 What's New in the WoodsI live on nine acres at the edge of the Adirondack Mountains where the forest begins . This is a mixed forest of tall pine trees and hardwoods, like maple. Many birds and animals live in these woods, and the ground is covered with beautiful small plants. On this page you and I will explore the woods together, watching the seasons change, and waiting quietly for those rare, magical moments when animals appear. |
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Winter- No season appears so suddenly or with such drama as winter here in the Adirondacks. This year, fall extended through Thanksgiving with some rather warm weather. A frosty night was rare, but on the 5th of December 2009, the snow began to fall, just in time for my annual Christmas party. How nice is that? The woods beyond my clearing were sugar coated in white.
As friends gathered for the party, we put candles on one of the outdoor trees, gathered 'round, and sang carols.
The next day I stopped to photograph the meadow that I have spent a lot of time in, gathering data and ideas for The Big Meadow. This field has been owned by the same family, my neighbors, since 1796, a remarkable record. Here is how it looked after the first snow. As usual, a clear and cold day followed the snow storm.
The first snow was light, but soon after a good storm, dumped
about a foot of snow and the promise of a White Christmas. Cross
country skiing became possible, although it was more like wading
in the snow than sliding along. The snow was compacted by some
warm weather and rain right after Christmas. This formed a solid
base for skiing. With a few inches of beautiful powder snow on
top of that the skiing was good, and I headed out for a jaunt
through the woods on the afternoon of New Years Eve.
Today the sky was heavily overcast and darkness was not far off. I carried a headlamp, matches and some emergency supplies, as well as a cell phone. You can't be too careful when heading into the deep woods alone. The trails are logging roads, and they look like this before they are skied on.
After about an hour, with darkness approaching, I decided to turn back. More snow was expected, not a blizzard, but a few more inches. No animals were moving. The tracks of deer, which are common, were all snow covered. Even the birds were completely silent.
On the way home, I passed the haunts of Harvey Layton, a hermit
who lived near here for years until he died in the 1980's. The
stream where Harvey gathered water, is bordered by a stone wall,
with this large stone placed over the stream like a bridge. The
stones remind me that once this land had all been Moving steadily along, the light is growing dimmer, although it is still bright enough in places like this where a swampy stream provides an opening in the trees. I stop to listen and look around, hoping to catch a glimpse of a deer, or if I am really lucky, a fisher. No animals appear, and I keep moving to be home before dark. Tonight the moon will be full. It is lovely to ski by moonlight, but with heavy clouds, I doubt whether the moon will appear.
In the dense hemlock woods close to home, I cross the stream on the log bridge I made last winter. The light is really fading now, but I don't have far to go.
A short ski though the trees brings me out into the clearing where my house stands, trimmed out with Christmas lights. One of the great pleasures of skiing in the woods is coming back, tired and happy, and seeing your own house, warm and cozy, welcoming you home.
Happy New Year Everyone, Bruce
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cleared. The trees were cut, the stumps pulled out and the stones
that littered the fields were hauled to the edge and piled into
walls. All that took an enormous amount of labor. These fields
were probably used mostly for pasture, as the soil here on the
mountain is not the best for growing crops. Now the farms are
gone and the forest has taken over once again.
