kratzsch preserve is a 72-acre wood and wetland lot of former farmland rehabilitated by the ozaukee and washington county land trust. they’re doing good work here people. prairie, marsh, hardwood forest, frontage on the milwaukee river, glacial topography; little bit of everything.

this was a great hike, up and down, good steady wind on the prairie but some shelter in the woods and down by the river. snow drifts gave us a workout. sat with the robins and redwing blackbirds by the river for a spell. four lunes and views for you.

a.

snowmarsh and cattails

crows cawing—

trunk shadow and gone

b.

cork margin’s lake-edge

on dead birch

perilous gambit

c.

prairie grass hoophouse

seedhead sprays

accent the esker

d.

confluence upstream

milwaukee

runs on in light snow