Can’t believe I was whining about the snow. Last week’s 20cm was a light dusting in comparison to Thursday’s 30cm. I’ve never seen that much snow, or should I say…shoveled that much snow. Unbelievable. The banks along the driveway are now higher than six feet, or about a foot higher than I can comfortably throw snow. My walk from the bus on Thursday afternoon consisted of choosing the lesser of two evils: unshoveled sidewalk or a non-existent path through the park, which is normally the quicker route. I chose the park. It really didn’t matter, I was up to my knees in snow either way, but I did fail in my attempt to get out of the park unscathed. I fell, but it was like falling between two duvets. Not hurt, but I was covered from head to foot in snow. Did a full-on upside down turtle on the ‘sidewalk’ as I tried to right myself with a heavy backpack. Not my best moment.

As I said this morning in my 32 Pages blog post about spring (or lack thereof): In celebration of the first day of spring, the sky unfurled a massive, white party favour, dropping 30cm of snow over an already thickly blanketed landscape. It was an extravagant display of spring’s absence, in other words, and it will be another month before the ground clears and the grass begins to blush a tentative green.

Hard to believe this will ever melt, but yes, it is pretty.

3:04PM/-8C

Not sure I’ll go for a walk today. I’d like to, but my face skin and the dog’s hairy, yet nevertheless shoeless paws may not survive. Over 20cm of snow in the last three days. More on the way. On the bright side, spring next week 🙁

16C/10:33 AM

Warm today, above 6, but windy and cloudy. Not all day. The morning was blue and sunny, but I waited too long to leave the house. In any case, Maggie was puffed out from yesterday, mustering only token enthusiasm for the various sticks and snowballs I lobbed down the path. When we got to the edge of the ravine, she stopped. This time, I listened. The trail down into the ravine was pure wet ice, and I wasn’t wearing my crampons. I will admit that my enthusiasm for a longer walk was greatly undermined by the washed out sky. Better to inside with artificial lighting and M&M’s.

6C/3:30PM

Not exactly black (or white) mud yet, still lots of snow. Some melting. Went for a mostly uphill walk in Blackmud Creek, until we came to the top. Flat farmland (formerly) surrounded by McMansions. Happily, there was a show home lottery thingy going on so Sharon and I took turns watching the dog, while one of us took a tour. Lovely houses, but nothing special.

Following the tour, we went north along the path which did not, in fact, lead us back into the ravine, but to 23rd Ave. Not especially bucolic with all the trucks and dirt, but we didn’t have to walk too far along the road to find a path back into the woods. It was a perfect day for a walk. Not too warm, and not cold, although I did get a little sweaty on the 10th climb. I’m losing my mojo, I think. I used to run up those hills. I blame the cookies.

Last time I was in Blackmud Creek, it was autumn. Seems like months and months ago, and I suppose it was. Winter always seems the norm, and all the other seasons a fit of confabulation. Judging by all the snow we have, it will be a long time until evidence of a non-winter month shows itself. I’m not sure I’ll believe it anyway.

Not much walking this week. It’s been cold and icy. More next week, hopefully.

3:30PM/2C

Had to get some cat drugs from my vet on 99 Street, so took the opportunity to walk to the downtown train via Mill Creek Ravine. The sidewalks around Strathcona/Mill Creek are horrendous. Break-your-neck-icy. But the ravine was lovely, all white and crunchy. No significant melting yet, but the river is muddy green and open in spots.

By the ‘usual’ place near the frog bog, I spotted a pileated woodpecker. My friend, for all these years. I always feel so lucky, honoured really, to see one of these guys. So beautiful. This one seemed small, a junior pileated. Takes awhile for them to grow into their dinosaur heads.

My feet were extraordinarily sore by the end of my hour-plus walk. Stupid hiking boots. Can’t wait to get back into running shoes.

6:30PM/-3C

Not the one in Calgary. Yesterday, we took an unfamiliar trail, and it turned out to be one made by deer, evidenced by the astonishing quantity of deer shit and cloven hoof prints on the path. Also, it was narrow and steep and probably better suited to a four-legged creature than a two-legged one with a talent for falling. Maggie had no problem, and she did not eat a single deer dropping. Apparently rabbit shit is the preferred scat.

Today, after 5 centimeters of fresh fat snow, we headed down the same path. Other than a single deer, we were the first to set foot (and paw) on the pillowed trail. It was so beautiful. The sun was shining through the trees, turning flakes of snow to water droplets sparkling and dripping off branches like a tiered fountain. I stopped for a moment to listen and the entire ravine was tinkling with sound. I could also hear the flapping wings of two crows swooping overhead.

It was disappointing when it snowed last night. Snow in March (April, May…) is always a heart-breaker. And yet, a walk after a fresh snow is one of my favourite things in the whole world. Today especially, the snow-covered branches against a milky blue sky reminded me of one of Caspar David Friedrich’s paintings-Dolmen in Snow. Forests, in general, remind me of Friedrich, my favourite painter. So having the woods go all 19th century German Romantic on me is a welcome thing, and some compensation for a delayed spring.

-3C/11:30AM