Our Wetland in Winter

We moved to our house in 1994, 31+ years ago. Our backyard abuts a large wetland that froze enough each winter that we could walk, snowshoe, or ski across to the woods on the other side. This opportunity lasted about ten years, then ended for two reasons: the land across was sold for a housing development and winters got warmer. The wetland stopped freezing solid enough to hold our weight. 

Wandering the frozen wetland in winter provided access to nooks and crannies of the shrub-dominated shoreline and hummocks not easily visited unless I wanted to get really wet and mucky. A wonderful benefit of this past cold December is that "our" wetland has frozen solid once again. An early morning light dusting of snow provided just enough traction that I could bare boot across the wetland today. 

Animal tracks were covered with the fresh snow, but were still discernable: coyote, deer, cottontail rabbit, mouse. A mix of sun and clouds. Bluebirds backlit, flew among the tall alders. A few bird nests tucked low in the buttonbush clusters, topped with snow. The beaver lodge frozen solid. Quiet solitude. 

The shrubs stand dormant with more than two months before buds can burst in Spring. Speckled alder bushes hold male and female flower buds that formed at the end of last summer, as well as last year's cones and new leaf buds. I share the alder's anticipation for warm Spring days.

 A speckled alder. 
Above: long, male catkins and female flower buds
and leaf buds along the stem wait for Spring. 
Below: last year's fruits (female cones).  

A buttonbush casts its shadow on the canvas of fresh snow.