It’s hard to work on appreciating winter when it doesn’t feel like it outside. At all.
Current Weather:
48 degrees and mostly clear. However, it was in the mid 50’s earlier today. So warm that I just had a jacket on as I took my walk. Didn’t need gloves to take photos as my hands weren’t cold. AND I was so hot after I finished, I took my jacket off and ran the air in the car for a bit.
It is supposed to rain overnight and drop us back into the mid 30’s for tomorrow.
Unpaved and Paved Trails Today
I went to a place called George Owens Nature Park today to see decorated Christmas tree cutouts. It’s an annual fundraiser where local groups or individuals buy and then decorate wooden shapes to raise money for a local charitable organization. The cutouts are then displayed along a trail at the park. They’ve done snowmen, snowglobes, and gingerbread houses in years past. This year, Christmas trees. 
I have lots of other tree photos to share. However, when I started down this easy paved trail, a voice (an echo of my 25 year old self perhaps?) said take the unpaved trail! So I did.
Unpaved Trail Images
What are you doing in the middle of the woods Mr. Hawk?
Looking for butterflies? 
Trail stops with this sign.
Pretty view on the return trip though. Looks more like fall than winter to me. Felt like it as well. 
And now a few images from the paved trail (Note: I’m saving all the Christmas tree cutout pictures for tomorrow’s post).
Paved Trail
Even with the weather in the mid 50’s, I still found a snowman! 
Not sure why he was lurking by the bridge. 
The birds at the bird feeders were happy. And far away from that hawk on the unpaved trail! 
I bumped into the new naturalist who showed me a wood duck nesting site. (Had to walk off the paved path and into the picnic area to see it) It’s the hole in the tree with the grass coming out of it. 
Always see geese down by the lake (saw 3 ducks as well but no decent photos) 
Time for a rest. 
Actually, it was time to go home and cook dinner.
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day 11/365
Loved seeing all the photos and the glimpse into your day. Thank you for sharing!
Thank you! I really do love taking photos out on the nature trails, need to do it more often.
I LOVE that you took the unpaved trail, though I’d LOVE to see the trees 😀
I was happy to take it though my legs were a bit sore last night. Post with the trees coming today 🙂
I’m not familiar with this place, but will have to check it out. Maybe I can talk Amanda into taking me there next winter to see the trees. What a neat idea! Great photos…especially the one of the red-shouldered hawk! And, yes, this weather is crazy! It’s cooled off a little, but, still…for January in Missouri? You gotta be kidding! Wednesday was absolutely gorgeous! Hope your weekend is a great one!!!
The trees are on display until Feb 1 (just looked it up). Next winter will be a different shape but they are always fun to see. Oh, I didn’t know what kind of hawk it was. Thank you for letting me know. Isn’t it odd that it was in the middle of a wooded area? I thought they liked open spaces. We ended up with a very slight amount of snow the day after I took my walk but it’s all melting today. Back to 43 degrees. Hope you are enjoying your weekend!
Thanks for the info, Jean. I doubt that I’ll be up that way before February 1st, but will definitely keep this in mind for next year!
As for the hawk, most hawks…yes…it would be odd to find it in the middle of a wooded area, but not the red-shouldered hawk. Here’s what MDC has to say about the red-shouldered hawk’s habitat…
“Residents forage near their nests along forested streams and rivers. This hawk is generally associated with forests and near water, in places where the lower part of the forest canopy is fairly open, giving the perched hawk a good view of the ground. Sometimes also lives in suburban neighborhoods and parks, where sufficient forestland is nearby.”
We have, actually, had a pair of these hawks nesting in the neighborhood for the past several years, always within two blocks of our house. In fact, in 2020 they were nesting in a tree at the very back of our property.
Good nature find, Jean! (high five) I hope your weekend is going well, too! 🙂
Love the bird pics. Something has been killing birds in our yard but, when we had snow on the ground, there were no paw prints around so we figured a hawk or an owl. I’ve seen a hawk in our yard, and I’ve heard an owl hooting at night, so who knows.
I’d love so much to start walking on trails. There is one I know of for sure quite near me, and I think a couple others not too far away. I don’t want to go alone though, and have no one to go with me. Heck, even just living out in the country, I bet I could see some nice things walking along our roads. My fear there though, is dogs. I like dogs just fine but out in the country, who knows if they’re aggressive property protectors with free range. Still, you’re inspiring me to maybe go check out a trail. =)