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.