February ’10-Rarely do I hesitate to meet the new day.I’m just eager to see what’s around the next river bend. This morning is deep, dark air that angles right into my legs. Pausing momentarily I try to recall what’s underneath my snow pants. I thought I had long underwear on and jeans. I start to think I forgot to put pants on as I shiver and remind myself to switch to the thicker long underwear. I shuffle and trip over an icey snow chunk that tumbled to a new home on the plowed path. This year Tom has earned points by coming up with a new idea to facilitate me getting out for a walk in deep snow. He took the John Deere Tractor and blazed a path for me and the bossies to get down to Big Bend easily.

Patches the 20 year old Simmental  pet cow, is nursing her calf  in the moonlight. Lightening the calf is black with one white hoof.  Tom’s feeding the cattle a fresh round bale from the hay shed.  The cattle push and shove as they anticipate breakfast.  I hoop it up loud and there’s no response. I hear just the tractor now far away and the occasional call of a bossie.  No deer tracks-they move to higher ground over winter.  Lots of rabbit, coyote and fox sign though. We watched with fascination as a coyote danced in our hayfield below the Trap Shack.  Eagles dot the trees later in the day.  Just magic statues majestically watching and hoping for a catch. Eagles are a  bird that’s so very common in Buffalo County and it still captures my attention and appreciation.

Do you still run your lines with the chilly weather?

Sue Roskos