UP Dreams: SNOW Chapter 2, Anacondas, Massive Herds, Sleeping Bears and Snowball Bushes!

I am learning lots of things about snow that I never knew before. It's easy to learn things about snow in the UP. Just hang around and you will see many new things eventually.

For instance, when it really starts to get snowy, the White-tailed Deer form marauding-birdseed-eating bands, going from house to house and rabble-rousing.

a gang gathers

cautiously

intimidating the enemy (me) with their ability to stare me down

or to create a false sense of security with their innocent pretend shyness

or by camouflaging themselves into the shape of everyone's favorite lawn deer statue

or statues

until it's time to STRIKE (the birdseed)

trust me

Scared yet? I am. But that's not the extent of the dangers to be found in the snowy north woods.

Snakes!

Yes, you heard me. Vipers and Boas and Anacondas appear suddenly after especially heavy snowfalls.

Wanna see?

Okay.

But try not to be scared.

they are somewhat camouflaged in this picture

a constrictor, wrapped around the branch! see it?

anaconda!

and a small yet deadly VIPER

Of course, not everything seen in the forest is a danger.

I heard a few days ago that 108 inches of snow have fallen here this winter so far. And I think to myself, "How can this be?" Just last week, 33 new inches appeared. And though it does snow quite often here, I can't account for over a hundred inches. So I determined the snow must be coming from another source.

And sure enough, I found that source today.

SNOWBALL TREES.

Yes....they can be seen nearly everywhere, growing their crops of snow, which then fall to the ground when ripe.

a nice crop growing

a nearly ripe snowball fruit

nearly ready

mature tree with fruit ready to drop

See....you learn something new every day.

One more thing I learned today is that bears sleep in the woods.

Yes, I said SLEEP.

They are hard to see, but Bob found this one today

see it? you have to look carefully....

Okay, I know.

All very silly. But the reality is that Bob and I drove the snowy roads around Paynesville this afternoon, and laughed about the fact that the snow here in the UP is so STICKY. It sticks in the bushes in round balls. It hangs on the trees, making animal shapes. It covers up the vegetation and makes the deer all want to congregate in everyone's yards in Paynesville. And it hangs on TIGHT to the roof edges, totally defying gravity and making people's houses look pretty, or comical, or maybe even FRIGHTENING.