needing to reconnect

Life has been absolutely wonderful and yet such a blur these past few months. I have accomplished much and have no real regrets but feel a little detached from the forests and marshes, lakes and streams, fields and thickets, that I call home. I have been either busily working towards my goals or a homebody. I suppose that is natural when you have such a wonderful family such as I and have determined to get a degree and other such demanding ventures. My wedding anniversary was Dec. 20th and after four years of marriage I still ask myself why she ever let me into her life. We always joke about how I tricked her into marrying me and how "if she'd only known..." :) Well I absolutely love her and feel more in love each day and on ever-deepening levels. I am not going to try an communicate that love here and now (It's easier just to tell her) but suffice it to say I am deeply thankful for her and my family.
It seems all I do is drive these days. I notice a lot of things around me and learn about the movements of nature but it is different when you are on the other side of the glass actually breathing in the scents and listening to the sounds of nature.
Driving today I realized I have not been out in my fur suit since early march. That may not make sense or be a big deal to those who haven't seen or heard of my full body fur suit, but being in my suit means I plan on being out for awhile in the cold and plan on really learning while either sitting or stalking deer or other animals I see. The fur suit is practical. It keeps me warm. It provides a quiet material that doesn't make any noise as I brush past a trees or climb through briars... basically I am just saying how much I miss being a part of the landscape and feeling the snow settle and accumulate on me as I watch nature move around me. I hope to be able to dedicate a day for me to feel that again. Does anyone else feel that need to connect with nature like that? It's almost like all time stops and you become counted again as a brother animal of the forest instead of an alien just passing through.

Deer tracks.

I finally finished another semester at school! Now I find myself able to do things that I wish to do instead of what i have to do.
I decided to go up to my mother-in-law's cottage on thursday to take some of her belongings and to tear out some of the bathroom and closets that need remodeling. I was excited about the drive because of the beautiful country you drive through and because of the time it gives to think and ponder about things. The snow was hanging on the trees and making everything look just like a "winter wonderland". When I got to the cottage I was delighted to get out of the van and see fresh deer tracks all over her yard! The property line has some fruit trees and they were eating up what was left on the trees and what has been late to fall on the ground. I am JUST SO EXCITED ABOUT HER PLACE! On my lunch break I walked about a 100 yards and sat on the edge of a bluff overlooking Lake Michigan! the scene was gorgeous and had rays of sunshine penetrating the clouds making a painting-worthy scene. The water was everything from deep blues to emerald greens because of the different sandbars and how the light was hitting the lake. The deer tracks in the yard came from the bluff area and I am speculating that they bed down in some fur trees a little ways down on the bluff. I did see five bedding areas that had melted the snow in little 2-3 foot wide ovals and they were only about 75 yards from the house in some heavy brush and thicket. The area across the street from her is an Audoban Society Preserve and so it is well taken care of and has many animals and birds especially. It is such a magical place and I am excited for others to come up and enjoy the place and the great company ( my Mother-in-law ) it will offer!

Trompin' through the woods

Yesterday was just above freezing here and the wind had died down to where being outside was bearable. I decided top stop at the nature preserve on my way home and see what kind of deer traffic was present. Snow tracking is very easy and makes determining how long ago a deer passed quite simple. I have to admit it has been awhile since i ran the deer trails and found my lungs were pretty out of shape! I found what I call deer Highways and then some smaller runs that led me through some marsh and out to the rivers edge. I am pretty sure the deer actually bed down on an island that is just a swim away because for all my wandering i only found one recent bed and have seen a pretty big group of them coming out of the marsh from that direction. I think i will take my boat soon and check out the island.
One of the best things about my TROMP was that at one point I was able to simply stop and listen for a bit. The quiet and peace that is out there is something I have missed. Especially when it snows the sounds are absorbed by the new white insulation and it seems that sometimes the only sound you can hear is your own heartbeat and the noise that is commonplace in your mind. I miss spending sufficient amounts of time to allow for even those noises to disappear into the surroundings.

The road less travelled

Today while walking in the snow to my car I was noticing the well worn paths of my peers and how they had all seemed to choose a similar path and made what reminded me of a well worn deer trail. It makes sense to follow a trail as it saves energy by following a broken-in path as well as keeps your shoes from getting snow in them. I decided to waste some calories and change things up by trudging off through the untouched snow and winding through some trees. As I walked I couldn't help but notice that there were foot prints and tracks already marking the path I was choosing. Even though they had become almost unrecognizable because of the new snowfall or the blowing winds. I could see that even in my attempt to be original and spontaneous I had accidently happened upon another's path and the thought occurred to me that just as I am walking and treading on this earth now, there have been people before me and there will come those after me. We are all connected, the only thing that is different is that I am the present, they are the past and those who walk in my paths after me are the future. When those of the future pass the same way I just tread I will become part of the past and therefore I am already part of the past in a way... Does that make sense to anyone else? We are all connected...