-32C plus windchill was a deterrent to any outdoor activities this week. Instead, I stocked up the bird feeders and watched the action from my kitchen window.

The birds were busy. Redpolls, nuthatches, blue jays, chickadees and a variety of woodpeckers took turns at the feeders. 

There was a 'pecking' order. One aggressive redpoll was selective as to who was going to be at the feeder at the same time. It would sit in the middle of the seed and watch the other birds approach. If it happened to be one that he didn't want there, he would fly up and attack.

The nuthatches and woodpeckers were the only birds that could approach and not be scared off by the redpoll. The chickadees took their chances; some were able to land and eat while others were scared away.

The bluejays swooped in and often went for the cat food instead of the bird seed. Their squawking echoed through the yard; scaring off all the other birds.

The temperature is finally rising so there will definitely be some outdoor time this afternoon. I hope you will have the opportunity for some outdoor time as well. I'll be back next Friday. Happy trails!

The wind gusted so hard that the garden flag in my yard flew parallel to the ground. I don't like being out in the wind but I needed to be outside. I thought it wouldn't be as bad if I hiked a wooded forest trail instead of being out in the open. I was right for the most part.

The warm temperatures earlier in the week melted more snow; creating icy conditions on the trail. My trusty cleats provided the traction required to make it up and down the hills.

There wasn't much wildlife to watch but what I did see was pretty entertaining. The squirrels were being tossed around on the branches as if they were riding a mechanical bull. The birds fought the air currents. I could see the crows and magpies rise and fall in their flight path; moving forward a couple feet and then being pushed back by the wind.

The wind howled through the branches. It swayed the tree trunks to and fro. I could hear them creak and groan but then I heard a distinct crack and branches breaking. It was the type of sound one hears when felling a tree except this time it was Mother Nature felling it a mere twenty feet behind me.

The trunk snapped and down it came. I looked up to see how close it was. It took a couple seconds to register that it was falling right where I had just walked. The surrounding evergreen branches slowed the tree down as it fell but the top five feet of it landed on the trail. There's a first time for everything and that was a first time experience.

The temperature has turned cold again. The thermometer told me it was -25C yesterday morning. That was a little unexpected. I checked the weather forecast the night before and there was no mention of it going that low.

It's hard to believe that it is already February. The Groundhog Day rodents sent mixed messages. One report said six more weeks of winter yet another said spring is around the corner. 

We can't complain as it's been a very mild winter. Some snow fell over the last couple of days but there needs to be more before the local Birkebeiner ski event. Some areas on the ski trails had grass showing through the tracks. The event has been canceled in the past for lack of snow and/or frigid temperatures. Here's hoping that it will be a go for 2017.

http://canadianbirkie.com/home 

Saturday is my next outdoor day. I haven't dusted off the x-country skis this year. That just might be the activity of the day. What will yours be?

Happy trails 'til next Friday!

Moose tracks cross the pond surface.

Best hiking cleats ever.

Snow blown through the trees and long shadows across the trail.

The wind blew a tree down behind me on the trail.

Water droplets created from the freezing rain the night before.

'Fog Advisory' banners on the weather website were numerous this week.  It didn't make for good driving conditions but it sure made for a scenic landscape; especially when the clouds disappeared and the sun came out.  Lucky for me, my days off were mid-week and I got to enjoy the beauty first hand before the wind redecorated.

The plan was to clean my house but plans changed.  I did get the mop and bucket out and was prepared to get started but then the sun came out and the outdoors beckoned.  I didn't need much convincing to hide the bucket in the closet and head out the door.

I loaded the hiking spikes, snowshoes, kicksled and numerous cameras into my vehicle.  I wanted to do it all.  I left home at 10am and returned at 3pm.  What a day!

The first stop was the Beaver Hills Biodiversity Trail for snowshoeing.  I tried out a smaller pair of snowshoes since the snow was not deep and fluffy.  The snow was crusty and it crunched loudly under the shoes.  There was no sneaking up on any forest creatures.  The squirrels heard me coming and scattered.  The noise echoed through the trees; so much so that I ended up taking the snowshoes off and carrying them back to the parking lot.

The frosty crystals created by the fog covered the branches like thick white blankets.  I could hear them crackle and fall to the ground when a breeze gently stirred them loose.  They 'rained' down to the trail below.

The next stop was Elk Island National Park.  I hadn't been there for awhile so I stopped at the gate to pick up my free 2017 park pass.  You would think that the free admission would draw more people but there were no vehicles in the Astotin Lake parking lot; only a single mule deer munching on some twigs. 

I pulled out the kicksled and took it down to the oval on the lake that has been cleared for skating.  What a wonderful hour I had on the ice with the sled; gliding over the surface.  All I could hear were the runners over the ice. 

Methane bubbles formed and were captured in the ice; creating some amazing patterns to watch for.  The oval has its bumpy patches but it was great to glide over with the sled. 

I didn't want to head home yet.  I contemplated lighting a bonfire by the lake.  The wood bin was full but a number of vehicles were pulling into the parking lot so I opted for a quieter location.  I drove over to the Amisk Wuche Trail.  I hadn't been there for a couple of months so I wanted to check it out.

Frosty trees greeted me.  Chickadees sang from the underbrush.  Blue jays called from the upper branches.  The sun streamed through the trees and cast long shadows across the trail.  The snow was hard packed and icy in some sections but I wore my trusty hiking cleats.

After five hours of fresh air, I made my way home.  That cup of coffee that I had sure tasted good.  It was a glorious outdoor day.  I don't regret choosing to spend it outside.  The mop and bucket are still in the closet.

