Living so close to forests, you’d think we would be in them all the time. But with the crazy busy growing season that starts before the snow melts and finishes with the first frosts, in addition to the threat of poison ivy (to which Joel reacts quite violently), we tend to only visit our forest in the Fall and Winter months. This year has been no exception. The kids and I make a point of thoroughly exploring the woods every Wednesday which gives the lovely forest ample time to change and hide new and exciting treasures. Last week was an intense “fishing” afternoon which of course resulted in two drenched, mildly tired, rosy cheeked kiddies – the walk home is always more quiet then the trek there. Today we are packing a picnic and heading out to see if the mushrooms have all been  covered by fallen leaves. We’ll also be collecting a chunk of moss for our terrarium – hopefully it will survive (if we can control the kids urge to mist and water it) until the Spring.

Although we are always spotting deer signs of passage, we have yet to see one (or a family) cross our paths. The grouse and mice abound though, and the airplanes and blue jays overhead keep Mateo distracted to the lack of tractor vrrroums. We must think this multiple times a year, but there are so many fallen (or wedged against other) trees that we ought to get the saws out and work on the “bois de chauffage” stock. Due to the amount of wood produced by the large maple that was cut down last Spring, we haven’t felt the urge to chop wood, but the forest path could use a little clean up job. One more item on the list. Maybe  after we take down the deck though. Too bad we can’t use that wood to heat the house, it would make the task more motivating!

cover, farm, frost, tractor, water