I finished cleaning off the last bit of snow on my driveway as the lady across the road from me was headed out for a walk with her dog. Looking at what she wore on her feet and the layer of ice on the road, I did mention that her walk was going to be treacherous. "He wants to go so we're going." she replied. I wasn't even finished mulling over who actually ran that household when I looked up to see her carrying 'King Buster', wrapped in a blanket, back to his palace. "It's very icy." was her reply after her two minute outing. No kidding. It probably took her longer to get dressed to go outside.
After shoveling paths to the bird feeders and the wood shed, I took in the beauty of the snow that fell. The evergreens were bending under the weight of the snow. The little shrubs that lost their leaves were now holding layers of snow in each crook on their bare branches. Each stump and fence post wore a white cap. The air was crisp and refreshing. Everything was still and silent; the perfect morning.
Heading back to the house, I noticed that the birds left their marks in the snow as they waited for the chance to fly up to the feeders for seeds. I could see the full imprint of their wings and foot prints in the fluffy ground cover.
There was a flurry of activity at each feeding site. I refilled the feeders. I put a cup of food outside for the cat that has taken up residence under my garden shed. I'm determined to win him over. He still won't let me pet him, but he doesn't hesitate to come close when I have a bonfire and have food in my hand; such is the power of a roasted weinie.
Back inside, as I enjoyed a steaming coffee at the kitchen table, some large fluffy snowflakes started falling lazily to the ground. Birds came from every direction to each feeder. I could see chickadees, nuthatches, woodpeckers, bluejays and magpies. The magpies were not fighting over the peanuts in the tray. They were fighting over the catfood. There were at least 6 of them stealing food. If 'Spike' didn't hurry up and get there, the food dish was going to be empty and one of those magpies would likely end up being his lunch.
Friday is going to be an outside day. I want to head to the trails for the first snowshoe adventure of the season. Can't wait.
It's here and it looks like it's going to stay. The snow started falling at about 3pm on November 2 and stopped about noon on November 3; leaving 6 inches of the fluffy white stuff blanketing my yard.
I had some shoveling to do before leaving yesterday. This snowfall was comparable to what fell on November 7 last year and the driving was comparable as well. People forget how to drive.
I was participating in the annual Down Syndrome Buddy Walk at Hawrelak Park. The commute took about an hour due to the icy road conditions. Driving in to the city was like driving on a skating rink. It was a good thing that there were not many vehicles on the highway.
The snow and road conditions hindered some walkers from making it to the park but the almost 1300 attendees raised over $130,000.00. By the time the Buddy Walk began, the pavement was slushy and created a bit of a challenge for those with sleighs, strollers or wagons but all in all it was a great morning.
The drive home involved more traffic. The road conditions were no different than the morning however, there were numerous vehicles in the ditch. Three SUVs needed a tow truck along the main highway and one by the local rural elementary school. That one took out the stop sign at the corner. Winter happens every year and every year it takes awhile for people to slow down and drive for the season.
I drove to work later in the day. The plows were out and were trying to break up the layer of ice built up on the road. My route takes me past the Strathcona Wilderness Centre. There were visible cross country ski tracks on the trails. People were getting out and enjoying the first heavy snowfall. I wished that I could have been one of them.
The weather man says that the temperature is to remain just below freezing over the next few days. He's saying that the snow is here to stay. I won't be able to get to the trails until the weekend which means that I won't be the first to break trail. That's disappointing. I love being the first to make tracks in the snow. The branches laden with new flakes, the sun creating sparkles in the new snow and the crisp cool air make for a very relaxing outing. I call those outings my mental health days. Looking at the calendar and the number of meetings this week, all I can do is daydream about the next one. Friday can't come soon enough.
There has been talk of a heavy snowfall this weekend. The warning has been posted and I noticed some of the neighbors putting away the last few items of fall. I had just about everything done and was determined to get out to the trails. I wanted to see them a final time before winter laid down it's blanket of white.
The bison were out along the highway as I drove through Elk Island Park. I made my way to the Amisk Wuche trail. That is where I spend most of my time in the winter as it provides some hilly terrain for snowshoeing.
