Absolutely stunning day. Humid, which bodes well for a thunderstorm tonight. After such a wet winter and early spring, we could use some rain. Sharon, the dog and I went down to the muskrat swamp and indeed, found a muskrat, and it was alive! Got a blurry picture of his tiny, beavery face, and a detailed, in focus picture of his not so beavery ass. Such is my luck with photography. However, it was a mini-wild kingdom down in the slough, with about 15 geese, assorted ducks, red-winged blackbirds, and a lot of chirping frogs. Beautiful!!! Could have stood there all day watching the wildlife and listening to the soul-soothing pond sounds, but the sun was pretty intense. About a 90 minute walk.

2:46PM/27C

Stepping into Emily Murphy

Walked for about 50 minutes on my lunch break today. Awesome. Hitting the trails is so much better than hitting the internet. Started on Saskatchewan Drive and then into the woods near the hill, and finally into Emily Murphy Park. For some reason there was a lot of police cars, and a few people lugging camera equipment in the area. Even down by the entrance to the trail, there was a policeman and several cars. I asked Officer Friendly what was going on, and he said he couldn’t tell me. “But…no baddies?” He smiled. “No baddies,” and so I carried on. Probably some government goober having a hotdog at the Faculty Club.

An unlikely find down by the creek

Another stellar day. In fact, it’s even more stellarer than yesterday’s stellar day. I did get shat upon by a bird, but it dried by the time I was down the hill, and it was of the clear variety, not the viscous white stuff. Broke off a branch of a spruce tree to clean my hair. And then…down by the creek on the far side, we came across a sandy outcrop where the water had receded, and found a large stash of shells. Shells? In Whitemud Creek? Dug one out of the sand and took it home. It’s not beautiful, but it is kinda cool that I found it at all. I then washed the dog off. She’s got a thing for laying down in watery mud holes. Must be channeling her inner pig.

Maggie shakes it off

Noon/22C

Maggie goes a froggin’

…a beautiful, snowless, warm day in Edmonton. Spend part of it raking the yard, the other part in Whitemud Creek/snow valley area looking for frogs. We heard them, didn’t see them. Maggie jumped into every pool of water, no matter how fetid. A gorgeous day.

2:30PM/20C

A lot has been made about the Walterdale Bridge reconstruction project going over budget by 14%, but what isn’t talked about is the impact the construction will have on the surrounding trails and the people who use those trails. A familiar story for this walker. In the 17 years I’ve been using the trail system in Edmonton, I have been re-routed for various projects many times. The City of Edmonton prides itself on the river valley, but sometimes I don’t see that reflected in the projects given the green light. In almost every case, it’s about drivers, and making things better for them. I’m not necessarily against any of these projects, with the exception of the southeast LRT line cutting through the river valley, but I do wonder what it would be like to live in a city where cars are not the priority. Do we need a new bridge? Maybe. I do agree that if we are going to build it, it should be distinctive. However, these ‘signature’ projects have a way of being whittled down to the point where the design becomes expedient. Look around. Our buildings get ‘er done, but little else. If we’re going to build it, have a vision, and stick to it.

Yesterday I walked through a familiar trail in the river valley, but it was hardly recognizable. The path around the Walterdale Bridge has been decimated. The trees on either side of the trail have been cut down, and many others as well. I realize space must be cleared for construction of the new bridge, and all of the requisite earth movers, but the length and width of the destruction seems excessive. The trees have been cut all the way up to the hill and beyond. I know these trees, or I knew them. Just beyond the south east section of the Walterdale, there is a long stretch of relatively flat land with a fringe of trees ending in a canopy of cool green. That canopy is gone, or will be gone, even as the few trees left standing foliate. Should I mourn the loss of a few trees? Yeah, I can’t help it. Trees and woods and river valley trail systems matter to me. They are what I value. I wish the city would actually value these things too, rather than finding countless stupid ways to reinvent the river valley, shove a train through it, or (what appears to be) an indiscriminate destruction of it. Yes, trees will grow back, and trails will reopen, but I am so fucking tired of the march of ‘progress’ on the backs of our unique and truly admirable green spaces. I sure hope that bridge is pretty.

Before….

and after…

…is everywhere, especially in the vicinity of the couch. Maggie had her first dip into Whitemud Creek today. One of the spots where the water is relatively still. Also, any patch of snow or puddle of dirty water, no matter how small, was graced by Maggie’s paws. She is already pining for winter, I can tell. Glad I wore my boots for our two-hour walk from one end of Whitemud to the other. There are a few remaining areas of ice along the trail, and lots of mud. Nevertheless, it was beautifully spring-like and warm. Not particularly sunny. Instead, a mottled sort of cloudy with a touch of humidity. It may thunderstorm this afternoon which would be awesome. I’ve just started a new Nesbo, so perfect timing for a murder mystery.

