A Snowy Nature Hike

 Last Sunday we took the kids out for a nature hike... in a snowstorm.

 They didn't mind it a bit, and had more fun in the snow than they probably would have without it... not because they were playing in the snow, but because of the novelty of being out in it just for fun.

 We went to one of the lakes nearby and looked for items to collect to draw in our nature journals.  It was snowy and cold enough that we didn't try to draw anything while we were out there.

The three year old's favorite find was a stick (it usually is).  We found interesting rocks with lichen on them, sticks, rotting logs, old seeds and berries, feathers, and lots of droppings - elk, moose and deer, as well as some tracks.

 We were right at the side of the lake, which is still solidly frozen over.

 There was about 10 inches of exposed water at the edge, which made for a lot of fun for the boys - young and old.

 They all gathered up rocks and threw them at the edge of the ice, trying to break off chunks, and making big splashes.  Can you see the size of the rocks they were throwing?  Look at the one the eight year old is holding at the right edge of the picture.  Even the three year old was throwing rocks that big.  He's a brute.  So it turns out we can do nature hikes even when it's less than ideal weather ... which is most of the year here. :)  It was a lot of fun.