I think snow is one of the most beautiful features of our earth’s weather system. When the wind is heavily blowing, snow can form some of the most majestic snow drifts that are always a joy to the eyes. I can recall driving along highways in northern Wisconsin where the snow is really deep and the powder seems so graceful among all the trees of the forest. It makes me wonder if the deer and bunnies jump for joy at the beauty or do they find safe spots to hide for the winter. They're probably looking for safe hiding spots.

New Year’s Day with bitter, deep cold temperatures makes me wonder how the joy of winter can be experienced on a snowmobile in the middle of a city. I have always thought that snowmobiles were for winter use in the far north. But it seems that there are some in the Freeport area who are determined to mess up the beautiful snows along the roadsides with the tracks of the snowmobiles that curve up and down the snowbanks.

They must have to drive in curvy patterns just to get a few thrills because I can’t imagine anything more boring than just a plain straight path. Furthermore what joy is there in a frozen face and fingers and toes? The most likely outcome is a fast trip to the ER because of frostbite.

Now I admit that I have never set foot on a snowmobile and with the temperatures that they are this weekend at 13 degrees below zero, I am certainly not going to try it. Ordinarily in the winter, I don’t usually wear a hat or ski cap unless my plans were to go skiing, but even today, New Year's Day, just to go to the grocery store, I donned a ski cap. I was once told that in this kind of cold, metal earrings will cause ones ears to freeze. And I do wear earrings, so I put on a ski cap just to go to the store.

I am oftentimes asked if we have deer where I live outside of the city limits, and the answer to that is yes, we do have deer. However, when there is snow on the ground then it is really easy to see just how often the deer are roaming the property by looking at all of the tracks.

As I write this, there are about four deer snuggled under the trees outside my bedroom window. They don’t seem to like all of this super cold that we are having any more than we do. And they stay there for several hours, they don’t just stay a few minutes. I love watching them. They seem so peaceful even if it's bitter cold.

So to answer my own question about the deer and the bunnies, I think they find a safe spot out of the wind and cold. I just checked outside the window, and there are about nine deer just resting under the trees!

Marsha Holden: holdenhousehold9939@gmail.com