Today the snowy trail going down to the lake at the end of our road was beckoning me. With it all frozen up I can walk right out to the water's edge and will not be pestered by the swarms of bugs who hide in the bushes and reed grasses along the shore. That is one of the bonuses of winter - no bugs!
At the lakes shores it is very marshy with cattails growing in clumps. This area I include as a source for gathering food for the cattail is very versatile and nutritious, a great survival food! Robert Dale Rogers filled me in on the many uses of cattails in his book Sundew Moonwort - Medicinal Plants of the Prairies - he shows how the roots, leaves, stems, flower and pollen can be used providing different types of food at different times of the year.
Backwoods Home wrote an excellent article on the incredible cattail calling it
The super Wal-Mart of the swamp!
He says:
It is a four-season food, medicinal, and utility plant. What other plant can boast eight food products, three medicinals, and at least 12 other functional uses?
Read more about it here
Although the lake is frozen making it difficult to get at the roots (which makes an excellent flour or substitute for corn starch) or the corms for next years shoots (these can be eaten like potatoes), the seed heads are puffing out with down. The Cree people in this area use to use the down as diaper padding and it could also be used on burns and scalds as a dressing. To turn it into a kind of chewing gum they added tallow or animal fat. - taken from Robert Dale Roberts book "Sundew Moonwort"as with the other uses below.
As you can see in some of the pictures below that the down is quite fluffy. It has wonderful insulating value and can be used for insulation, in quilts and to create herbal dream pillows. Once the fluffy down is removed, the remaining stalk can be used like a toothbrush. Love it!
Interestingly, a 13 year old girl, Kristen Wosar
was recognized for her project that involved designing an absorbent fiber from bulrushes (cattails) to collect oil after a spill.
Read about it here.
I love that it is so abundant and has so many uses!
Just had to spout a bit about the amazing cattail before I get back to the photos from my walk...
Looking Past Cattails to the Frozen Lake
Clump of Fluffy Cattails by Young Birch Trees at Edge of Lake
It was very grey today with a bit of fog - not the greatest for taking photos but there was enough contrast between the cattails and the snow that I got a few good shots. I'll be back on a brighter day or days when there may be a sunset over the lake for more photos.
Another View Through the Cattails to the Frozen Lake
There was lots of rabbit tracks in the bush by the lake and I spotted some deer tracks too.
Rabbit Tracks Down Trail to Lake
Also along the edge of the lake there were a lot of birch trees mixed in among the spruce trees which seemed to grow in clumps. I like to come tap the birch trees in the spring for a nutritious and refreshing drink.
Clumps of Birch Growing Among the Spruce Trees
Stand of Birch by Snowy Spruce Trees
Birch Trees Stand Tall at Beginning of Trail to Lake
Along with the birch trees there was some wonderful clumps of the Labrador tea herb. They are one of the few evergreen plants that we can harvest all winter long. The leaves can be used for a pleasant tea or as a substitute for bay leaf in soups and stews. The Scandinavians and Germans used the leaves of this plant to make a stronger ale. Again information from Robert Dale Roberts book "Sundew Moonwort"
Labrador Tea Plant Poking Above the Snow
On the walk down the road home the neighbor's horses were out by the fence coming to greet us.
They stayed for awhile then continued on pawing in the snow for food.
2 Horses Visiting Us 2 Pawing in Snow for Food
And the final view as we come up our lane at the end of the day is a welcoming light from the grow lights in our home -
Warm Glow From the Lights of Our Home With Bruno Doing One Last Check
This is my #WednesdayWalk hosted by 
Also for Photo 52, 2020 Challenge, Week Number 47 which is Photographers Choice I choose the image with the heading - "Birch Trees Stand Tall at Beginning of Trail to Lake"
Find the details of the contest here
The photos were taken with my Canon PowerShot SX60 HS.
Thanks for stopping by!
MINDFUL LIFE is a Natural Medicine project which supports meditators on HIVE Discord II Community**