Was looking for exercise....found a complete passion.....

Yesterday, the thermometer read 8 below zero.  I think the wind chill was somewhere around 20 below.  Dressing to go out and do chores and then snow shoe takes a little bit of thought and care.  Long johns and wind pants on bottom, two shirts and a thermal lined hoodie on top.  Thermal socks, wool mad bomber hat, insulated gloves, polar fleece face/neck warmer complete the wardrobe.
The goal is to limit surface exposed to the air, but not to dress so warmly that you get uncomfortable once you start working up a good sweat.  That is why there was no winter coat.
Did chores, then put the dogs in the warm house and headed out on the trail.  The first section of trail passes through a horse pasture where there is no wind break.  The brisk winds were blowing up little snow devils throughout the field.  This section is only about 300-400ft long, with beautiful scenery, but seems longer with the bitter cold wind. 
Once I enter the woods, there is a huge difference in the feel of the air.  The thick spruce and birch to the north of me and the maple forest to the south give me a feeling of warmth and protection. 
I meander through the spruce trees and into the maple forest.  I love this section of trail.  In the summer, I decorate it with gnomes, fairies, tree faces and other assorted critters much to the delight of my grandkids.  In the winter, there are a few tree faces to be seen, but the scenery is the dark brown of the maple bark against the stark white snow. 

I circle the maples, eventually coming back to the spruce section of trail.  All along the way, chickadees talk to me, lighting on low branches and singing "chick-a-dee-dee-dee" at me.   Rabbit tracks, deer tracks, fox tracks and occasionally, wolf tracks are abundant in the woods - I love looking at the tracks and figuring out what came by, which direction they were going and what kind of path they took - foxes like to zig-zag around - I imagine they are sniffing branches and such.   Deer mostly go straight from point A to point B, while bunnies seem to zig around aimlessly.
By the time I have come back to the spruce trail, I am thoroughly warm from the inside out.  I have pushed the now wet face warmer down off of my face, and am feeling overdressed as I sweat along.
When I hit the pasture again, the cold wind and the snow devils now feel good.  I have did about 1/2 an hour of intense exercise, but it didn't feel like exercise.   Not too bad for an overweight grandma. The soul-renewing outting is the highlight of my day every day.  I started out just looking for a way to get outside and get some exercise and discovered an absolute passion.  I imagine I will be snow shoeing the rest of my life.
Any of you who are interested in snow shoeing, I urge you to try it.  You don't have to have your own trail to do it or even live in the country.  If you live in an area with snow in the winter, try a state park, or hiking trail.  It is easier for beginners, out of shape folks and older people to go on an already packed trail.  I use the snowmobile to pack my trail down every time it snows.  It is much easier on my knees that way, but still plenty of exercise !!