50 Degrees and Snow Shoeing

Today, the sun was out and the temperature was a positively balmy 50 degrees Farenheit.  In other words, toasty compared to the past 8-9 weeks.  So, I celebrated by doing something I'd been wanting to do all winter - well, to this point in the winter.  I went snow shoeing.  (Yes, the "shoeing" looks odd, but I looked it up and it seems to be o.k.  Who knew?)  I also wanted to get out on the snow at this particular State Park before all the snow disappeared.  Who knows if it will come back.  Off I went.

It was lovely.  Yes.  The snow has melted to the ground in many places esp. around the bases of most trees, but there were also large swathes of deep snow left upon which I could "shoe."  Many of them right out in the sun, so the accumulation must have been quite impressive after the last snow storm.  In some places the snow is still higher than the picnic bench seats.  Oh no - it wasn't soft powder by any means.  The snow was very wet, verging on slushy which made walking a fun challenge - and, a good work out!  What was neat to see was that every where a leaf, a twig, a pine needle, a seed or a branch had landed on the snow's surface, each had sunk into the snow by about an inch or so in a perfect impression of the leaf, twig, etc. with the warmth. 

The weather was a delicious respite from winter.  It's going to get cooler again starting tomorrow, but for today, it was perfect.  The park was busy!  Everyone came out to bask in the sun and walk the newly snow-free paths.  No earmuffs, no hats, no scarves, no heavy coats, no mittens, no heavy sweaters - there really are a lot of clothes needed to stay warm!  So I enjoyed a half hour toddling around on the snow, under the trees, scaring the geese and making the first human impressions across the melting snow fields.  I am very fortunate.  Thank goodness for State parks, they really do provide a respite from the busyness of the modern world.