It was a workout, but we did it. Plowed through a foot of fresh, unplowed snow in Whitemud Creek. So much snow Maggie didn’t even need to squat to pee. All of a sudden she’d stop, get a kind of faraway look on her face, and then leap ahead of me. Our walk was more of a wade, but it was beautiful from start to finish. I’d much rather have snow in winter than not. The spectacular snowscapes make the cold and the dark bearable.

1:45PM/-14C

After a winter of almost no snow and warmish temperatures, we’ve finally received a proper snowfall. And by proper, I mean Deluge. Blizzard. Event. And it’s still snowing. Nevertheless, I took the dog for a walk, because it’s not too cold, and we both love heaps of snow. The powerline was understandably deserted, and we made it to the tip of Whitemud Creek before she started lifting her paws, which is dog for ‘enough of this shit…let’s go home.‘ So we did. The landscape is beautiful in a snowfall. Even a dirty road, even a street lamp looks like an Impressionist painting on a day like this. Soon I will be shovelling for a third time, but the labour of this much snow does not take away from its beauty.

2:15PM/-11C

Wow. Completely different from one day to the next. I’m glad that Maggie and I got to enjoy one walk of three this weekend in the sun. Not that she cares, but I do. Absolutely gorgeous in the woods today. Lots of other doggage. Thought I heard a robin, but all I saw was a sparrow of some ilk. Just a bit of snow yesterday, but enough to make everything starkly white or blue.

1:35PM/-3C

I’m always amazed at how a day can look so miserable from inside, but once you’re out, tramping along some trail in the woods, it’s not as bad as it first appeared. I had to walk a long while in the blowing snow before I reached that state of awareness, but it did happen. I think it was the birds. Once I was past the powerline, and down the hill into Whitemud, it got very quiet, except for the almost imperceptible sound of the snow falling on the trees, and the chickadees; happy to sing whatever the weather. Also, the waxwings were flocking. It was very peaceful, and peaceful is always beautiful, even if the sun is lost behind the clouds. The dog couldn’t care less, and the dreary skies meant that the ravine was empty, so she was able to run untethered through the woods. In spite of the pleasant walk with Maggie, I’m trying very hard not to think of all the family members currently basking in the warm sun of Arizona. This will have to do. This, and a bag of Cadbury mini-eggs.

1:39PM/-2C

I loves me some blue sky. An hour and a half in the ravine with Maggie. Cloudy to start, spectacularly, wonderfully sunny and blue by the end. I think I’ve crippled the dog again, but we both agree, it was worth it.

1:37PM/1C

I’ve been back since Monday night, but other than a short but restorative (for Maggie) walk on Thursday, today was the first day back in the south woods, otherwise known as Whitemud. Such a blue sky today! And such a wind, but as long as the assorted face parts weren’t turned in the direction of the blowy bits, it was extremely nice outside.

You know, I enjoyed walking Eddie, but one always has to be vigilant with a dog bred for the racetrack. A rabbit, or anything that even remotely resembles a rabbit is irresistible to a sight hound, and for that reason (and um…a few other anti-social tendencies), Eddie could not be let off the leash. Maggie on the other hand, is completely trustworthy off leash. What she lacks in speed she makes up for in joy. She runs ahead, but always stops, looks back, and then runs ahead again. It’s pure pleasure to walk her. I just wish she wouldn’t eat rabbit poop. As nice as it was to have a few weeks back in Mill Creek, and parts thereof, it’s great to be back ‘home’, and out and about with my best dog by my side.

2:45PM/-6C