How did you do with your outdoor time last week? Did you pick an activity and give yourself that little push to get outside?

"I'm not a winter person."  I hear that a lot, especially when I say that I love winter. The usual excuse is that it is too cold or too icy. Well, winter is a fact of life here in Alberta so you might as well find a way to enjoy it. It is going to happen every year.

Let's see if we can get you more comfortable by discussing how to dress. Your head and extremities must be covered. A warm touque that covers your entire head, including your ears, is important. As you begin your walk/hike, you don't want your body heat escaping. 

Mittens are better than gloves because your fingers are not separated. They stay together, keeping your hands warmer. I usually have two layers; a thin pair of gloves inside the mittens because my hands usually start overheating about halfway through my outing. The gloves absorb perspiration so I remove them and put the mittens back on, keeping my fingers toasty for the remainder of the time that I am outside.

It's important to have a good pair of boots for walking in the snow. Removable liners allow you to dry the boots out quickly. I have removable felt liners in my boots that are rated to -40C. They keep my feet toasty warm.

Make sure the boots have soles made of rubber that stays soft in cold temperatures. They act just like snow tires. If the soles on your boots are not soft, the cold temperatures will freeze it solid and you will not have sure footing on the icy patches. You will tend to slide around on the ice and snow. 

For added stability, wear some cleats on the bottom of your boots. My cleats are multi-purpose. I can use them for summer hiking as well. 

Inside the boots, I wear long socks. They usually are made from a wool blend and reach my knees. The only reason I wear socks that are that tall, is that I don't like hiking and having my socks slide down to my toes inside the boots. This doesn't happen with the long socks!

Now that your head, fingers and toes are taken care of, let's discuss the rest of your body. Layering is the way to go. If you dress in layers, you can add or subtract them as required. The layer closest to your skin should be a wicking layer to keep wetness from your skin so you don't find yourself getting chilly after working up a sweat.

I use a wicking layer that is 100% polyester. On top of that is a thin merino wool layer with a thin fleece over that. The outer jacket is windproof and rated to -25C. This keeps me toasty. Most often I am opening zippers or removing layers as I heat up.

Last but not least, I don't like having cold legs. My layers depend on what I am doing and where I am going to be. Most often I wear leggings under a pair of fleece lined nylon pants that are windproof and water repellent. They are also wide enough to fit over top of my boots so snow doesn't fall into the top of them; especially if I am snowshoeing. 

Add a neck tube if it is windy so you can cover your face. I find it better than a scarf as I can adjust it better for the conditions. I put the neck tube on over the touque, holding it secure.

Last but not least, don't forget sunglasses to take care of the glare off the snow, hiking poles for added stability and some sunscreen if you will be out for a long while. Take a package of hand warmers with you. If your fingers start getting cold, you can always add the warmers to your mittens.

That sounds like a lot but a winter outing is much more enjoyable if you are warm, comfortable and safe. Will this convince you to venture outside this week?

Fleece lined pants

Cleats over rubber soled boots

Fleece lined touque and mittens

Enjoying a wintry day

17.49km, that's my mileage on snowshoes last week. I certainly don't need to have an outdoor prescription. That's a real thing these days; doctors prescribe exercise and outdoor time. I make sure I get outdoor time in every day. Most days I don't want to come back inside. The day just doesn't feel right unless there is an hour at minimum of outdoor time.

I was working on some customer service training and came across an article that described maintenance and repair anchors to keep a positive attitude when having a bad day. The first thing mentioned was going for a walk. Physical activity helps people relax and cheer up. It 're-sets' you.

Outdoor time improves concentration and sharpens focus. It is good for mental health as it calms the mind and can help with seasonal depression. Memory is improved and blood pressure lowered. Nature helps us find peace and calm. It reduces stress and anger and increases pleasant feelings.

You may have seen or heard the term 'forest bathing'. It is the act of being immersed in a natural environment. This aids with all the above mentioned ailments in addition to weight management if your activity of choice happens to be an active one done on a regular basis.

