First snows of winter are often wet clinging to the countryside at least for a short time. Smaller shrubs, with a heavy burden of fallen snow, bow down under the weight of the winter season now upon them.  Trees show evidence of the previous storm's direction.  While moss may grow heaviest on the North side of trees, snow cakes the West side of these trees.  Trees of by gone days lay in the creek, reminiscent of river log runs that were the back bone of Wisconsin's economy so many years back.

This image was captured on Mill Creek near Woodduck Drive in the Town of Linwood in Portage County. Mill Creek is a trout stream originating in Wood County and flowing into the Wisconsin River just south of Plover, Wisconsin. A shingle  mill was located at it's mouth in 1830, thought to be Portage County's first lumber related endeavor.

Mill Creek rocks (precambrian gneiss) are believed to be 1.94 billion years old, some of the oldest rocks in Wisconsin.