Fun in the Snow

Anna, my 5-year-old daughter, is pictured above in the woodlot on my parents' property. We had a great afternoon of sledding and exploring. First, the girls went sledding on the hills around my parents' house. My brother joined us and helped the girls get going at the top, while I made sure they stopped at the bottom before hitting any trees. Everyone's favorite slope was on the driveway side because it is the steepest and therefore, fastest. Once a groove was established in the snow, the bobsled-like sled went even faster. I had to be on my toes to grab the sled before it hurtled into the trees on the far side of the driveway!

Next, we went for a walk in the woods between the house and the road. The girls had fun walking and crawling around, over, and under trees and fallen branches. We found some rabbit tracks and followed them for a while. The tracks must have been old, for we failed to jump up a cottontail during the search.

For the girls, the afternoon ended with hot chocolate and an Eric Carle (Hungry Little Caterpillar, etc.) video with Grandma. My brother and I went for a walk behind the house. We inspected the recent deer tracks, finding the trail of a decent-sized buck. We discussed the sizes of trees that would be big enough for a deer stand next fall, and I took down a climbing stick.

I was not surprised to look in the rear-view mirror and see my girls snoozing on the drive home. It's so satisfying to take the kids outdoors and see them enjoying nature as much as I do.