I got to the trail head at 9:30am. At the boardwalk that crosses the first beaver pond, the sun tried peeking through the cloud cover. Its rays reflected off the thin layer of ice on the pond surface.
On the opposite side of the boardwalk, the beavers were busy. Numerous trees were chewed down. They were stripped clean of their bark.
There were a few open spots of water to the west of the boardwalk. I could see a muskrat in the distance. It swam to the edge of the ice and was able to make it's way onto the top of it.
When I entered the forested part of the trail, I stopped and listened. Not a sound was heard; not even the rustle of the tall grass. The forest was silent and peaceful until a pileated woodpecker made its presence known. Its distinct call came from a treetop above me. I could hear it tapping but couldn't see its location until it circled round the trunk. That bright red crown was visible without the binoculars.
The squirrels were gathering food and nattering at me as I passed by. The blue jays and the chickadees were searching for seeds. A crow's call came from the inner forest. There was no wind. There were no creaking trees or leaves blowing around. It was the calm before the storm.
I spent an hour and half on that trail. The leaf carpet was damp so it did not crunch underfoot. I could smell the damp leaves and the spruce sap as it oozed from the old trees. It was heavenly.
I made my way to a second pond that is close to the end of the trail. The beavers were busy there as well. I could see a hole in the ice where they broke through the ice. They had a well worn path from one side of the trail to the other. Soon the ice will be too thick for them to break.
The weather was perfect for hiking; not snowing or raining and not cold enough to chill the fingers. I had to take advantage of this so decided to visit one more trail.
It took me 15 minutes to get to the second one. I opted for a trail with a lake view. The ponds were frozen here as well. I couldn't help but notice how today for some reason, the colors were more brilliant. Maybe it was because I knew that everything would soon be covered in white.
The red bark of the bare dogwood branches appeared darker than usual and the greens were greener. This part of the trail will be beautiful with a white coat. The red will stand out even more once the snow falls.
At the first stop with a lake view, there were still ducks swimming in the open water. They took flight as soon as I set my gear down. I was lucky to catch the last group before they disappeared to the other side of the lake.
The temperature was cooling off. I could feel a distinct difference. As I entered the forested area, the damp trail became frozen with icy patches. The green mosses on the decaying logs stood out amidst the brown grasses and tree trunks. It was a beautiful sight.
The day was grey, cloudy and damp but it was the perfect way to say farewell to a beautiful fall. To see the trails a final time before winter set in was the ideal way to spend the morning. As I was leaving the park, two white tail deer crossed the highway in front of me. A coyote was searching for food in the tall grasses at the edge of the ditch.
I got home and topped up all the bird feeders; adding sunflower seeds for the chickadees and peanuts for the jays. There were a couple of things that needed to be tarped over before the snow started falling and some wood needed to be chopped.
The snow started falling at about 3:00pm. It was still warm enough out, that the first flakes melted as they hit the ground. By 4:00pm a white layer covered the backyard. I just checked to see what was going on outside and there's about an inch on my deck.
The weather forecasters are saying that there could be up to 8 inches of snow this weekend. I hope so. If it's going to snow, let there be enough to snowshoe or ski in instead of just a little teaser that makes things messy.
As the snowflakes are falling outside, I'm hibernating inside. I made a large pot of chicken soup, lit the wood stove and hunkered down with a good book. The first thing I'll be doing in the morning, is pressing my nose against the window to see how much snow fell overnight. My winter gear is by the door and ready for action; including the snow shovel.
Hang on Toto! It's Howl-oween. Actually it's Halloween but the wind is howling. Better hold onto your little trick or treaters this evening.
I came across downed trees on the drive home. The willow branches on the tree next door are whipping around so hard that they are breaking off and landing on my deck. The rain has started and the weather man says the rain is supposed to turn to snow this weekend. The snow that fell earlier in the week has melted so we're starting over.
In spite
of the nasty weather, there was an opening in the clouds to the west
where the beautiful colors of sunset were peeking through. It was a short-lived but amazing sight.
I'm looking forward to getting out to the trails. With the days becoming shorter, by the time I get home from work and grab a bite to eat, it's getting dark so my ramblings are going to be limited to the weekends.
