Hello from the University of Wisconsin Arboretum on this fine, snowy, not-quite-freezing February morning! I try to visit the arboretum every weekend I’m not away from Madison because it’s a lovely park and it’s got miles of trails to go walking on. Today I visited the southern half of the arboretum, the part that got cut off when they drove the beltline through it.

I really wanted to go visit it this weekend because on this coming Monday and for the rest of the week, the forecast is calling for temperatures in the teens and single digits. I really don’t like going outside when the weather is like that. Today it was sunny and temps were in the twenties. I can stay warm when it’s like that when I dress up in many, many layers, starting with insulated long johns.

Strapping snowshoes to my feet doesn’t hurt, either. Gets my heart rate up in a hurry when I’m galomphing around in those. I do not get enough opportunities in southern Wisconsin to go for a hike in snowshoes. There just hasn’t been enough snow to warrant wearing them in recent years. There very definitely was today at the arboretum, though. I could’ve made the same hike without them, but I would’ve been quickly exhausted with my boots slipping and sliding at every step.

The low tonight is forecast to be five below zero. Glad I got outside while I could enjoy the day! I will be buried beneath a thick fluffy quilt.