With a fresh blanket of snow on the ground and the sun shining, I thought it was a good day for a hike. So, I found the box my snowshoes were in (yes, I still have boxes to unpack) and headed over to Elver Park. The largest park in the city of Madison, Elver Park is only about two-thirds of a mile from my house and one of the reasons I chose to live where I do. While the wind was a little brisk today and the park full of sledders and cross country skiers, it was great being in the outdoors and hiking through nature again. Something I haven’t done for many months. There was even some solace to be found: watching the snow sparkle in the sun as the wind blew it off the pine tress I was hiking through.

When the wind on my face told me it was time to head home, I reluctantly did so, but not without feeling the charge of energy I get from being in the outdoors.

I’ve come to realize that being outside in nature is very important for me and my psyche. This fact really becomes apparent to me in the middle of winter (when I’m not outside as much as I am in warmer weather).

Thanks to a nice blanket of snow that fell over the past few days, I was able to strap on my snowshoes today and hike around the Wehr Nature Center near my house. I wasn’t the only one taking advantage of the winter conditions. There were people cross country skiing, sledding, snow boarding and tobogganing. You might wonder how a person can enjoy the beauty of nature around you with all those people around? That’s the great thing about having snowshoes.

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