Mind reset. That's what happens when I'm in the woods. Each day I look forward to that fresh air experience where there is only me and Mother Nature.

This week I trudged through the trees for a total of 18kms. There were days when I didn't want to go home; especially those with lots of sunshine and bluebird skies.

There's something about that walk each day that is peaceful and calming. I can leave all my thoughts at the parking lot and put myself in the moment.
 

I hear only the crunching under my snowshoes until I stop and listen. The trees may be creaking in the wind. The birds may be singing or the coyotes howling. The moose or deer may be running through the brush.

During the winter I love watching for tracks in the snow. One is able to see 'who goes there'. This has been the first time that I've noticed big cat prints. I've been able to piece together what happened in the woods the night before by paying attention to the tracks.

The spots where the big kitty was lying in wait for its prey were visible. The hollows where the moose lay down to rest were numerous along the trail. There were holes in the snow where squirrels and mice ducked under the deep snow for shelter.

This week I came across the remains of an overnight kill. Coyote tracks were visible along the trail that lead to an area where black feathers were strewn about the base of a towering spruce. An unsuspecting crow became supper. 

I saw mama moose and her twins foraging in the willows. Their tracks were visible on the trail and were going in the same direction that I was so I was on the look out for them.

A great horned owl was visible on the outskirts of my favorite area in the woods where my 'thinking bench' sits. Six white tailed deer were resting amidst the trees until they heard me coming. They sprinted across the pond to the woods on the opposite side. There is no sneaking up on anything when on snowshoes!

Chickadees sang their songs from the birch branches. Blue jays squawked from the evergreens. Squirrels chattered from the tops of old snags. The call of a pileated woodpecker echoed through the trees.

I love my time in the woods. As I walked the trails today I wondered about the spring melt. It's going to take a while for all that snow to disappear. There's about two feet of hard packed snow where I've been walking each day. 

This coming week should be a beauty for some outdoor time. If you have the opportunity to head to a local park or walk through your neighborhood, try being in the moment where you concentrate on the sights, sounds and smells around you. It will be a great time for a mind reset. Enjoy!

I was away with no internet access since last Thursday but got back yesterday. While away there was a snowfall warning for central Alberta. There wasn't much for snow at the farm but I got home to find almost a foot of snow on my driveway.

As I got closer to home I could see the telltale signs that there was a lot more snow in this area. The township roads were plowed out but the range road that runs through the hamlet was still snow-covered and there was a lot of it.

It took about 1.25 hours to shovel out; starting with a narrow path to the front door so I could unload my vehicle that was parked at the end of the driveway.

It has been a long time since I've seen this much snow here. I had to start snowbanks in front of snowbanks because every time I tried tossing a shovel full to the top, it would slide back down again. Why fight it!

I couldn't let that fluffy snow go to waste. While I shoveled I kept wondering what my favorite snowshoe trail was like. I drove to the trail head and found a blanket of white. The edges of the trodden down path were visible but I was the first out so it was an hour and a half work out to break trail again. 

There is no shortage of snow this year. I think it will be June before the snow on the trail melts. There is almost two feet of hard packed snow where hikers walk.

The only animal tracks that I came across where made by the moose. Mama and her twins were out, looking for food in the willows. I came across them at the beginning of the trail and again at the point where I turn around and loop back.

In addition to the moose, I got to see a fox at the farm in the morning. We were sitting at the kitchen table and it appeared at the north end of the yard. As we watched, it made its way through the yard and cut across the deep snow to an old grain shed that is no longer in use. From the looks of things, it has made a home under it. I think I'll take the trail cam out on the next visit and see if I can get some close up photos!

The sun is shining today and the sky is clear. There is no snow in the forecast and the temps are supposed to be warm. It will be great for lots of outdoor time. I hope you get to enjoy it as well!

Outstanding is the word that describes this week. The overnight temperatures dipped to -31C on a couple of nights but recovered nicely during the day. This made for daily outings that totaled 19.21kms this week on snowshoes or skis.

