Cross-country skiing

Everything gravitates to the woodstove on winter mornings.
Even the boy and the cat!

In the center of the picture, over the trees, a mountain is visible through the clouds.

We decided to go cross-country skiing today...

...but got delayed
taking pictures of each other!
There's Steven!

And there's me!


This looks cool. The snow-covered trees, the stormy sky, and the sun trying to peek through.


Steven led, and the dog raced ahead and back and side-to-side on the trail!


A frozen lake.

Steven and Odie look over the frozen lake.

Odie returning from one of her full-speed circles!
She's like a torpedo going by!

After the lake we skiid on through the woods on an old trail.

We passed a marsh, very still in the cold, quiet air.

It was about 20 degrees.

Just perfect for skiing. The snow isn't too warm and sticky,

yet it's warm enough not to freeze us.

Me.

After about 2 hours of skiing we stopped for a snack.

We left our skis and poles on the trail and climbed up the bank into the woods.

We sat on the pine needles under a tree where there wasn't much snow.

We shared our food with Odie.

See the piece of bread in the air near the top of the picture,

and Odie's intent look as she's about to catch it?

Our trail came out on an old logging road, so we went skiing along it for about a mile.

From the logging road we had to turn back off on the trail we skiid in on. The trail went over a steep hill with some tight turns. We took off our skis and walked over the "pass" on the way back. Of course I was carrying my skis and poles and didn't get pictures of the interesting parts of the walk.

The cat was happy to see us when we got back.

She can't imagine why anyone would volunteer to go out in the snow and cold!

"Aww, how cute, the Steven-person thinks he can do Sudokus!

Silly person! Sudokus are for kitties!"

"Okay, persons, place the cat food and water behind me, the litter box to my left....I'm not leaving the woodstove again until it's over 70 degrees outside!"