attracted by the fresh smell of the newly cut timber. They come in droves, reminding me of just how insignificant I am, as their presence increases.
One of the most precious offerings that encircle us while cohabiting with nature, are the rainbow of colors that define October.
This being my favorite month of all, long outings spent meandering through the landscape has my head on a swivel.
The sheer beauty of just a single leaf can capture the eye and hold its gaze. A singular tree, exploding in color like none of its neighbors has you wondering, why.
As the last of Autumn's leaves drift to the ground,
the end of yet another glorious month comes to a close.
Eyeing this elusive creature no longer happens just by circumstance.
With the white-tailed deer mating season in full swing, the ever weary buck lets down his guard. During the rutting season, nature's biological clock, has fields and forests filled with activity.
Besides the ruffling of fallen leaves, very little is sensed by the ear.
With clouds and gray skies now more prevalent than not and the trees void of color, an eerie dimension is added to the landscape's palate.
White-Tail deer hunting is a part of the culture of the people in this region. By the end of the month, the stillness is obliterated by the sound of firearms.
Again, with proper management nature and all of its participants can thrive in harmony, giving and receiving from each other.
Harvested cornfields leave remnants behind. With food becoming harder to find, wild turkeys feast on the leftovers.
Sportsmen will again be able to reap this bounty, providing nourishment for family. Continued management of this resource will provide future generations with this same ability. 😁
Temperatures will soon be transforming a liquid into a solid and that's when the warmth of a fire will make my eyelids feel heavy.
I often wonder how other life copes with such a wide range of conditions that each season brings with it.
I hope you enjoyed viewing this post as much as I did putting it all together for the Amazing Nature Contest for December's Thematic Challenge, authored by @bucipuci.
I know this was a long one, so in case you skipped a line, or two, or three, or four, here is a simple collage that will give you the big picture of this blog.
