Atop

Atop
Originally uploaded by ellenjohnrubicon.

In this unseasonably warm winter, I've been trying to get us out and into some muddy, stick-strewn, natural environment at least once a week. It's easy to fall victim to the lure of the laundry and the pool and errands. But when we make the effort to don the snowboots and pack the snacks, it's always well worth it. The girls moods improve the muddier they get. The freedom and the quiet are simply good for us.

Audubon Sanctuaries are always a good bet, with easy trails and warm restrooms. I also discovered the joy in returning to a spot a few different times, to see the changes, week to week. The vernal pool we skated on two weeks ago was a fun crunchy ice mess last week. Rosy left with wet feet.



Winter on a small sailboat can be hard and occasionally awful, but reminding myself that it is my job to find happiness in the season- or to help them find happiness, keeps me seeking adventures like these.
It paid off last week. When subzero temps froze the water around us, Rosy spent most of an afternoon breaking it up with a stick, "to help the ducks get past it." Fun on a frozen day. That's what it's all about.