What made the outings even more amazing was the number of wildlife sightings as I wandered through the woods. I did not get a glimpse of the elusive lynx that has been stalking the hares and the squirrels but I did get to see white tail deer, moose, coyotes, and one owl in addition to the usual squirrels and chickadees.

I drove to Elk Island National Park and saw one moose and some bison enroute. I hadn't been to the park for a few weeks. The park staff are working hard to upgrade shower facilities, boardwalks, parking lots, etc. As I pulled into the parking lot at Astotin Lake, I noticed a couple of kite boarders making good use of the wind. 

On the way out of the park, a young coyote was trying to find a way to get to the opposite side of a fence. It was trying to chew the wire. That didn't work so it tried digging under the wire. That didn't work so it stuck its head through one of the openings in the wire. Got to give the coyote credit for persisting but it eventually gave up and lopped back into the trees.

The long range forecast is for warm temps and sunshine. That means the skis and snowshoes will not be collecting any dust next week. What will you do to celebrate the sunshine?

It's been a crazy week of weather. Snow, rain, extreme cold warnings, blowing snow warnings, temps as high as +6C and as low as -31C all in a week. Only in Alberta they say...

I don't think I've ever seen four hours of non-stop rain in February. It sounded and smelled like a summer rain shower. While it was lovely to hear and to smell, it coated the roads in a layer of ice that was thick enough to skate on. Needless to say, trying to drive on that I believe would be like trying to drive on ball bearings. 

When all the warnings got lifted and I finally got to go to the trails, I found the fluffy snow from earlier in the week covered in a layer of thick ice. As I broke trail through the drifts, I also had to break through the ice. Let's just say that there was no sneaking up on any wildlife that day. They would have heard me coming from miles away. I even managed to break trail on the pond surface again. That was a work out to be hold.

I was lucky in the sense that nobody else ventured out to the trails; probably due to road conditions. There was no one to disturb the wildlife so there was a variety of animal tracks to see. Sure, the normal squirrel and hare tracks were everywhere but I found some new ones. They were definitely big cat tracks. From what I could tell, it was keeping an eye on the hares and squirrels. After looking at some photos on line and in books, I think it was probably a juvenile lynx.

The sun was out today and so was I. The wind swayed the tall spruce trees back and forth. The sun's rays cast shadows across the trail between the trunks. The birds sang from the branches above. It was the perfect outing.

With this being a long weekend in Alberta, I hope that you too will have the opportunity for some outdoor time. If you can't make it to one of the parks, just a walk through the neighborhood listening or watching for birds or other wildlife is a good start.

Moose 'bed'

Squirrel made a 'butterfly angel' in the snow.

Deer track

Big cat tracks.  Possibly a lynx.

3 moose ran across the pond and up the hill on the opposite side.

Gusting wind created patterns in the snow.

Rain created some icy driving surfaces.

What a great week for wildlife watching! Moose, coyotes, deer, porcupines and the backyard birds provided my entertainment this week.

The pileated woodpecker announced her arrival in the yard by pecking at the power pole. The hollow sound resonated through neighborhood. She flew down to one of the tray feeders and proceeded to spread the sunflower seeds all over the snow. 

I watched in amazement as she searched for the perfect shells. She was skittish; watching and ready to fly at a moment's notice whenever she detected movement. When she had enough, she flew to a tall poplar behind my yard. I was just about to put the camera away when I noticed a second pileated woodpecker with her on the same tree!

It must have been the week for doubles. I saw two moose in the woods along the roadside and two coyotes crossing the road in front of me when I was driving to a snowshoe trail. 

The driveway and parking lot to my favorite trail were still not plowed so I made my way to the Strathcona Wilderness Centre to check out the snowshoe trail there. There were a couple of visiting school groups. The kids were on snowshoes and having a great time; lots of rosy cheeks. I wanted to avoid the group so I hiked the trail in reverse. That turned out to be a great decision.

The snow on Bennett Lake was fluffy and deep; perfect for the snowshoes. It wound in and out of the willow thickets. Moose tracks crisscrossed in front of me. As I got close to where the trail took me into the trees, I noticed not one but two porcupines in the trees.

