The trail into the nearby woods where I walk with the dog nearly every day starts with the old woods road, a tractor trail in beside a fencerow and then passing through another fencerow, heading west into the woods itself. The old field now full of thousands of tall maple saplings was obviously open hayfield at some point in the past, but these big old trees have provided seeds for very rapid regeneration of new young trees. It's a beautiful spot when the fall colours are at their best, but looks great in white too.
The slight curve in the tractor trail is lined with the dense maple saplings on each side, curving gently until you reach the woods. Only a few of these young maples will ever reach maturity, as the winners in the race for sunlight win out, and the others gradually die away, but meanwhile it's a beautiful young forest covered in white.
It's been a serious cold snap this week, -30 on one morning, with lots of fresh snow, and very little wind. The trees are all covered in white on the west side, giving a white clean look to the entire forest. You really need to dress warmly to enjoy a walk these days - and give yourself a kick just to get out the door into the frosty cold!
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