The snow finally arrived.  There was more than a dusting but not enough to break out the skis and snowshoes.  With the white backdrop, it is easy to see the wildlife moving in the forest.

There are six deer that graze in the woods behind my yard.  One of the young ones is a daily visitor; cleaning up the sunflower seeds that the jays toss from the feeder.  I may nickname this one 'Hoover'.

The moose have been showing themselves close to the Strathcona Wilderness Centre.  Last weekend a full grown female was feeding in a willow thicket that was close to the road, making it easy to watch her.  She kept peering to the east which made me think that there may have been a hunter that her in a rifle sight.

Yesterday morning, a beautiful male with a young female were in almost the same spot.  I pulled over to watch.  They looked up but did not run.  A vehicle stopped beside me.  The driver was on her way to work but took a few moments to observe.  She couldn't believe her luck; mentioning that she's never seen two at the same time.

The moose moved slowly along the edge of the pond to a spot where they could climb the bank.  Thick willows grow beneath the aspens and the birch.  There area is a smorgasbord for moose and the two of them enjoyed every morsel.

 

The blue jays have been providing daily entertainment.  I set a tray feeder on my deck in front of the kitchen window.  It takes about ten minutes after I throw peanuts in the feeder for the jays to begin flying in.  They come from every direction. It appeared that there was some sort of 'pecking' order and if they didn't follow it, there was a lot of loud squawking.  

My favorite part of their antics involved watching them try to fit as many peanuts as possible into their beak before flying off to hide them.  I continue to wonder how they remember where to find the nuts again.

When the jays were not at the feeder, the chickadees, nuthatches and woodpeckers showed up for the sunflower seeds and suet.  They scattered when the aggressive jays came in for a landing.

The blue jays had a taste of what they were doing to the small birds when a pileated woodpecker showed up for a visit.  It kept the jays at bay while it looked for a cake of suet that I had in the tray.  I realized that the cake was missing and set another one out, wondering where the first one had disappeared to.  Shortly after I put the second cake out, a crow flew overhead and looked as if it had full intention of swooping in to grab the treat.

The ground is still brown.  The snow has been limited to some minor flurries that melt when they hit the ground.  The birds are still able to gather seeds in the forest but the feeders remain full to supplement their diet and provide some lively entertainment for me.
 

I've been taking advantage of the warm temperatures and the lack of snow.  If I can't go skiing or snowshoeing, the hiking boots and poles will remain at the back door.  

I spent an enjoyable hour at the Strathcona Wilderness Centre yesterday.  The signs for skiers are out and trail passes are for sale but it will be awhile before any skiing happens unless we get a big dump of the white stuff.

Today I drove to Elk Island National Park to hike the Amisk Wuche trail.  As I turned into the park off of Highway 16, a big mule deer buck crossed the road.  The bison were grazing in the Bison Loop.  The parks staff were working in numerous locations, doing repairs and getting ready for winter.

I was the only vehicle in the trail head parking lot.  As I prepared my camera gear, two flocks of Canada geese flew overhead.  They were in no hurry to leave.  They were flying north instead of south.

The beavers at the pond have certainly been busy.  The tree that was teetering precariously at the edge of the boardwalk is now blocking the trail along with many others. 

The pond surface is almost frozen over completely.  The methane bubbles are forming, creating decorative patterns in the ice.

The black capped chickadees sang their 'cheeseburger' song as they gathered seeds.  

The squirrels were in abundance today.  I must have seen and heard at least a dozen of them.  Two in particular kept my attention for about 10 minutes.  They chased each other up and down and round and round a huge spruce tree.  They would jump from branch to branch.  One of them made a big leap and the second one tried to follow but lost its footing and ended up hanging upside down on a flimsy branch.  It managed to right itself and the game continued.  Other squirrels were busy gathering food and stocking their middens.

A light breeze began to blow when I was about half way around the trail loop.  The leaves began to rustle and the tree stops swayed.  As I walked along, I noticed many empty nests in the shrubs beside the trail.  It is amazing that the nests were so close to the trail yet when all the leaves were in place, I had no idea that a bird family resided so close by.  

