Yes, it’s been a long time since I’ve posted something. Coincidentally, the lack of posting corresponds directly with the lack of walking. So much snow, so much dark. So cold, so busy. All the usual December excuses. But really, it has been cold. Hope to rectify the walking situation soon, weather permitting. The frigid temperatures (-24C this morning) made me think of the brown rabbit I used to feed in Louise McKinney Park during the winter of 2010.

I don’t know how any animal survives this, especially as I sit here with a dog and a cat, snuggled on the floor in their own blankies. Glad I’m inside. Glad they’re inside. Best of luck, bunnies.

4:35PM/-13C

This post may go without a photo (resolved, I think), which would be a shame as this city is postcard beautiful at the moment, with more snow on the way. New computer. Having trouble with images (resolved, I think…) Anyway, not a lot of walking in the last week. It’s been dark, and I’ve been busy. No excuse, or at least, that’s what the dog says.

Last weekend was tremendously beautiful. So was yesterday. Not so much today. It’s grey and snowing. With the power-line route opened up, Whitemud Creek Ravine is accessible again. Not that it wasn’t before, it just took a lot longer. When Maggie saw no frost fence preventing her from running down the hill last weekend, she went full gallop into the ravine. I might have mentioned this already. So nice to wander around on the snowy paths along the creek. Even yesterday, the creek was still running. The water is oil black, but there is a distinct and rather delightful babble coming from the slow-moving bubbles of water visible under a thin, crystaline layer of ice. Kinda like red blood cells coursing through an artery. Except black.

Hope I can fix the photo thing soon…

-4C/12:47pm

That was yesterday. The snow arrived on Wednesday. A lot of it. Tons of snow. Also, signs the close-by powerline route into Whitemud Ravine was open again, but I wasn’t able to check this until Friday. Took an extra long weekend. Maggie and I plowed through the duvet of snow layering the city and discovered that yes, after almost five months, the trail was open again! I swear, when that dog saw that the hill was open, she started running. I ran too, as much as possible. We ran and slid our way down the hill and over the bridge. It was completely quiet, except for Whitemud Creek, which was inexplicably still flowing black and cold beneath puff balls of snow. Thick snow around the creek. There is no trail, but we’ll make one.

It is spectacularly beautiful outside, as if Christmas is right around the corner. Other than the driving, it would be impossible not to love winter on a day like yesterday and today, especially with the sun out.

-12C/3:05pm

My favourite orb is back after a long absence. There’s been shocks of sunlight here and there, but not a bright, blue-sky day in weeks. And so lovely against the 10 cm of snow. Maggie and I went for an hour plus walk in Whitemud Ravine. Beautiful in every way. The trees and bushes were sparkling with water droplets. The shadows on the snow were purple and blue. The air was mild. Maggie was giddy with excitement. She loves the snow. I wore my cramp-ons because of the ice, which was not so bad on the trails, but treacherous on the north-facing sidewalks. Those things…man…I know I’ve said this before, but they are so awesome. They remind me of that skit by Bill Cosby where he takes karate lessons and is so over-confident in his newly acquired skills, he walks down a back alley at night with five dollar bills hanging out of his pocket. I feel the same way about cramp-ons. They really cramp on.

After all this snow, I suppose I should change the autumn banner on my blog. I suspect that winter is here to stay, in spite of the three days of warm weather this week. After that, into the tanker again. Still, there is nothing more beautiful than a sunny, snowy day.

12:30PM/2C

November 1st. It rained this morning, even though the temperature was -7C. Now it’s snowing, and another 5-10 cm are expected by the end of the day. It’s been gloomy and cold for almost two weeks. Uh…I guess winter is here.

11:51AM/-5C

I won’t lie. I could have gone for a long walk. Yesterday too, and last week. But it’s been cold. So cold. OK, I’ve wimped out, but I have taken the dog for a few walks here and there, just not anything that interesting. Today it was nice, and even a little pretty with the snow, but like every day in the last ten days, there was no sun. I’ll take the cold and the snow, but I need blue skies and sun. Opening up the power-line route into Whitemud Creek would help too.

9:18/-2C