Snow had fallen during the night. The walk to the park in the dark was made more interesting by new tracks put down by the paperboy’s bike, joggers, automobiles, and animals. I took my camera in hopes of seeing deer along the river path. But someone with big feet and a big dog was just ahead of me. Any wildlife had gone for cover in the brush. I was glad in a way. At six a.m. in July this trail is all chirpy with birds, and the sun is easing through the greens in the leaves, (cue Grieg’s Morning Mood from the Peer Gynt Suite).
But, even with the reflected light from the snow, the place had turned to Mirkwood (insert scary music from The Lord of the Rings).
I almost expected evil creatures to appear in my path. There were no giant spiders, and the place felt friendlier as sunlight turned the sky pink. A bunny had left tracks across the pathway.
They reminded me of another snowy morning in Grand Teton Park. I went to get photos of the rose glow of sunrise on the Teton Mountains. I found myself following very large bear tracks down the trail.
I tried to be very noisy and slow to give Mr. Bear plenty of time to get away. Glad I never saw the maker of those big footprints!
