My Big Backyard

When it snows, I have a really big back yard.
It's great to be able to ski right out your back door.

The owners of the lot backing up to mine provide a fine cross country ski resort.

The resort is also enjoyed by a number of other animals.
I would commit a faux pas if I didn't point out that these tracks
were created by fox paws.

Pretty amazing how far apart these fox tracks are.
The little guy can practically fly when he wants to.

This is his chalet.

There are humans out here too.
This one walked in the tracks I made yesterday.
But they are rare, and usually, all I see is their tracks.

Deer tracks.  Lots of them.

Note the cleft hoof.
This footprint is either from a deer or a small demon.

The creek winds through the course.

I'm looking down the little hill toward the narrow bridge.
Several disaster scenarios linger here, though I have not seen them.  Yet.

The ducks were minding their own business in the stream when I zipped across the bridge.
I'm not sure if they were more startled than I was, but they certainly left more quickly.

Always interesting to look back at what you created 
when you thought you skied a straight track.

The tracks on the left are from zipping down.
The tracks on the right were created while plodding back up.
It is the biggest hill in the world,
or at least it used to be when I dragged the kids to it on a sled.
I miss those days.

The cell towers are in the distance, near the main road.
I co-led the resistance to placing them on the other side of the course, 
backing up to the surrounding houses.
¡Viva la Revolución!

I spooked this guy while he was minding his own business in the creek.
Pretty rare to see a Heron this time of year.
It's always a good day when you see a Heron.

40-odd years ago, I occasionally played hockey on this pond with the kids who lived around the course.
We'd shovel the ice and skate for hours.
We weren't very good.  We still have all our teeth.

Another pretty spot where the creek has been diverted around a pond.

I never go near the clubhouse,
 just in case someone wants to exercise his Second Amendment Rights.

The squirrels also have a clubhouse.
I never go near theirs, either.