…to walk home along the river valley paths after work. And, it was a great walk, almost 90 minutes in duration. Bright sunshine, dim sunshine, and then twilight. Next week it will be dim sunshine and twilight. And the week after that, night and plenty of it. It doesn’t feel like November, but I’ll take the calendar’s word for it.

The magpie nest I passed near Louise McKinney Park was enormous. Without the foliage on the trees, their nests are suddenly in plain view, and ya gotta admit, these birds are impressive home builders. I’m on record as being one of the few people who actually love magpies, so I never miss an opportunity to sing their praises, or feed them, if I happen to have a peanut or two on my person. Which I often do. At my bird feeder, the magpies pick through the nuts until they find whatever passes for peanut perfection, and then carry it off to the nearest tree to poke out the nut with their beaks. Again, impressive. Sure, they might prefer a half-eaten weenie, or the desiccated carcass of some lesser life form, but they are discerning and rather graceful peanut nibblers.

I’m glad to have their company throughout the winter months. I just hope those giant nests have central heating.

5:40PM/11C

Another spectacular day. Well, maybe I’m overstating it a bit. It was nice. The sun was shining, and it was warm. I didn’t win the lottery or anything. My walk home started out in bright sunshine, but 45 minutes later, I could see my breath, and the light was dim. It’s DAY 3. My third last day to take the long route home. By Monday, after daylights saving is lifted, I’ll only be able to take the mid-length river valley routes. And a week or so after that, no river valley paths at all. That’s OK. It’s only for a couple of months, and walking in the dark along city streets has it’s own pleasures. More podcasts, Christmas lights, and I can sing along to the songs on my iPod. Without the sun, and in traffic, no one can hear me, no one see me. Bring on the Abba.

The paths in Mill Creek are wide and open without the leaves. There are times in the summer when the trails are so lush, it’s impossible to walk untouched by a branch or a leaf. Now, in it’s defoliated state, it’s hard to imagine. The colours are stunning, but subtle, and I wish my camera was better at low contrast, low light photographs. Of course, it might just be me, and I will admit I’ve never actually cracked the manual, but I do my best. Which is adequate.

Nice to see that the Turtle Effigy stone installation appears to be a permanent feature at the entry to Louise McKinney Park. It’s become part of the landscape. Grass took over by mid-summer and now it’s as if the rocks have always been there, like the Chinese obelisk above the Effigy and the GIANT public washroom below. I am the first to admit, McKinney is weird, but I love this little parkette.

6:05PM/9C

Sunrise: 8:37 AM Sunset: 5:58 PM

For the last day of October, it was beautiful and sunny. No goblins, as far as I could see, but a few flies, and some geese. Several days of long walks, and I’m starting to feel better. Short sprints and gloomy skies helped to tank my mood over this last week, but this weather rally has rejuvenated my serotonin supplies.

The geese were lovely. I heard them first, as often happens in fall, and when I looked up, one flock was flying in V-formation, but there was another group just behind them, without any formation at all. The two groups moved effortlessly into a long line, and then as if pullled on a string, the line broke into a V. See ya next March, geese. Or April, if you’re smart.

Last week in Louise McKinney Park there was a huge drilling machine, smack in the middle of the rose garden. I can’t say for sure, but I’m assuming this is part of the LRT expansion process. At one of the meetings I attended, there was mention of these drills, which would be used to check the stability of the ground prior to the actual excavation. I hope they found a route-killing geological malformation, or better yet, some sort of artifact laden burial ground, which for different reasons, would also be a route killer (but more interesting.) Preferably something that unleashes a curse on the South-east LRT expansion project. Bubonic plague would be nice, but nothing lethal, of course. Just miserable enough to make the planners reconsider jamming their trains through this part of the river valley.

Saw a lot of disturbed earth over by Connor’s Hill, which was probably the same thing. I think I’ve gone backwards in the Kubler-Ross Five Stages of Grief. I’ve abandoned Anger, and returned to Denial. It’s just so much more pleasant.

Sadly, like the geese, Godzilla has also made his way back to warmer climes. He was gone last week, chopped out of the ice, I think. The snow that fell is now completely gone, but there’s still thick frost in the mornings. I’m sad to see him go, but I understand.

3:05PM/13C

Yup. More of the same. Late day at work, short, bitterly cold walk home. Tomorrow. Seriously.

5:40PM/-2C

The snow.

That’s what happened.

And no, it wasn’t as bad as depicted in this photograph. Just forgot my camera today, so I had to dig into the archives. There is a smattering of snow about, pools of wet, and bone-chilling cold. Although it’s not that cold…a mere zero degrees. If this were January, there’d be guys in shorts strolling proudly through the streets. Today, everyone was wrapped in thick, black woolen things. The wind and the gloom makes it seem colder. I don’t know…I guess I just want the first snow to be those big fat flakes falling gently and whimsically from the sky, not the painful mini-slaps to the face which greeted me at the door this morning.

A bit of overtime at work, so shortish walk. Aiming to walk for at least 90 minutes tomorrow. Been lazy lately, and I’m feeling it in my brain. Apparently.

6:05 PM/0C

Sunrise: 8:19 AM  Sunset: 6:17 PM

There is good gloom, and there is bad gloom. Today was gloomy in a bad way. It was dark, cold, and with just enough wind to feel assaulted, rather than, say…caressed. Several late nights at work and an election this week have prevented longer walks, but I think the real reason is a lack of motivation. Crazy, because the days of walking home via the river valley are coming to a close. I’ll still walk, but it will be on well-lit streets, partly in the river valley, but not on the trails unless it’s the weekend. Until mid-January, when the light starts to return. Must be ‘walking fatigue’. Happens every now and then. I blame work.

5:31PM/10C

Sunrise: 8:10AM/Sunset 6:28PM