My grand-daughters have been here and it has been a great week for outdoor activities. We took the kicksled to a trail, went ice skating at an outdoor rink, tried out the x-country skis and went sledding. There were lots of rosy cheeks and runny noses.


The trail visit was our first outing. We stopped for snacks in the forest. On the way we saw moose tracks and a spot where a moose lay down for a rest. At the bench we saw moose hair on the snow beneath a spot where it rub...bed against a tree. We heard chickadees sing their 'cheeseburger songs'. 
 

When we continued into the forest we saw squirrel and mouse tracks on the snow. Coyotes left prints alongside the trail. It looked like it had been tracking a hare. The hare prints led into the trees.


Our first trek down a hill with the sled resulted in some skillful maneuvering to miss the moose poop on the trail. The girls were laughing pretty hard when they saw what I was trying to avoid.


We found a big hill and we needed to try going down it a couple of times on the sled. After the 2km trail was completed, both girls were laid out making snow angels to have a little rest.


Our remaining outings to the outdoor rink and the sledding hill were filled with fresh air and laughter. Every morning we would decide what activities we would do and head out for at least 3 hours in the fresh air.


There were things to see in the backyard as well. The pileated woodpecker made daily visits to the feeder outside the patio door. The deer came to raid the hanging feeders. The chickadees, jays and smaller woodpeckers took turns at the suet.


What a great week it has been for us. The weather cooperated and the girls love being outside just as much as I do.


2016 will soon be over. It was a year for me to try some new activities. A kickbike and a kayak were added to my arsenal of outdoor gear. I'm hoping to use them even more in the upcoming year.


May 2017 be filled with many outdoor adventures for all. Happy New Year!

As of post time there has not been any fresh snow but there is some in the forecast so there just might be a snowy Christmas.

The clock and the weather allowed me some outdoor time this week and it was fabulous. I visited the Beaver Hills Biodiversity trail on my first outing. There was snow on the trail. The gusting winds could not get at it. There was not enough for snowshoes but I was able to take out the kicksled. 

http://www.strathcona.ca/departments/communications/news/2016/9/9/new-interpretive-trail-biodiversity-experience/ 

I am so glad I made this purchase a couple of years ago. I hadn't heard of a kicksled before seeing a news clip of one in use at an Edmonton festival. Thanks to the power of Google, I found a local distributor and got one of my own. Last year I purchased a second one so my dad could use one through the winter.

I love being able to take it to the trails as it allows me to explore longer ones. A 13km trail at Elk Island that would have taken me 3+ hours to walk took me half that time on the sled. It provides a seat wherever I am so I can stop for a rest or snacks at anytime.

The sled is great for seniors. Dad cannot use his rollator in the snow but he can use the sled. It has handles to hold on to as he walks behind it; providing some security from slipping. If he needs to sit a bit, the seat is right there. It allows him some outdoor time in the winter.

My outing to the trail was quiet and peaceful and wonderful. The only sound heard was the crunch of snow under my feet and the sled runners. The forest was asleep and I enjoyed every moment of it.

The second outing this week was not to a trail but to an outstanding Christmas light display. It was not quiet but it was outdoors and got some Christmas spirit going.

There was every color of light bulb that you could imagine. They blinked and changed colors and rotated through color changing sequences.

The evening air was crisp. Bonfires burned to warm up cold fingers and toes. Hot chocolate was provided to those needing a warm drink. Children 'ooed' and 'ahhed' as they ran excitedly along the paths between the displays. I must say that I did some of the same; not the running but the 'ooing'.

http://www.leduccountrylights.com/ 

I am off work until January 2 and am looking forward to LOTS of outdoor time between Christmas and New Year's when my granddaughters come for a sleep over.

During this busy holiday season, be sure to take some time to enjoy the quiet and peacefulness of the outdoors. Take a short walk through the neighborhood to admire Christmas lights or head out to the backyard to watch the birds if you have only a few minutes. Breathe in the fresh, crisp air. 

A new year is just around the corner and many people will make a resolution. How about one that doesn't cost anything but provides great health benefits for the body and soul. Take a daily walk outside. Challenge yourself to do it for 7 days in a row and then 7 more and keep on going.

Merry Christmas to all. Happy trails til next Friday.

 

I think my thermometer is stuck. I asked for snow, not for colder weather. There are very fine flakes coming down this morning; more like frost coming off the trees than snow.

It's been so long that I've been to the hiking trails that I've forgotten when the last time was. That for now is okay because I've been entertained by the backyard birds.

I could hear the laugh of a pileated woodpecker when I filled the feeders this morning. It didn't take long before its powerful beak was pecking at the suet block outside my window.

