What a difference a week and a few foggy nights make. There may not be much snow on the ground but the tree branches made it look like a winter wonderland on the Beaver Hill Biodiversity Trail.

I love walking the trails when the branches are coated in ice crystals. The forest was silent so I could hear the trees creak and the crystals crackle. 

A slight breeze created a shower of ice. I came out of the forest looking like a snowman and learned that I need to wear a hooded jacket on the next hike so those icy flakes do not end up down my back.

There is not much snow on the ground; just enough so I could see who else was on the trail. Most of the tracks belonged to the squirrels. There were a few heart-shaped deer tracks and a few left by some hares.

The rose hips that are still clinging to the bushes stood out against the white frost. Each one was covered in ice crystals.

At home, the birds continue to visit the feeders. It's been the blue jays, chickadees, nuthatches, downy and hoary woodpeckers that have been providing the entertainment. 

The deer continue to raid the feeders under the cover of darkness; leaving the tray feeder empty and the chickadees looking for seeds. It doesn't take them long to find the feeding station on the deck.

I'm working on the outdoor evergreen arrangements for the yard. I may need to spray on some 'fake' snow if there isn't more of it soon.

Winter is taking its time with its arrival this year. Sparse snowcover makes for easier hiking but I'm anxious to begin the winter sports.

It's Friday; the first day of my weekend and 'post day'! I'm still waiting impatiently for snow. There has only been a little sprinkling of it that melted the next day. It's November 18. I should have my x-country skis and snowshoes out. My nose is pressed against the window every morning with the hope that snow fell overnight.

The birds have continued to be busy at the feeders; more frequently at one than the other as the deer come at night and empty the one in the middle of the yard. This morning when I went into the kitchen there were three blue jays and one hoary woodpecker at the feeder and a little downy woodpecker was waiting on the railing for a turn. They provided great entertainment while I had my morning coffee.

Before the cooler temperatures arrived, I hiked the Amisk Wuche trail at Elk Island National Park and the Beaver Hills Biodiversity trail. The day I was out there it was still +12C and the sun was shining.

I noticed the grass was turning green again. This made me pay particular attention to the colors that remained on the trail; the mossy green logs, the red berries and the yellow/orange leaves that still clung to the branches. 

I love walking and paying attention to the little things; the things that I cannot see or hear when I'm inside. There were ladybugs looking for a hiding spot and grouse standing like sentinels in the brown grass. There were hawks and crows flying and calling overhead. There were squirrels chattering in the treetops.
You don't need to live in a rural area to enjoy nature and all it has to offer. If you have a neighborhood park or trails in the river valley, take an hour to shut off the devices and tune out all the man made noise.

This is your challenge for the week. Turn on your senses and tune in to the sights and sounds of nature. You will come back rejuvenated. Tell me about your favorite place to walk.

There has been non-stop action at the backyard bird feeders this week. I set a new feeding station up on my deck. This year I put a 'squirrel block' in it in addition to some shelled sunflower seed. The feeding station in the middle of the yard is filled with the same seed but holds a suet cake.

The birds have been in a feeding frenzy. There were up to six blue jays in the yard at the same time. They swooped down from the branches to the squirrel block and worked at it just as the woodpeckers do. 

What fun it was to watch them in action. Each had a different personality. I wondered what was going on in their bird brains as they pecked for a bit, cocked their head as if to contemplate their task and then begin again.

The woodpeckers were abundant as well. Male and female downy and hoary woodpeckers took turns with the jays. They were more skittish and flew up into the tree branches each time I walked by the window.

The black capped chickadees flitted between the two feeding stations. There were still seed pods on some of the backyard shrubs so they were also busy gathering those from the branches. The leaves were still in place but I knew the little birds were in there because the shrub would tremble as they searched for food.

The birds were not the only ones that took advantage of newly filled feeders. The deer are back for regular visits. They have been feeding on the sunflower stalks/heads and my strawberry plants. I caught them raiding the sunflower seeds in the tray feeder. The deer make the rounds from yard to yard, pruning shrubs/plants and emptying the bird seed.

I had the best reality tv right outside my back door. 

19.2C in central Alberta on November 3. It is hard to believe but true. Today was another warm day.
It's been a few weeks since I've been on the trails. I was down for the count with laryngitis; no voice and what felt like a 20lb weight on my chest. I'm still not 100% but I had to get out and enjoy the day because the only walking I had been doing was from the couch to the bed and back again. Being at home, I did manage to see a beautiful bald eagle fly over my back yard. It skimmed the tree tops. I could see it holding something that it caught for breakfast. I also saw a couple dozen trumpeter swans fly over. Their graceful flight was not taking them south; but west to the lake across the road from my home. Maybe the snow that fell here when I was in Fernie was winter; come and gone.

I stuck close to home. I hadn't been to the Biodiversity trail since before Halloween so that was my destination.

A grouse greeted me at the trail head. Numerous moose and deer tracks were embedded in the mud. The beavers toppled a tree that on a bench and across the trail. The muskrats and ducks were swimming in the ponds.

I made my way to my favorite spot in the forest; a bench that sits beneath the towering spruce. The sun shone between the branches, casting long shadows on the trail. A gentle breeze fluttered the spider webs in the spruce boughs. As they moved, the sunlight reflected off them and made them shimmer.

The once colorful leafy carpet is now brown. The only color along the trail can be found on the mossy logs that lay strewn on the forest floor.

The ponds were serene. The breeze created tiny ripples on the surface. Sparkles appeared on the water as the sun reflected off the splashes created by the surfacing pond bugs.

The birds sang and the squirrels chattered. It was a beautiful day to be outside. I wish I could have explored more trails but it wasn't meant to be.

I did spend some time in the backyard, watching the antics at the bird feeder. The chickadees and blue jays were busy enjoying the feast that I set out for them. They were making my cat's head spin. I thought he was going to get whiplash as he watched all the birds in flight.

The days are getting shorter and I find myself leaving for work in the dark and coming home in the dark. The occasions that I can get to the trails are limited to the weekend. I'll be posting on Fridays only through the remainder of fall/winter. Join me again next Friday! Until then...Happy Trails to you.