It’s boiling hot out there. Not temperature-wise, surprisingly, but the sun is intense. It was all I could do to keep Maggie out of the  creek this morning.

Yesterday, I was not so successful. We had a two-hour walk, and half way through Maggie jumped into the creek…up to her neck. The water is running, so I figure it’s not as filthy as it is in the summer when the creek doesn’t move and the beavers are full-on beavering. She jumped in a few times actually, and was extremely pleased with her wet n’ dirty self. But just try spraying her with a hose. Dogs are so fickle. Had to wash her down with a cloth when we got home.

The grass is greening slowly, and lots of little things are shooting out of the ground, but it’s still predominately brown and grey in the ravine. This part of spring is so slow. It will be another month before spring truly flaunts itself. I can’t wait.

2:30PM/16C

Spectacularly nice evening. Kids are out…so…shoved some food down my throat and leashed up the dog for a quiet frolic in the woods. Turns out, lots of people had the same idea, so it wasn’t that quiet, but still very pleasant. The creek-hugging trail Maggie and I favour is muckified in parts, but walkable after a few sunny, snow-free days so we fooled around in there awhile, waiting for the columns of people venturing into Whitemud to pass. Twenty minutes later, the bottom of the ravine was empty again, but Maggie seemed reluctant to go up the hill. I think it had more to do with the previous six craps than her energy level. Sore bum, in other words. Nevertheless, once she got started, she scaled the hill bravely, looking quite lovely in the long shadows of dusk.

After about 90 minutes, we both agreed that this was a great thing to do after dinner.

7:30PM/11C

Sorry grass. On behalf of all Edmontonians (except Maggie) I apologize for the snow. On Friday, when it rained, you popped your head out of the wet, fragrant ground, your shiny blades blushing green in the warm spring showers. On Saturday and Sunday, your cheerful arrival was smothered by a sky full of menace. Please take comfort in the knowledge that our souls have also been crushed, and we stand with you in broken-hearted fellowship, and yet…ever optimistic that you will once again rise to the full, green splendour that is you…grass, in the spring.

(Maggie on the other hand, loves a fresh snowfall…especially on her snoutal area. Her message to the grass, and to all of us, is to suck it up. She couldn’t have been more joyful on her walk today.)

2:16PM/-3C

No walk today…

Pretty eventful one & a half hour walk. Saw a bunch of angry geese (dog-haters, all of ’em) on an open pond on the other side of Whitemud Creek. A yellow-winged blackbird in a pussy willow tree, which was probably a red-winged blackbird (+myopia.) Stole a bunch of pussy willows, thus scaring the yellow/red black bird from the tree. Further down the path, a gathering of ducks in the mostly unfrozen water, and possibly some grouse (see myopia.) Most surprisingly (for all of us), Maggie frenched a collie. Right on the lips. Maybe Maggie mistook the collie’s ass for the collie’s mouth. It happens.

2:09PM/3C

25 cm of snow yesterday (as opposed to last Sunday’s 15 cm) and now it’s almost gone. It was gobsmackingly lovely, but extremely hard to walk in, or see anything beyond a few feet. The top layer was snow, but the bottom was boot-soaking water. Yes, it was a VERY BAD hair day.

Once it started to melt off the trees, it was like getting pelted by snowballs. Nevertheless, Maggie was excited to go out, and if my outerwear hadn’t been soaked, I would have taken her for a walk last night. No dice. So, we went this afternoon. Still lots of snow on the field, but it’s melting fast. Our favourite trail is too water-logged to go more than half way. By the time we got home, she was wet to the shoulders. I was wet merely to my shins.

Beautiful blue sky and the knee-weakening sound of recently returned migratory birds wafting through the warm air. Lots of geese around Whitemud Creek. Butterflies. Robins. Very calming. Even the cat was on the deck today, in the sun, and briefly, in the snow.

A bit o’ the chocolate bunny following the walk. A Good Friday. Very good.

5:14PM/4C