Good day. Spent the morning writing, the afternoon hiking through Mueller State Park. Had hoped to snowshoe, but the ground was patchy and didn't want to grind down the crampons walking on rock. Still, a beautiful day. Sky was blue, the wind was down, and the wildlife showed up right on cue. Walked into a heard of about eight deer a quarter mile from the trailhead. Some were browsing, some were bedded down and determined to stay that way. Gave us a good long look, but never spooked. Pines were still carrying some of last night's snow, little white bolls balanced on the boughs like ornaments. Couldn't help but stop and admire them.
D texted last night with some pics of a nice rainbow he caught in the hills outside Austin. An eighteen incher, thick around the middle. Haven't nailed anything that size out here for a while, the closest coming on the South Platte out of Deckers a couple of years ago. Caught back to back browns on a buckskin in the same stretch of river, but released them both on the spot. Don't hear from the kid very often. Nice when I do. Glad he's been getting outdoors and enjoying himself.