I passed by a thick willow thicket.  The weather has been so warm that the pussy willows have opened up.

I made it to the parking lot before the rain clouds opened up.  It rained all the way home.  It's November 13 and the rain came down so hard that I had to keep the wipers on.  I thought it would last long enough for the rain to turn to snow but it has stopped and the forecast is for a clear night.  I hope it will be another cloudless sky filled with northern lights.

There are a number of above zero days ahead.  It will give me time to get the winter decorations out.  I may even have time to get the outdoor planters done.  I'm sure I can find enough outdoor tasks to do while waiting impatiently for the snowflakes to begin falling.

 

This morning was calm, cloudless and perfect for an outing.  I was the only one on the trail.  The sun's rays shone through the leafless forest, creating long shadows over the frozen ground.  The light made the frosty branches sparkle like diamonds.

When I walk, I block everything out except for what is immediately around me.  I tune in to what I can see and hear.  The squirrels chattered to each other.  The chickadees were hanging upside down on the birch trees, picking seeds for breakfast.  A grouse hen watched me from a fallen log.  A pileated woodpecker called from a tall snag.  I heard movement in the forest and glanced in that direction.  I found a coyote staring back at me between the trees.

The overnight temperatures have dipped to -8C creating a layer of ice on the lake.  The daytime temperatures have not been warm enough to melt what was frozen. 

On November 2nd it looked hopeful that the snow was finally coming but by the afternoon, what had fallen was melted.  I looked back at my photos and longed to see the same amount of snow that fell on November 8, 2012.  

Nov 8, 2012

Everyday that it is above zero and snowless is one less day of winter fun for me.  My skis, snowshoes and kicksled lay in wait for the first big snowfall.  Until then, my nose will be pressed against the window and my eyes will be watching the sky for those snowflakes to begin to fall; creating my annual winter wonderland. 

 

Today was outdoor day at Elk Island National Park.  It was calm and the blue sky was cloudless.  When I pulled into the park, the bison were grazing in the ditches.  There were very few vehicles in sight.  I had picked a good time of day to go.

I chose my favorite trail; Amisk Wuche.  It offers a variety of landscapes and never disappoints.  When I got to the parking lot, there were no other vehicles.  It was going to be a good hike.

The trail was covered in fallen leaves.  Most of the berries had been plucked from the underbrush; only a few rosehips remained.  As I made my way to the first pond I could hear the magpies and the squirrels.  When I got to the pond I had a big surprise.

The beavers had done some  `clear cutting`.  They are taking down trees; large and small.  There is a poplar standing precariously on the shore.  As I observed the handiwork, I thought that it had to have been a very large beaver or it was standing on the log beside the tree.  

A huge lodge sits beside the boardwalk.  Many small branches and twigs have been stockpiled beside it.  A fallen tree blocked the trail.  The branches had been stripped off the trunk.

The ponds along the trail were still.  The water surface looked like glass.  Most of the ducks have left.  I found only a couple of mallards.  The Canada Geese are in no hurry to leave.  I heard some fly low over my head and watched them as they came in for a splashdown.

The chickadee songs filled the forest.  They were busy gleaning seeds from the birch and spruce trees.  As I walked there was a shower of seed hulls falling from the branches.

Some of the shallow sloughs are ice covered.  Delicate bubbles formed beneath the surface, creating some beautiful art.  

I got to the bench that I usually stop at and watched a muskrat in the water.  It was enjoying the day as well.  It climbed onto a log and plopped into the water; reminding me of `chop chop timber`when the kids took swimming lessons.  When it landed in the water, it rolled over and over like a log and popped back up on the log again.  I have never seen one behave this way.

I love fall almost as much as I love winter.  It is lazy and laid back.  It is quiet and peaceful.  It is bug free. The temperature is perfect to spend time outside in a neighborhood park or local natural area.

 

 

 

The trees are bare in the forest behind my yard so I can once again see the beautiful autumn sunrises.  The colors have been brilliant; red, orange, yellow, purple.  I marvel at how quickly the scene can change.

