Making It Up As I Go Along #534

45 Minute Snowshoe

Schlumping along on snowshoes

Schlumping along to see

Schlumping to see what animals

May be looking back at me.

Schlump the noise each step brings

As metal scuffs over snow

Schlump echoing through the trees

Warning the animals to all go.

I schlump through a snowdrifted ditch

I follow other’s tracks

And waft of skunk drifts along

Were those skiers forced to turn back?

Schlumping brings me to the prints

A fox has come on by

He climbed upon this mound of earth

His silhouette upon the sky.

I make a turn and schlump along

A rabbit’s path I follow

Until the path runs in woods too deep

I leave him to his hollow

It’s been some time since I’ve seen

I’ve wondered where red squirrel could be

But my schlumping brings along a clue

His tiny prints in front of me

I reach the trail within the woods

Where everybody’s been

I veer off into unknown snow

Exploring sights never seen

I pick my way along the trunks

I schlump over rolling mounds

The only prints in front of me

Left where tree snow has come down

A pause from schlumping brings the still

I hear the chickadee song

It pauses from its twittering

Wishing me to move along

I schlump along with bigfoot steps

Over fallen maple I long stride

I pick my path most clear of twigs

And schlump as chipmunks hide

I break out to the open path

My footprints no longer alone

And looking from this familiar place

I carry my snowshoes home

SATURDAY…

--- Snowy first day of work.  The drive in is a bit rough and the driveway awaits me to shovel when I get home.

SUNDAY…

--- Work is fairly busy to start followed by dead for a few hours followed by busy again.  An odd Sunday.  And the weather… 4 degrees and rain to start.  Feeling like it’s in the -20s by the end.

--- Ball game after work is good.  We tie… which always feels wrong in ball… but it’s against a really good team.  Seems our new lineup is a solid one.

--- Late night TV push me through to the morning as I aim for night shift time schedule.

MONDAY…

--- Cold outside.  I stay in.  It’s sleep until around 11:30.  A few hours of TV and a snack.  Nap for an hour or so after that and get ready for night shift.

TUESDAY…

--- Still cold.  Second night shift comes with Wendy’s and a pretty quiet night.

WEDNESDAY…

--- Too cold to go out.  So first day off has me around the house… some TV and some naps.

THURSDAY…

--- Still cold but I’m going out.  Fifteen minute walk is it and, if the woods wasn’t a wind block, it would have been shorter than that.  -32 with the wind.  This means the yearly range of temp for my walks has now been about 75 degrees. 

FRIDAY…

--- Snowshoeing day.  Out for about 45 minutes doing that.  A fun time.

--- Movies fill out the day and by night, my wrist feels pretty normal again.  Though, by Saturday morning, it’s tender again.  Who knew bed would be so detrimental to ones health?