Winter is finally here in Cache Valley. As the temperatures are declining, and the snow accumulations are rising, I find myself reminiscing my last Autumn hike of 2020. It was the last day of temperatures nearly 70 until sometime practically summer here; a good 6 months at least. One nice thing about cold winters, is, by the time 45-degree temperatures come around again next spring, that will feel warm! The warmth of the sun will be felt once again; after a long winter of temps dropping into the negatives, and the highs barely above the 20’s. For that exact reason I wish I could have captured the scent in this picture to share with you. Fresh, clean fall crisp air; cool and sharp on my face. A strong aroma of slightly damp, slowly dying grass. Decaying leaves cracking and crunching under foot. A pungent and tangy must the decomposing leaves are emanating. The sweet fragrance of pine trees mixed in with the faint scent of dust. I love the paradoxical aspect of the vibrant green moss amongst the dead and dying grasses and leaves, mixed in amongst the ice and frost. Did you know that moss can survive the winter, and still photosynthesis, even under the snow? Their low light requirements and ability to go into a sort of plant hibernation make this slow growing plant unphased by the ice, cold, and weeks with little sun light common of a Cache Valley winter. Nature truly is a unique and amazing entity.
Adventures In A Subaru 