Last week was spent enjoying lots of outdoor time with my granddaughters.  We explored the spruce bog at the Strathcona Wilderness Centre.  The squirrels were entertaining.  The girls brought their magnifying glasses to examine tree bark, spruce cones and spongy green moss.  We brought some paper and crayons along to do leaf rubs.  On the way back to where we parked they looked for large leaves, had a leaf fight, balanced on rocks and found hiking 'sticks' so they could pretend that they were hiking trails in the mountains.

We visited Elk Island National Park on another day and were lucky to see the bison crossing the road in front of us.  The girls were smitten with the one bison calf that was still reddish in color.  "He looks so soft and cuddly."

It was windy the day that we were there.  The wind created foamy waves on Astotin Lake.  We watched the waves roll onto the shore.  The trail to the boardwalk was not too far away so we headed there.  The girls read all the interpretive signs and watched for feeding ducks.  

Over the course of five days we visited playgrounds daily, found trails to explore almost every day, had a picnic at the Blackfoot Recreation area, visited Elk Island National Park, traveled to the farm and had a

scavenger hunt in the backyard.  The girls watched the birds at the feeder and listened to the flocks of geese overhead.  When we were exploring, time flew by.  It was easy to lose track of time and find out that we were outside for 4-5 hours at a time.

We had a bonfire on a clear evening.  That night we cuddled under a blanket and watched the colors of the sunset and saw the starry night sky begin to shine.  We found the big dipper and the north star.

The weather cooperated and we got to spend many glorious hours enjoying the last warm days of autumn.  Soon the snow will be falling and we will be waiting for enough of it to cover the trails so we can pull out the x-country skis and the kicksled.

We are having a great run of fall weather.  The daytime temperatures have been above normal.  The sky has been cloudless.  It has been perfect to spend time outdoors.  

I've been waiting for the ideal day to have my annual leaf bonfire.  It was supposed to be yesterday but the wind was too gusty.  By the evening it had died down enough so that I could have a 'regular' bonfire.

The lawn furniture is still uncovered so I pulled up my favorite chair, grabbed a cup of tea and hunkered down by the fire pit.  I positioned my chair so I could see the last rays of the sun reflect on the lake.  It was a beautiful night.  As the last bit of light disappeared, the stars began appearing.

I closed my eyes and listened to the night sounds; the coyotes howling in the trees behind my yard, the crackle of the pine sap in my logs and the waterfowl calls on the lake.  I heard wings cutting through the air and opened my eyes in time to see five ducks fly overhead.

There were no barking dogs.  The children that played in the ditch in front of my house all afternoon were inside for the night.  There was no traffic noise.  It felt like I was the only person around for miles.

I had hoped that the aurora would be out but settled for the millions of twinkling stars.  The darker it got, the more stars came out.  Once in awhile the logs would spark and embers would fly straight up and disappear into the night.

There is something about the smell of a bonfire that soothes the soul and something about being under a star-filled sky that makes me realize how truly blessed I am to live where I do.

I'm glad I decided to enjoy the morning at Elk Island National Park on Friday.  It had been a few weeks since my last visit and I wanted to see the last of the autumn color.  Many of the leaves had fallen already but every now and again there was a patch of aspen trees that were still holding onto theirs.

As I drove toward Astotin Lake from the south gate, the morning sun reflected off the ponds along the parkway.  The ducks and geese were swimming peacefully on the surfaces.  

When I got to the parking lot, the only people around were park staff; readying the facilities for winter.  I drove to the lot closest to the Lakeview Loop trailhead.  As I gathered my supplies for the short hike, I could hear the waterfowl calling from Astotin Lake.  The morning was calm and warm.  It was a great day to be outside.

The trail was soft and leaf covered.  The underbrush had lost all its leaves so it was easy to see the grouse, squirrels and hares.  The chickadees were busy gathering seeds from the leafless birch.  I heard a flock of cranes overhead.

I stopped at the first bench on the trail.  It overlooks the lake to the southeast.  I wasn't the only one enjoying the morning sun.  A ladybug rested on a nearby leaf as the rays warmed it.

The Lakeview Trail is short and provides many different views.  There are a number of spots to sit and enjoy the forest sights, sounds and smells.

