We headed out late one afternoon for some snowshoeing.  The Twin Cities are filled with wonderful parks that allow you to get “away” from the city, even though it’s all around.  I had been to this park before on my bicycle and knew that it had a paved walking trail through it.  I was surprised that the trail had actually been plowed, so we carried our snowshoes for awhile.  In the center of the park is a wonderful prairie area, with a grove of trees sitting up on a hill.  It was the perfect place to don our snowshoes and head off into the knee-deep snow.  There was a wonderful quiet to the afternoon – a stillness that occurs when the snow absorbs all the sounds around it.  We were out as the sun travelled low in the horizon, lighting the clouds in the western sky.  What a treasure it is to have the beauty (and quiet) of nature so near to enjoy.