Thankful Thursday: Winter Walk

Accuweather said the RealFeel at 10:45 this morning was 23 degrees. So this is what I wore for our walk at the Arboretum:

• Knit hat, wool scarf, thermal underwear shirt, sweater, down jacket, long underwear pants, jeans, wool socks, and hiking boots.

And here's what Toby wore:

• Collar and dog tags.

Guess which one of us was warmer?
I'm very thankful for warm clothes, and a warm house to come back to. 

There was an amazing amount of green to see after several nights in a row of below-freezing temperatures. I expected the woods to look more scraggly and dead. Looking down, the moisture in the soil had frozen into crystals on top of the trail. Yet there was every hue of green imaginable. 

I'm thankful that plants are so resilient; they are such survivors. It's amazing when you consider that they can't move around or change location.

Toby is energized by the cold weather. He loves to walk and explore, just at the time of year when if left to my own devices I would never leave the house!

I'm thankful that Toby forces me to get off the couch and go outside. It's always more fun and interesting than I expect it to be.

The Arboretum is a narrow corridor between a main thoroughfare and suburban neighborhoods. When the trees all have leaves you scarcely can see the houses. In winter, though, the presence of homes nearby is obvious. And then there's the owner of the house pictured below, who illegally cleared a wide swath of the woods adjoining his property.

(Incidentally, I ran into one of his neighbors on the trail a few weeks ago. The city is outraged but not as angry as his neighbors. There have been several break-ins and autos vandalized since this upscale cul-de-sac was exposed to public view and criminals were provided with an easy getaway.)

The birds were out enjoying the sunshine in spite of the cold. I saw (and heard) cardinals and robins, wrens and blackbirds. The Canada geese always come close to get a better look at Toby. I'm not sure if they are threatening him or just curious. 

And one or more raccoons was out washing its food at Starr Creek earlier this morning.

I'm thankful for a chance to see birds and wildlife tracks in the midst of an urban area. 

Thank you to PepiSmartDog for hosting the Thankful Thursday Blog Hop!