I'm glad that I took the time to head out on Friday.  The wind is howling and the rain is beating against the windows this morning.  The last of the colorful leaves in my backyard are now on the ground.  Mother Nature is almost ready for winter.

I hope the weather holds out for a few more weeks.  My granddaughters are coming to stay for a few days and we are planning on lots of outdoor time.

 



 

The last couple of days could very well be the end of the brilliant fall color display.  It lasted a long while considering that the leaves began changing in mid August and it is now early October.

I couldn't resist taking the scenic back roads home over the weekend just so I could take in the final colorful show.  The ponds were still filled with waterfowl; swimming over the calm water, through the magnificent reflections on the surface.

I have enjoyed so many autumn scenes but yesterday I experienced my favorite.  I pass by the Strathcona Wilderness Centre each time I go to work.  When I drove by yesterday, the morning light was perfect.  

There is a trail close to the road.  It is lined with tall aspens.  Enough leaves have fallen to carpet the trail.  Where the leaves once clung to the branches, spaces opened in the thick canopy to let the sun's rays shine through.  The warm morning rays lit the bright yellow aspens with a glow like I've never seen before.  The tall trunks created shadows across the trail, enhancing the bright light coming through the upper branches.  The sunlight combined with the bright yellow leaves created a scene that glowed with warmth, welcoming hikers to a magical autumn wonderland.

Mother Nature's art exhibition is drawing to a close.  The wind has tugged the leaves from the branches.  There has been a killing frost the last two nights.  Beautiful ice crystals covered the leaves.  I stepped onto the deck in the early morning and had another first time experience.  The morning was quiet and still.  I could hear the ice crystals crackling on the leaves in the poplar tree.  By the time I got home yesterday, the leaves had fallen to the ground.

The weekend forecast looks great.  I just might get my leaf bonfire.  It's an annual ritual.  I light the firepit and stoke it with wood and leaves as I cover the lawn furniture with tarps and do the final chores to put the yard to bed for the winter.  This time of year ranks up there with my love of winter.  I'm savoring every color, every fallen leaf, every clear aurora filled sky and all that nature is offering.

 

I've never seen an autumn like this one.  The colors are brilliant and the leaves have been holding on for a few weeks now.  

It is still dark in the morning when I leave home but I allow extra time to drive home so I can enjoy the landscape.

The color pallet that Mother Nature has chosen includes reds, oranges, yellows, greens and browns.  It lines the township road on either side for the entire 25 kilometers. 

 
 As I get closer to home,I see the ducks and geese enjoying a peaceful swim on the small ponds. I hear them call to each other as they swim; creating Vs on the water surface.  The picturesque autumn scene has my attention the entire drive home.

The clouds stayed away until the eclipse was over last night.  When they moved in, the rain began falling.  There was enough to fill all the dips in the trail so rubber boots were the footwear of choice this morning.

I love heading out early.  The morning light is soft, warm and great for photography.  The trail sparkled.  The morning sun reflected off the raindrops creating a shimmering path.  Mother Nature's crown jewels lead me into the forest.

There was a gentle breeze.  I could hear it rustling the leaves.  Most of the tall trees are still holding onto their leaves.  Many of the small to mid size trees have lost theirs.  The trails were covered with a carpet of leaves.  It seems the yellow leaves were the first to let go.  

Most of the rose leaves were a brilliant red.  The chokecherry leaves were a deep burgundy.  My favorite was a group of aspens.  They were yellow on the bottom half and orange to red at the top. 

The landscape was ablaze with color.  The shore on the opposite side of the lake looked like a painting.  I wondered if the ducks and geese on the lake enjoyed the scene as much as I did.

What should have taken me 40 minutes to hike the trail, took me 2 hours.  It definitely was not a fitness hike.  It was a mental health hike.  

I took in the colors and sounds of the forest.  I admired the raindrops on the carpet of leaves.  I watched the sun reflect off the drops that were clinging to the leaves.  As I walked,  I thought about how in a couple of weeks the leaves will be gone and bare branches will remain. I hope I'll have the opportunity to visit the trails again before this happens.