Last week, we talked about the benefits of birding by snoeshoeing at DeKorte Park.We are thinking that Paula Dias may have done us one better. She writes, in anticipation of our next snowfall:

The challenge of winter for me has always been the cold and snow limiting my outdoor activities and causing me to hibernate.

This does not bode well for my love of nature and the outdoors. A close and wonderful nature fix for me is DeKorte Park. Not wanting the cold and snow to limit me, I ventured there after the last blizzard, trudging around almost knee deep in snow.

I ran into someone out on cross-country skis and was immediately inspired. The next day I dusted off my snowshoes which had been collecting dust for a couple of years. Dressed warmly head to toe in my snowboarding gear, I headed out.

Freedom! The snowshoes made walking atop three feet of snow a breeze. I could go virtually anywhere I wanted with ease and it was fun not to feel limited.

It was a whole new world. With my pocket digital camera I photographed untouched snow-covered beauty (photos top and bottom).

And what great exercise! It certainly beats being stuck indoors walking on a treadmill. I enjoyed the beauty of the icy white landscape and the company of myriad waterfowl, hawks, and other rare winter visitors like the White-crowned Sparrow.

No need to drive an hour to enjoy this fun winter sport, I discovered I could do it right here at DeKorte Park.