Spectacular blue sky walk around Hawrelak Park this afternoon. Beautiful weather continues with bonus sunny skies. They don’t always go together. I always feel that warm winter days are a waste if it’s also cloudy, but I’m probably being too demanding.

Still working on the cramp-on situation. My boots remain unprotected and vulnerable on the ice (which means the rest of my body is too), and there is currently plenty of ice. It’s no surprise I’ve become reliant on those tiny spikes over the last five years. Edmonton seems to have more freeze-thaw episodes in winter, although my journal most likely doesn’t bear that out. I always think something new is happening with the weather or in the river valley, but when I check my journals, inevitably it turns out that nature is actually rather consistent in these parts.

4C/1:30 to 3:00

A proper walk, finally, and it was fantastic! So beautiful outside – not quite above zero, but close and the sun was beaming. Maggie is so imprinted on every trail, it seems disloyal to walk without her, but the reality is that she cannot go on long, ravine walks anymore. It’s unfair, but she seemed happy enough to go around the neighbourhood after my long walk. My feet were sore, but a promise is a promise.

Lots of people and dogs on the trails. I walked to Whitemud Ravine (via Westbrook) all the way to the south end of Snow Valley. I was out for about two and a half hours, with frequent stops to take (mostly) blurry photos of chickadees, who seemed strangely attracted to me. I should have brought some seed. I should always bring seed.

The creek was criss-crossed with footprints, ski grooves, and generalized marks of frolic, proving that people are braver than me. I should give it a try. My new crampons aren’t working that well (in the sense that they don’t stay on my boots), so I might wait until I get a better pair before I go creek-walking.

All in all, a brilliant walk.

-1C/1:00 to 3:30PM

Incredibly gloomy today – the opposite of yesterday’s blue skies and warm temperatures. Started off with fog, remaining heavy and overcast all day. Good enough for a half hour dog walk, but otherwise, kinda depressing. Therefore, a few photos from Wednesday’s delightful wander in Terwilleger off leash. Maggie was really into it.

5C yesterday, -1C today.

A deeply restorative (and beautiful) walk in Mill Creek Ravine this afternoon. Still a bit chilly, but the sun on my face made up for the cold. Walked for about an hour along the northern half, with the weirdly green creek snaking along beside me in the woods. Only passed one other soul, and no dogs. A few birds, although I did mistake a squirrel for a robin. It’s all a blur with these contacts. The golden ass of a squirrel – from a distance – could easily be mistaken for a puffed out red breast.

The drive over (for an appointment) was slippery, but the trails were packed with fresh snow and not slippery at all. A perfect time to walk. With the melt coming, things are about to turn grey, but the ravine is a gleaming, pristine winterscape.

Oh, and I saw a fully decorated Christmas tree. I love you, Mill Creek Ravine.

-11C/12:30 to 1:30PM

A sparkling prelude to what will be a week of walking. Gorgeous, but still too cold…I think…to walk. Settled for some shoveling and a bit of admiring. It’s been christly cold, so I’ve stayed inside for the better part of…um, a month. Terrible. Next week during the warmup, I will be out, out, out.

-14C

Today would be my idea of an ugly day. Ugly. The temperature is superb, about 3, but the sky is overcast and the snow is dirty. I walked briefly in the Rossdale and Louise McKinney Park, and it seemed like twilight at 1:30! As much as I love Vancouver, I would not be able to handle the clouds. Puffy is good. Thundery is better. A sheath of grey sucks. I am GLAD that I got out for a walk in the river valley, but I was almost shaking my head in disgust. C’mon day, you can do better! Ah well, it was a walk, and that is always good.