I'm a little impatient. I want it to go from drab brown to white, white, white; having enough snow to actually do something in it. My skis and snowshoes are ready for action. I have not been on an outing since taking my grand-daughters back last weekend. It's time. I'm getting cabin fever so will be heading out tomorrow no matter what the weather.
I can hear the raindrops hitting the window beside me. Last year the little goblins had to wear their winter jackets or snowsuits. It sounds like they need rain coats this year.
The rest of my evening will be spent in front of the wood stove, reading a good book. That is if I can stop daydreaming about my upcoming outdoor adventures.
 |
| HAPPY HALLOWEEN! |
The weather forecaster kept saying that a big snowfall was on its way. I was looking forward to waking up to a blanket of white. Well, there was a sprinkle of white; enough to cover the brown but not enough to do anything in it.
I made sure that the birdfeeders were full before the snow started falling. My feathered friends took advantage of that. There was a flurry of activity.
Four bluejays were fighting for space at the tray feeder. Each took a turn to load up on peanuts. It didn't take long to empty the tray.
Woodpeckers flew in from the treetops. Their antics at the suet feeder caught my attention. The nuthatches and chickadees visited the sunflower seed feeders.
The amount of the snowfall was disappointing but I do appreciate the little teaser. I know that the snow will eventually come and my x-country skis and snowshoes will be dusted off and put to good use. Until then, I'll just watch my feathered friends in the backyard and daydream about my snow-days.
The last snow-free days were spent outside as much as possible. My little trail explorers and I had one last visit to Elk Island Park before they headed home.
The park offered so many play experiences in a small area; playground, trails, water, sand, leaves, wildlife and some wonderful picnic spots. We spent four hours there on our final visit.
From the parking lot, we went to explore the thatched roof house that commemorates the Ukrainian settlers. They noticed the roof as we walked up the path. They asked why it had a 'stick roof like the little pigs house'.
The trail led to the playground. On the way they tossed leaves and rolled in them, noticing that the leaves were crunchy and not wet. Who needs toys when you can have leaves to play?
After spending an hour at the playground, we opted for a quick snack. The girls said they were going to choose a picnic table while I got the snacks from the truck. I could hear screaming and laughter coming from the closest table. A squirrel was following them. As they ran from table to table, the squirrel ran from table to table. "Gramma, the squirrel is on our table!"
The dock was next on our play list. They ran ahead of me and then stopped. As I walked closer, they started yelling "Watch out Gramma. The squirrel is after you!"
When we got to the dock they checked to see if the water had cleared but it was still murky so there were no minnows to watch. 'Mr. Muskrat' was performing. He would swim close to the dock and then dive under water. The girls would try and guess where he would surface.
The water was calm and the blue sky had a few fluffy clouds. We watched the reflections on the surface. The girls had fun throwing rocks into the water again. They would watch to see how big the 'water circles' were with the different sizes of rocks that they would throw.
When they grew tired of playing by the water, we climbed a rock staircase in the side of a hill that lead to a picnic shelter. The shelter overlooked the lake. We could see the birds bobbing for food in the lake.
As we set out our picnic food, another squirrel showed up. I could tell it was used to having people feed it. It was very brave and tried getting into one of our bags. That proved to be very entertaining for the girls.
Inside the shelter, the girls found a large stone fireplace. Both ran over to it and looked up the chimney. I asked what they were looking for. "Santa!"
On the drive back, the bison were grazing in the ditches. A coyote ran across the road in front of us. A large flock of geese flew overhead.
This was another great outdoor day for us. The snow will probably cover the ground by the time they get to sleep over again. There will still be outdoor adventures but of the snowy kind.
My granddaughters are staying for a few days. As long as the weather is cooperating, we will be doing some exploring. We went to the Strathcona Wilderness Center. I don't have any leafy trees left in the yard so we sure enjoyed the fallen leaves on the trail.
They slid on the leaves. They scooped them into a pile and jumped into it. They threw them up into the air and even tried making 'leaf angels'.
We searched for different colors of leaves and even collected some to take back home to make crafts.
As we hiked, we listened to the forest sounds. The blue jays, squirrels and chickadees were familiar to the girls. They could identify what was making the call. As we got close to my vehicle, we passed by a pond. We scanned the water's edge to see if the muskrat was around but we were out of luck today.
