Winter December/January

So far it’s been an interesting winter. In December we had our first winter storm of the season. The West Bend area reported 16 inches of snow! Since that storm, we have experienced ranging temperatures anywhere from 10 below to today’s high of 59 degrees in Port Washington. While on a winter hike this afternoon, I kept feeling warm breezes blowing in from the west and icy mist breezes coming off of Lake Michigan.

It is strange to hear robins singing in late January. I also heard water running all through Lions Den Gorge on my hike and could not help but sing with the robins a sacred chant:

The river is flowing
Flowing and growing
The river is flowing
Down to the sea

Mother carry me
Your child I will always be
Mother carry me
Down to the sea

A fresh water sea, that is. I followed the bluff trail down the winding path through the gorge all the way to the beach. Even with all the movement of the water rushing down the gorge and the crashing waves of Lake Michigan, most of forest was still fast asleep in winter’s embrace. In fact, the songs of birds and the rushing water were the only sounds I heard. The moss on the west side of the cedar trees was bright green and lush, though chilly to the touch, its soft and vibrant green warmed my spirit with the promise of spring.