Therapeutic hikes and nature walks can be enjoyed alone or with friends and family. There is no wrong way to be outside. Just do it. Replace screen time with outdoor time. Turn off the devices and be in the moment with your senses. Concentrate on the sights, smells and sounds around you.

If you are not in the habit of spending time outside, start with 10-15 minutes each day. Enjoy your coffee or lunch outside. Go for a short hike or walk your dog. Here's a list of ideas to get you started:

Eat lunch outside. Find a spot for a picnic.
Enjoy coffee on the deck or outdoor patio
Gardening
Biking
Snowshoeing
Sledding
Ice skating
Bird watching
Backpacking
Camping
Play horseshoes
Go for a swim
Kayaking
Canoeing
Play tennis or pickleball
Build a snowman
Play golf or disc golf
Go fishing
Try nature photography
Try lawn bowling or croquet
Kicksledding
Walk a dog
Roller blading
Walk around the block
Cross country or downhill skiing
Snowboarding
Snow shoveling
Build a snow fort

If you live in an area where there is snow and cold temperatures through the winter months, don't hibernate. Dress for the weather and head outside. Layer your clothing. Wear a touque, mittens and warm boots. If the cold air bothers you, be sure to use a scarf or neck tube over your mouth/nose so you are breathing through the fabric. If you are afraid of slipping on icy walks/trails, wear cleats on your boots and use hiking poles for stability.

Bundle up and head outside; no matter for how long. Let nature surround you. It does a body good.

I've taken full advantage of the snow. During the past week I was on the trail with the snowshoes a total of 4 times. What fun!

Early morning was the best time to head out. The forest was silent and the animal tracks from the night before were still visible. I got to see moose, deer, elk, coyote, squirrel tracks in the fresh snow in addition to numerous mouse tunnels and the only sound was that of the snow crunching under my feet.

My other go-to outdoor activities require more snow and colder weather. There isn't enough snow for x-country skiing but the local trails are being groomed so there is a good base ready for the next snowfall. The temperature isn't cold enough to start laying down water for the outdoor ice rinks. I'm looking forward to the days ahead when I can get the skis and ice skates out of the garage.

The backyard bird feeders have had numerous visitors. During the day the nuthatches, chickadees, downy woodpeckers, hairy woodpeckers and bluejays were busy feasting on seeds. The magpies were plucking the berries off the sea buckthorn branches. In the evening the deer wandered in the yard to see of there were any leftovers in the tray feeders.

Now that it appears that the snow is here to stay, I will have to get some more feeding stations set up in the backyard to try to entice the pileated woodpeckers to visit.

The shorter days of winter may make one feel like hibernating but I choose to make the most of it by spending as much time outside as possible. I can layer up to make myself comfortable no matter what the temperature and there are no mosquitoes!

If you are one of those hibernators, why not consider an activity that will get you outside? X-country skiing, snowshoeing, ice skating, hiking and bird watching will get you active and those gloomy winter days will pass by more quickly. What will you try this winter?

Magpies enjoying the berries

Black capped chickadee and a downy woodpecker sharing a meal

White tail deer visit the bird feeders in the evening

What season is it? I had a difficult time deciding when I woke to the sound of rain pounding against the windows on Sunday morning.

The temperature kept dropping and the raindrops began forming icicles on the leaves that were still clinging to my neighbor's willow tree. Not long after that huge fluffy snowflakes began to fall. They kept falling through the day and overnight. On Monday morning I woke to a blanket of white. Snow day!!

A blanket of white makes me incredibly happy. Yes, I know that I am in the minority for loving winter but it's my favorite time of year. The snowshoes were ready and so was I. It was going to be the first snowshoe outing of the season and it turned out to be a beauty.

The landscape was postcard perfect. Each little crook on the tree and shrub branches held a layer of snowflakes. The forest was silent except for the crunch of snow under my feet. 

I was the first on the trail that morning which meant breaking trail in about 6 inches of fresh snow. I just wanted to take it all in; the beauty, the fresh air and the silence. It was a great workout and I felt like a million bucks when I got home.

A return trip to the trail is on the agenda for tomorrow. Here's hoping for another amazing trail adventure.