Janet's Garden News

December this year turned out to be a winter wonderland. The fitst snow came early in tthe month with 4 " followed by a couple more 4" to 5" snow falls and several days of light snow and flurries. The temps have been below 30 degrees almost all moth so we still have most of it- but compacted down to about 10 in. Jim snow -blowed by back yard where Lily uses and made paths to the bird feeders for me. Finally a good year for snowmobiles , ice fishers etc. Evergreens have had snow on their branches most every day. We have been on walks to all our favorite trails and the scenery beautiful-snowcapped trees, grass and seedheads peaking through the snow, animal tracks, ice/ qpen water on the river. Today it's 18 degrees and went on the Qx cart traill. The trail was nicely grouned woth semi packed snow which crunched and squeeked when walking. Lily loves the snow and gets so excited and goes off trail and plows thru the snow woth her snout and when she comes up her face and eyebrow have snow clingling. Her back problem (ruptued disc last year) doesn't hinder her very much. A couple of snowmobiles wew cruising on the snow coverd Rum River, no open water to be seen on this river. The Mississippi is open in the middle with ice chunks on the rest.

Yesterday we took a day trip to Alexandria. One of the most unusual and beautiful days I've ever seen. Woke uo to fog and frost covered world. Luckily visibility was such that we could drive carefully and as the day progressed the visibily distance increased but the frost stayed. We took 94 but also backroads and the landscape was breathtaking and we were constanly ohhing and awing and pointing out exceptional elements alto the entie landscape was unbelievable. Looked like calendar pictures or Christmas cards. The sun only peaked out a couple of times which also added its own beauty with the gowing globe surrounded by frostt and now there were shadows of the frosty trees, fences, grasses. After these brief moments the sun disappeared again. The farms , occasional cows or horses added to the suprises of the day. With the back road routes we didn't get to Alexandria until late afternoon. We left after dark and were treaked to a different suprise. There were several farms lit with Xmas lights. One exceptional one had the roofs of the barn, sheds and other out buildings outlined with colored lights and the fence surrounding the farm was hung with lights, and of the course the house was all lit up. What a site. It will be a day I will never forget.