It amazed me that they were active in daylight. The opportunity allowed me to observe them feeding on the young birch branches. They carefully nibbled the bark away; stripping the twigs of their covering. I marveled at how the porcupines can perch on the small branches and not have the twig bend. What a treat to be able to watch these two in action!

I missed going to my usual snowshoe trail where it is quiet and peaceful. The only sound I hear there is the crunch of snow underfoot. I tried getting there and made it onto the driveway earlier in the week but drove in and straight out. I was afraid to park for fear of getting stuck as it still had not been plowed out. 

I attempted to get something done about getting a snowplow in there. Success! I received an email last night that informed me that the lot should be plowed out for today. There's a severe cold warning right now but as soon as the wind dies down, I'll be sure to check out my favorite trail again.

Wow! I think the snowfall that we expect for an entire winter has fallen within the past week and a half; 10+ inches last week and another 8 inches this week.

I was first on the Beaver Hills Biodiversity trail after the big snow last week. Breaking trail in 10 inches of fluffy snow took some time because of the depth of the snow but also because I stopped often to take in the beauty of the woods. What usually takes me 45 minutes, took double that time.

The tree branches were laden with snowflakes. Tree stumps were wearing 'snow caps'. It was a winter wonderland like no other. 

On my travels around the loop, I came across a moose foraging in the underbrush. It looked up as I trudged by. Deer and coyote tracks crisscrossed the trail. When I got to three quarters of the way around, I saw two more moose; both at the edge of a pond in the willows.

Woodpeckers visiting the rotten snags, tapped out a song that echoed through the trees. Chickadees sang their 'cheeseburger' songs as they flitted from branch to branch in search of seeds.

The woods were so beautiful after the snow that I didn't want to go home so I traveled to the Cooking Lake - Blackfoot Recreation area to see if the ski trails had been set. 

The trail conditions were amazing. There was lots of deep snow for snowshoeing and set tracks for the skiers. 

The sun is out this morning and the sky is blue. There is a lot of new snow from the past couple of days. I think I'll treat myself to an outing this afternoon in the 'freshies'!

Ask and ye shall receive. That's what happened. Well okay, I didn't really 'ask'. I was out hiking the trails every day this past week and was whining that there was very little snow this winter. 
 
Much to my surprise, there was over 10 inches of fluffy white stuff on my driveway that took 2.5 hours to shovel. That's because my driveway is about 100 feet long. The snowbanks that were less than a foot tall are now more than 4 feet tall on both sides. I looked like the abominable snowman when I came into the house. It's been snowing and blowing all afternoon so there's another 4 inches on the driveway that can wait until tomorrow.

After all that shoveling I opted to make coffee, download a book from the library and cuddle up under a heated blanket for the rest of the afternoon. There will be plenty of time to play in the snow tomorrow. 

As I mentioned before, there was a lot of hiking/snowshoeing done this week. It began on Monday with a 12km hike at Elk Island National Park. There was fog the night before so the trees wore coats of white. The day began cloudy and grey but the sun eventually came out and blue sky prevailed. What a great day!

The hikes for the rest of the week were quick ones; by quick I mean an hour each day at the Beaver Hills Biodiversity trail. Most days were sunny so the thick hoar frost was even more beautiful against the clear sky. All told, I trudged 25.24kms through the woods this week.

On my travels, I met up with a moose that decided to stand on the road in front of my vehicle, a coyote that was running across the pond and lots of squirrels/birds. It's always exciting to see the wild creatures when I'm hiking but I think the highlight this week was not the animals.

I got to the trail about 11am on one of those days; just after the fog lifted and the sun came out. As I walked I noticed how the hoar frost had fallen from the branches along one part of the trail. I made my way into the woods and stopped to admire the crystals that still coated the branches and berries. When there was no sound of crunching snow underfoot, I could hear the hoar frost crackle on the branches as the sun warmed it. What a beautiful sound. There were no other forest sounds; only the crackling frost.

I'm sure going to try to get out on the trail with my snowshoes tomorrow. If I'm energetic, I just might take the skis out too. I can't let this blanket of fresh snow go to waste.

