PUT THE BRAKES ON!

It's a mild January day, in fact we're having a good old January thaw.  I had almost forgotten the excitement that a January thaw used to give me because this winter has had so many days with temperatures above freezing.  It's 33 degrees right now and the snow is packing.  I need to remind myself to appreciate such a warm day like today and put the brakes on!

Winter can bring dark and gloomy days to Wisconsin but those gray, cold days give us the opportunity to reflect on forgotten indoor projects and think about what to plant in our gardens next spring.  Winter is a good time to slow down a bit, like nature itself, and enjoy a little down time.

Although I haven't seen much wildlife activity in our woods lately, the nocturnal deer have been leaving their tracks everywhere on our driveway and in our woods.

Mourning doves roost in the treetops near the pond, landing by the open water from our aerator to catch a drink, especially at down and dusk.  Their calm and quiet whistling sounds are music to my ears as they gently glide through the air.

As I stand under a jack pine along Tom's creek and scratch these words in my journal, I find delight in the sound of the trickling water flowing gently downstream.  There are still openings in the ice allowing the critters to come by for a drink and me to hear the beautiful sounds of the moving water loud and clear.

Today a young deer visited this spot in the creek before I did...

and she put the brakes on too!