Happy trails 'til next Friday.

The sun shining through the frosty trees created a magical moment on the Beaver Hills Biodiversity Trail.

Hoar frost coated the branches.

A mule deer grazed at Elk Island National Park.

Someone got creative in the snow on Astotin Lake.

It was great fun to take the kicksled out on the lake.

Amisk Wuche Trail

 

What a week it has been; from overnight lows of -33C to daytime highs of +14C. January in Alberta leaves everyone guessing how to dress in the morning. 

The weather is confusing the animals as well. On my way to work one morning my headlights caught some movement on the pavement. A lone muskrat was moving as fast as its little legs could take it down the middle of the road. There was no pond in the vicinity. It had quite a distance to travel to get to the nearest one.

There has been lots of action on the trails. I made it to the Beaver Hills Biodiversity trail twice last week. That was before the snow began melting. There were tracks of all kinds on the trail; moose, deer, squirrel, hare and coyote. 

The moose were active; leaving broken trees that they were feeding on and melted snow where they bedded down to rest. 

The squirrels chattered in the tree branches and the woodpeckers searched for food in the snags alongside the trail.

On my way back to the parking lot I felt eyes watching me. A young bull moose kept a close watch as I snowshoed by.

I went for a drive to Elk Island National Park after my snowshoe outing. I haven't been there since the beginning of December. I thought more people would be out and about with the free admission to the National Parks this year but things were no different than before.

I wanted to see if the skating oval was cleared on Astotin Lake and was excited to see that it was. My next outing will be with the kicksled on the lake. Fun times. One can pick up a lot of speed on the ice!

Have you checked out the Participaction 150 website? There might be a new sport/activity listed that you would like to try. Hiking? X-country skiing? Snowshoeing? Kicksledding? Ski-joring? Ice skating? Kite flying? What will you try in the great outdoors?

Happy trails!

Deer tracks on the trail.

Porcupines were eating tree bark.

Hares were nibbling on the low branches.

A hoary woodpecker searches for food.

Coyote tracks across the pond surface.

A young bull moose watches from the trees.

Last weekend was a little frosty but not as frosty as it has been during the week. There was fresh snow and fresh air on my agenda even though it was -20C on both Friday and Saturday.

I love layering up and heading out when it is cold. The scenery is usually covered in icy flakes, the forest sounds are louder because of the cold and you can hear the creaks of the tree trunks.

I dug out my snowshoes for the first time this winter. There wasn't enough snow to warrant having them out sooner. I broke a snowshoe trail at the Beaver Hills Biodiversity trail. Over the two days it became packed and three snowshoe-widths wide so I'll be able to take the kicksled out this weekend.

The trail was covered in animal tracks. The mice/voles had dug holes through the snow. I saw a couple of them trying to run across the surface.

Squirrels chattered in the trees. A moose was enjoying a willow snack on the opposite side of a pond. 

As I walked, I watched for color in the forest. The yellow-orange lichen on the tree bark stood out against the white landscape. The red rose hips wore a blanket of white, fluffy flakes. Some of the shrubs alongside the trail were still holding brown leaves from last autumn. It was a winter wonderland.

I'm hoping to get out there again tomorrow. Severe cold warnings this week were the result of the gusting wind. It was -36C plus the windchill; making it more than -40C.

On my drive in to work, it was just light enough for me to see the loose snow swirling up like mini tornadoes into the sky. On the drive home it was drifting so hard that I couldn't tell road from ditch so I centered myself halfway between the two fence lines on either side of the road and hoped that nobody came from the opposite direction.

It is supposed to be on the plus side of 0C tomorrow and I'll be out with my winter toys hoping for stories to share with you next Friday. Happy trails!

I spent New Year's Day on snowshoes in the woods. What a great way to begin a new year.


There was fresh snow on the trail and I was the first human out there. The deer, moose, coyotes, hares, mice and squirrels got a head start and were out before me. What fun it was following the tracks to see where they had wandered.


The morning began with clouds in the sky but the sun came out by the time I got to the Beaver Hills Biodiversity Trail. The sky was clear. The air was crisp. It was perfect.

A slight breeze rustled the last of the fall leaves that were clinging to branches. The tall, bare aspens creaked as they gently swayed back and forth. A squirrel rested in a tree. I marveled at how the spindly branch did not bend with the squirrel perched on it. A woodpecker worked at the bark at the top of a tree; raining wood chips down to the trail.


The snow that fell the day before filled the vacated bird nests and settled on the shelves formed by the fungi growing on the tree trunks. It crunched under my snowshoes and sparkled in the morning sun. It covered the ponds. Animal tracks criss-crossed through it creating a 'road map' effect. 
 
I didn't want to leave the forest but eventually had to. As I pulled into my driveway, the deer were coming into my backyard to raid my feeders. They don't appear to mind me in the yard, especially when food is involved. I watched as they emptied the sunflower seeds. I found that as long as there are seeds in the feeders, the deer leave my trees and shrubs alone. They come, they eat, they leave and move on to the next yard.


The rest of the day was spent watching the birds. Chickadees, nuthatches, blue jays, woodpeckers and a dark eyed junco took turns at the tray feeder on my deck. The pileated woodpecker is my favorite. Its movements are quite comical.


Spending the morning in the fresh air and then watching Mother Nature's creatures was a great way to begin a new year. I'm hoping that you too will have the opportunity to spend some 'rejuvenation time' outside. It does a body and mind good.


Happy trails 'til next Friday!

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.