Hayburger Trail at Elk Island National Park

Beaver Hills Biodiversity Trail

Last weekend my granddaughters were over and we spent one of the days at a local outdoor rink and the sledding hill. It was great to see them enjoying the fresh air as much as I did. We had the rink to ourselves!

With the milder temperatures this week, the birds have been more active. The pine grosbeaks visited each day; providing a pop of red color at the feeders. This morning I noticed an evening grosbeak with them. It's bright yellow feathers stood out in the crowd.

A pileated woodpecker tried to feed at the tray feeder. The attempt was unsuccessful as it couldn't hold on long enough to reach the seeds and suet. It was very entertaining to watch as it would swing back and forth. 

The little birds have been visiting as well. The nuthatches, redpolls, juncos and chickadees took turns at the feeders when the grosbeaks were not there. They tended to feed on the deck surface on all the seeds that the large birds knocked out of the trays.

It wasn't just in the yard that the birds were busy. I got to the trails for a hike each day this week. I heard the chickadees singing their 'cheeseburger' songs. I saw a pileated woodpecker and a black backed woodpecker. The bluejays and crows squawked overhead. The grosbeaks sang from the top of the spruce trees. It appeared as if the birds were celebrating the warmer temperatures just as much as I was.

Redpoll

Black capped chickadee

Pileated woodpecker

Pine grosbeak

Back in the deep freeze. There was a week of warmth and sunshine. That was just a bit of relief from the Christmas deep freeze. The 'extreme cold warning' was back this week with temperatures in the high -30Cs again.

The days were sunny and for me the temps were tolerable as long as there was no windchill. I watched each day to see if my garden flag was waving. If it was still, I was outside.

I ventured out for some snowshoeing on 4 out of 5 days this week. I dressed for the weather and had a great time on the trails. When it is cold, the sounds are crisper. The bird calls echo through the woods. The snow is crunchier and the creaking of the trees is louder. You can experience a 'different' world in the woods.
 

I'm all for the layering when going outside. My winter jacket is good to -40C. I'll wear a couple lighter weight shirts underneath. I have some windproof nylon pants that are fleece lined. I'll add a pair of leggings under them if it is colder than -24C. My boots have a thick, warm lining that is good to -40C. I'll wear a light pair of ski socks in those. A pair of gloves inside a some mittens, a warm touque and a neck tube finish off the ensemble. I'm looking pretty stylish by this time. 

At the trail head I'll add hiking spikes or snowshoes depending on the snow conditions. Both keep you safe on the icy patches. In either case, I use one or two hiking poles for some stability during the hike.

I may take some hand warmers with me but don't use them unless absolutely necessary. I try to stay out for about 1-1.5 hours and most often my hands stay warm without them. Once I get moving, the fingers stay toasty as the frost builds up on the outside mitten layer.

Winter doesn't mean that you have to stay inside. With the proper clothing to keep warm and comfortable, you to can enjoy the winter experience. It's not going to go away so all I can say is embrace it.

Windproof, fleece lined pants for warmth.

Boot liners good to -40C

Poles for stability while hiking or snowshoeing

Spikes for stability while walking on icy trails

Warm head gear and a neck tube are a must

Brrrrr. That's all I can say. Between December 24 through 31st, the warmest daytime temp was in the mid -20Cs with windchill bringing it down to the mid -30Cs. Overnight the coldest evenings got to below -40C. I have no idea how cold it got because my thermometer only goes to -40C. I just know it was too cold to be outside; even for this winter lover. I spent the days inside, stoking the wood stove so the furnace would not run 24/7.

The 'hibernation time' allowed me the opportunity to browse through all my photo files from 2017. Photography is an opportunity for me to be outside; whether in the garden or on the trails. I'm posting some of my favorite photos from the past year. Enjoy!

Happy New Year. I hope everyone has the chance to explore more in 2018; even if it happens to be in your own backyard.

Beautiful autumn colors at the Beaver Hills Biodiversity Trail

One of many moose on my favorite hiking trail.

One of the beautiful sunrises outside my kitchen window.

Wildflower season in David Thompson country.

Canada Geese protecting their goslings.

Western Toad in my backyard.