The day was beautiful and we were having so much fun outside that we decided to go to Elk Island National Park as well. There was nobody at the playground there so we spent some time on the swings and slides before heading to the dock.
The last time we were there, the water was clear and the girls could see the minnows and tadpoles. Today the water was filled with blue-green algae. We couldn't see anything in the water but there were ladybugs, ants and spiders galore on the dock itself. Our ladybug lover, had to catch one and let it crawl up and down her arm.
The girls are missing school to be at my house but they were still learning all sorts of things. We counted and sorted leaves into big and small piles. We searched for different colors and shapes of leaves. We listened for bird calls and tried to identify them.
We thought of words that started with different letters. 'L' for ladybug and leaves. 'M' for muskrat, moose and Mama. We were running and jumping to try and land on each others shadow. Elo said that my shadow looked like Papa. What fun!
When we were having supper this evening, we talked about everything that we saw, heard and did during the day. At the end of the conversation, Wren asks "So Gramma, where are we going tomorrow?"
The temperature has been warm but the wind was pretty blustery the last couple of days. I noticed my next door neighbor taking advantage of the conditions. He was raking the leaves in the backyard, allowing the wind to blow them straight into the bush so he didn't have to bag them up. It was quite amusing.
I hiked the Amisk Wuche trail at Elk Island yesterday. The wind created some havoc there with the trees. It was so gusty that it snapped some young trees off in addition to some old decaying ones. There were at least 4 large ones laying across the trail. The parks staff is going to be busy for a few days.
I was looking for my coyote friend that tends to hunt along the roadside.
He wasn't around but the bison were. A number of them were grazing in the tall grass where the coyote usually is hunting. It was entertaining to watch a couple of bulls having a duel as the others calmly went about the feeding.
The ponds along the parkway are still home to a number of different types of ducks. There were a few muskrats out; either grooming or feeding. I could see that the beavers have been getting ready for winter. They have stockpiled branches and twigs beside their lodges.
At Astotin Lake, people were enjoying the last days of fall with picnics spread out on the tables. The rental company that had supplied the canoes through the summer was loading them up for storage. The snow is going to fall sooner or later.
I picked up my granddaughters today. They are sleeping over for a few days. We are definitely going to take advantage of the weather. There's leaf walk planned for tomorrow. We talked about picking leaves to do crafts with. The youngest was concerned that we wouldn't find any. "Gramma, your trees are naked."
Every once in awhile I will give myself an assignment before I leave for the trails with my camera. The last time I did that, it was textures and patterns that I was looking for.
I took a colorful leaf from the ground and had a close look at it. Hidden in the bright, smooth surface were tiny lines that created designs almost too small to see without a magnifying glass.
The wind destroyed a wasp nest that was high in a tree. Shreds of it were strewn amidst the leaf carpet. It was the first time that I took a close look at how one was constructed. Varying shades of grey and white were woven into the rough, papery layers.
There were some cut up logs alongside the trail. The end of one was coated with something that I could not identify. Wood splinters projected through the coating, creating a rough surface.
Moss covered some decaying logs. Some of it grew in strands. Some of it resembled fern-like fronds. Both were soft and spongy to the touch.
Most times when I go out I am watching for wildlife or birds; really not paying too much attention to the 'minor details' around me. It's great to switch things up now and again to take a closer look at what I pass by every day.
I finished cleaning off the last bit of snow on my driveway as the lady across the road from me was headed out for a walk with her dog. Looking at what she wore on her feet and the layer of ice on the road, I did mention that her walk was going to be treacherous. "He wants to go so we're going." she replied. I wasn't even finished mulling over who actually ran that household when I looked up to see her carrying 'King Buster', wrapped in a blanket, back to his palace. "It's very icy." was her reply after her two minute outing. No kidding. It probably took her longer to get dressed to go outside. 
After shoveling paths to the bird feeders and the wood shed, I took in the beauty of the snow that fell. The evergreens were bending under the weight of the snow. The little shrubs that lost their leaves were now holding layers of snow in each crook on their bare branches. Each stump and fence post wore a white cap. The air was crisp and refreshing. Everything was still and silent; the perfect morning. 
