Fresh Air and Long Shadows

Today when we woke up and looked out the window the sky was clear and the sun was shining.  That is not the kind of day that I like to spend indoors, so in spite of the rather cold temperatures, I bundled up and went up near Beaver Mountain for a few hours out in nature, getting some much needed exercise and some fresh air.

I strapped on the cross country skis and spent about five hours moving slowly along the well groomed trails.  The snow was perfect and so was the day. except that I missed River, who always used to accompany me on these expeditions.  I haven't done this as much as I should since we moved to Logan, but today was a great reminder, that I really do not have much of an excuse.  Even on foggy days or when we have a red air day here in the valley, the weather up high in the mountains is often clear and the air is crisp.  There is really not much more invigorating.  I'm slower than I ever was, but somehow that doesn't seem to matter much any more.

This was my trail, well groomed, and on Monday not a lot of traffic.  I did encounter a couple of snow mobilers, but that was it.

One  of the first things I noticed, was that I still cast a shadow.  I thought about that a lot as I moved slowly along the trail.  I was filled with a deep sense of gratitude for such a great, great blessing.  There are so many in the world who do not often have this kind of an opportunity, just me and my shadow and the Sun/Son up above.  It's good to know that there is something above us that brightens and lightens our days and gives us courage and strength to move on.

For some this kind of landscape may seem cold and foreboding, but one need not look long to recognize the beauty and even see signs of wild life.  I couldn't help but see a certain majesty in natures art.  Here  we see the tracks of a solitary weasel or squirrel across the smooth blanket of snow covering the landscape, which will provide water in the valleys below and facilitate the growth of all the crops, trees, grasses, and flowers, to name but a few, for the spring and summer months ahead.