Final Scenes from the Farm
February 7, 2010
The last post in this series of pictures from our trip to the farm in West Virginia last weekend.
I should have included this picture of Benton in the post dedicated to him from the trip…but I missed it. It’s become something of a tradition that he and I will hike down to the river and make a small fire on the gravel bar down there. In this case, between the snow, the sub-20-degree weather, and the damp wood, we actually ruined a lighter trying to get the fire started. That necessitated a trip all the way back up to the farmhouse, where we snagged a book of matches. On the way back down, we found some perfect grass-like kindling…and proceeded to light the fire with a single paper match!
Molly wasn’t bothered by the cold at all — happily sniffing around in the snow and wading in icy water.
A view up one of the little creeks
My “standard” shot looking up the river
(this is taken from the spot where Benton and I made the fire)
Looking down on the farmhouse and barn
(the hunting cabin is visible wayyyyy in the distance, pretty much directly above the front of the barn)
Deer tracks in the snow
A bird in a tree in the front yard
An apple tree through the tire swing
Snowy leaves
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February 8th, 2010 at 1:32 pm
We’ve enjoyed seeing all of your wintry WV photos! That bird is a white-breasted nuthatch (which I know you are thrilled to know, but you did seem to have an interest in labeling the bird pictures in Ohio). Are you sure those are deer tracks? Our deer leap through the snow and leave individual foot prints whereas your picture looks like something was dragging its tail.
February 8th, 2010 at 10:13 pm
Thanks for the white-breasted nuthatch note. I figured I didn’t even have to ask, and I’d be informed.
As for the deer tracks — yes, they’re deer tracks. They’ve got a pretty clear cloven hoof if you zoom in on them. The “tail” is actually just the space between dragging hooves. From http://www.whitetails.com/deer_info/deer_tracks.cfm: “It is believed that bucks drag their feet to conserve energy. In deeper snow all deer will drag their feet. “