I love watching as it breaks the seeds and corn loose from the suet. When it spies me in the window it cocks its head to the side and watches. This morning the chickadees were brave and came to the feeder at the same time so I got to see the largest and the smallest of my backyard feathered friends at the same time.

My grand-daughters were with me last weekend. They noticed the deer tracks in the backyard and asked if I had seen them. I mentioned that they usually came at night to raid the feeders. We were all surprised when in the middle of the day, four deer came wondering into the yard as we were sitting at the table. I heard "Gramma, the deers are coming!" Both girls ran for the window seat in the bedroom so they could get a better view.

Before the deer arrived we were watching the downy and the hoary woodpeckers coming to the deck feeder for seeds. I told the girls about an even bigger woodpecker and described what it looked like. Not long after the deer left, the pileated woodpecker did show up. "Gramma, the humongous woodpecker is here."

The girls got to see some of Mother Nature's creatures that they wouldn't see in their own yard in the city. What a treat.

I'm looking forward to some time off at Christmas. The temperature looks like it is supposed to rise and the girls will be coming for a few days. I'm hoping for more snow so we can do some sledding. The outdoor rinks are ready for our skating. We'll be spending plenty of time outside! 

As you finish the last of your Christmas shopping, don't forget to take some for a quick walk in the fresh air. It does a body/mind good. Happy trails until next Friday.

Friday, post day! It's been so cold this week that the only outdoor time I had was to fill the feeders for my backyard wildlife.

Only in Alberta do we go from a high of -1.3C on December 4 to a high of -18.2C plus windchill on December 8. The low on the evening of December 3 was -4.9C and the low last night was -27.2C with windchill. That makes for indoor time in front of the wood stove instead of outdoor time on the trail. I had to bundle up to spend 10 minutes outside to fill the feeders and came back in looking like Frosty.

I can at least layer up to stay warm. The backyard wildlife is not as lucky. I've been keeping the feeders full of seed and have put out some extra blocks of suet. The cold temperatures have been freezing the blocks solid so it is taking some extra work by the birds to loosen up the seed. I caught the pileated woodpecker at the suet on my deck yesterday. That large beak did not have any problem chipping the fat.
The deer were visiting every day and I noticed rabbit prints in the yard for the first time in 14.5 years. The word must be spreading through the forest that there's food close by.

There hasn't been much snow; still not enough to ski, snowshoe or kicksled in. The outdoor snowbank rinks are ready but nobody in their right mind should be out in this cold.

I sure hope I can get out soon. Temperatures in the minus twenties don't bother me as long as there is no wind. That has been the deterrent this week. 

Brrrrrrr. If you live in the area of the deep freeze, stay warm. Happy trails 'til next Friday.

It's Friday which means it's post day! Clouds covered the sun and fog settled in almost every night this week. Everything is coated in hoar frost; grasses, leaves, twigs, branches, trees. You name it and it's covered in icy crystals.
On the way to work I came across a beautiful scene; a huge buck foraging for food along the edge of the woods. His brown coat stood out against the frosty landscape. I got out of my vehicle for a better look. There wasn't a soul around; just me this beauty. What a wonderful experience. It was short-lived. The buck got scared off by a vehicle speeding by me.

I have a doe and her two young ones coming into my yard every day. They have been doing a great job of emptying my bird feeders. There hasn't been any tree pruning but I could tell where they rested in the yard. The frost on the grass was melted where the three of them lay down.

I found the young ones walking up my driveway one evening when I was getting home from work. Their eyes reflected in my headlights. They finished raiding my feeders and were headed across the road into my neighbor's yard. It was an easy jump to get over the fence.

I went out this morning to admire the hoar frost and heard a pileated woodpecker. When I realized how close it was, he realized how close I was and flew to the treetops at the back of my yard. I love watching those beautiful, 'prehistoric-looking' birds!

The chickadees, nuthatches, bluejays, hoary and downy woodpeckers have been in a feeding frenzy all week. They must know that temperature is supposed to dip.

I have an extra day off this week so will be heading to the trails for some much needed outdoor time. If the forecast is correct for next week, it is going to be a chilly one. That doesn't deter me from being outside. I have warm boots that are good to -40C and fleece-lined pants. I dress in layers; including my mittens. A warm pair of gloves under the mittens is a must when a camera is involved. When the trails begin to get a bit slippery, I put a pair of hiking cleats on my boots so I can walk sure-footed.

Don't let winter's cold keep you from being outside. With the proper clothing to keep you comfortable there is nothing like a walk in the frosty air to clear your lungs and your head. If you are on a trail, stop and listen. If there are no man made sounds, you will hear that the sounds of nature are amplified in the cold. There is crackling, crunching and bird calls. Try it. You might like. I do. Until next Friday, happy trails to you.