Toto, or Todo, the ball python

Of the many delightful things I saw today, none was more spectacular and unexpected than a dude with a Ball Python wrapped around his neck. It wasn’t a scene of a crime, just a guy and his snake enjoying a fine spring day. Apparently, Toto (or Todo), ‘loves’ long walks in the woods. I’m not sure how one gauges mood in a snake, but I’ll take his word for it. I’m no expert on the nuances of snake behaviour. In addition to Toto, I saw a few butterflies, many assorted birds, a bee, and a single goose on a sand bar. It was an unusually eventful walk. By the end, Maggie and I were both ready for a coffee and a cookie (or three.)

2:31PM/18C

Waxwings chillin’

Nice day, sort of. Sun was out, then not out. Gale force winds followed by peaceful birdsong (mostly waxwings and crows.) Compared to yesterday, it’s tropical. Was out and about on Saturday, and it was as miserable as a cold day in January. A cold, blustery day, with snow that didn’t stay on the 0C ground but was blowing hard enough to shoot the flakes down my throat, followed by slightly frantic episodes of choking.

…and then gone

In hindsight, not sure why I was walking with my mouth open. Probably something to do with slack jaw surprise at the rotten weather. Today, however, it is a little more spring-like. Maggie and I ambled down the almost snow-free power line into Whitemud Creek, which is at full-river gushiness. When the sun is out, it’s quite pleasant, but the wind, man, that wind. Yesterday and today. It feels arctic and somehow very personal.

The mighty Whitemud

Took my camera yesterday to Whitemud during a break in the snow, but frankly, it’s just too awful. I have now officially passed the stage where I find snow beautiful. In the morning, the fat flakes were wafting gently down from the leaden sky. In the fall, this would have been serene and lovely. In January too, also February and maybe March. Mid-April, not so much. I have checked previous blog entries and although we got a dump around this time in 2012, things were considerably greener, or browner, depending on the location. In 2010, I was photographing poplar fuzz in Mill Creek! The good comes with the bad, however, as it was also a drought year. I doubt very much that this will be the case in 2013. Nevertheless, I am ever hopeful that spring will indeed come, and with it, an absence of snow. At least for a few months. Here’s a few blog entries from previous years.

April 2012

April 2011

April 2010

1:33PM (I may still go for a walk. It’s not snowing, which is something)/0C

Had an eye appointment downtown this afternoon. An hour later, new and improved spectacles (I hope) are on the way and my eyes are now sporting a shiny new pair of contact lenses I can actually see out of. In celebration of my triumph over myopia, I went for a walk through downtown, and then into the river valley west of the Low Level Bridge, ending in Skunk Hollow. There is a lot of grit about, which means a lot of dust and dirty snow. It’s an ugly time of year. The ugliest. But yesterday, it rained, and this morning, it smelled like spring for the first time. I felt transported.

It was a windy walk down Jasper Avenue, and the river valley is still mostly snow and puddles. Nice to be out and about,

The Ghost Magpie~In profile

even in this muckified state. Walked up to my vet’s for some Molly pills, and spotted a rare Ghost Magpie on someone’s lawn. I love these guys. Used to see one every now and then on my bird feeder. They’re even more spectacular in the summer when the contrast between their pale feathers and the green foliage is so stark.

I’ve been exercising a lot more in the last three weeks, mostly the eliptical but also extended walks from the train. Starting next week, I’m going to try walking home from Southgate. It’s a flat walk, and not in the river valley, but it’s silly to keep pining for the commutes I used to have when I lived in Strathcona/Mill Creek. I will have those walks again, but here and now, I have to find a way to be in nature during the week, and not just the weekends with the dog in Whitemud. Not that I don’t love those walks, but it’s not enough. I wish Maggie could meet me at the train. She has so few skills.

The trail behind Skunk Hollow

Further evidence of spring

 4:40PM/9C

Leaping for joy…or unsuccessfully dodging a snowball

The sun came out. It stopped snowing, just in the last two hours. The temperature is below zero. I shouldn’t be surprised. I’ve checked the blog…it’s always crap weather in April. It’s been a brutal spring. However, May looms, and Maggie…she LOVES the snow.

4:35PM/-4C