Critters

I've been so busy looking for signs of spring that I completely forgot about some pictures that I took the last time I skied into the gazebo at Blow-Me-Down Cross Country Ski Park. Kelly's post of the not so ordinary sparrows reminded me of these pictures. It was the 5th of April, the sun was shining and it was warm enough to ski with my jacket tied around my waist. It took forever to get these shots. The squirrels were fairly cooperative, but the chickadees, though very friendly were very quick on wing!

Which do you think is my better side? This one?

Or this one?

Signs of spring -part 3

Once again I went, armed with my digital camera, in search of more signs of spring. I must admit, its getting easier, though winter hasn't completely checked out yet. There is still snow in my back yard and in the woods.

You again....don't you ever stay home?

Pissdabeds! You may know them as coltsfoot ma'am..... a dandelion-like flower.

Some crocuses from my garden.

More crocuses!

What would spring be without some Pussy Willows.........

Now this defintely reminds me of spring. I love hanging out clothes, and I do so as soon as the weather permits. This, however, is my neighbours clothesline and the picture was taken a week ago. There is a little less snow in the backyard this week.

This is Jesse, Mikki and Cali flaked out on my sofa in the den. It has nothing to do with spring but was too cute not to share. Tucker was napping elsewhere in the house. Time for me to get a new dog blanket I think.

Signs of Spring ~ Part 2

Well the second week of spring is here and gone. It brought with it a mixed bag of weather, mild for a few days and then a bit of a spring blizzard and around 10 cm of new snow. So once again it was a challenge finding some signs of spring. But find them I did. Tucker helped.

This is the crosswalk at the bottom of my street. Cars seldom actually stop at this particular intesection which makes crossing it a challenge at the best of times. In the spring it's a pool...no a small pond of water which makes crossing it even more challenging.

They must have heard me complaining, because on our way back to the house Tucker and I saw some city workers filling in the pot holes with bags of asphalt. This is the temporary-pot-hole-fixer kind of asphalt that flies out of the pothole as soon as someone drives over it. Oh well. Its the thought that counts.

We saw three signs of spring while walking around the Glynmill Inn Pond.

There was one patch of bare ground up on a bank!

The swans are back out in the pond. Yes Sara, I know they are mean, but you would be mean too if you had your feet and ass in this cold water all day long....hssssssssss!

And a late blooming mitten tree. They usually bloom in late fall but this one seemsto be confused this year, perhaps because of the long, snowy winter. I'm still searching for a leather glove tree.

This is the most unusual sign of spring that I saw this week. This picture was taken today while I was snowshoeing along the pipeline. the pipeline is actually underneath all of this snow. In the non-snow seasons there are many places along the pipleine where it has sprung a leak. I am guessing that the heat of the spring sun has allowed this one to "Spring" forth, creating a lovely ice-fountain. Cool!

Signs of Spring.....sort of

So we have had one full week of Spring and I suppose, because Easter was so early, we are all under the impression that it should be more springy outside. But lets face it, Its Newfoundland. And even when we do get an early spring, its probably not our best season. Don't get me wrong, I love spring. I love all the seasons and the change in seasons. But I had a real struggle this week trying to find some "signs' that I could share on my blog. So I had to stop thinking about crocuses and robins and green grass and find some things that really represent early spring in my neck of the woods.

Spring is......

Mucky snow....lots and lots of mucky snow.

Which creates...mucky dogs.....very mucky dogs.

And lots of dog muck! Yes, this is a picture of dog poop. Once there is even a skim of snow on the back deck, my dogs feel it is permissable to pee and poop on the deck. Even though I try to clean up regularly, it gets covered with snow.....lots and lots of snow. Then, when it starts to melt, am left with icy yellow snow and lots and lots of poop. If I don't get it chipped out of the snow when its at the "poopsickle' stage, I am left with poop soup....nice.....

But its not just muck. There's also "rrrrrrroll up the rrrrrrrim to win"........Please play again!

And daffodils. Not from the garden of course but I think I am safe in saying that there are no daffodils growing in gardens in Ontario yet either. And lets not forget the Easter Bunny!

And to be optomistic, the ice is melting on Glynmill Inn Pond.

The trail benches are starting to peek through the snow.

And if you look very closely, you can see that buds are starting to swell on the trees. Hope "Springs" eternal.

zzzzzzzzzzz

Cali's sister Mikki spends some time with us when Irv, Marg and Jesse go to Bonne Bay Pond in the winter. Now that she is a senior citizen she prefers to nap on my sofa rather than riding on ski-doo to the cabin. Cali, Tucker and I lover her dearly, but man! What a noisy sleeper!

Its all downhill

Denise was such a good sport. She hadn't skied since she was a little girl and her mother and I dragged her on some of the hilliest trails in the ski park. On day one she had a couple of spectacular wipe-outs accompanied by some spectacular language. By day 2 she had mastered the snowplow and was ready to take on any hill.

March Break

Technically I don't get a March break. In Newfoundland schools are closed for a week at Easter, plus I am retired so every day is a holiday!!!! But My friend Paula teaches in Ontario and she usually comes to the Rock for her March break to see her mother and of course to have adventures with me.

This is Paula snowshoeing on the Lower Pipeline trail.

This is me, on the same trail.

Paula has 3 daughters. This year her middle daughter Denise came with Paula on her March Break adventure. This is Denise and her mom posing for a photo op while snowshoeing on the Gorge trail.

We also did a bit of skiing at the Blow Me Down Cross Country Ski Trails. I go there regularly. There are kilometers and kilometers of groomed trails with lovely names like Sly Fox, Fox Valley, the Lynx, Moose Run and Bog Slog. My favorite thing to do is to ski into the Gazebo. the Gazebo is a rustic cabin 5 km into the woods. On Saturdays the Gazebo ladies ( 4 women in their late 60's and early 70's) cook up toutons, beans and other treats. A dollar will buy you a hot chocolate and for another $1.50 they will add a shot of Old Sam. Paula,Denise and I went in on a week day so we had the place to ourselves.

Paula and Denise are enjoying their lunch.

Denis and I inside the Gazebo. Yes Denise, I know you are waaaaaaaay taller than me!

I miss my skiing and snowshoeing buddies. They are gone back to Ontario now. Did I mention that Denise's name is Denise Deborah? I have a video of her skiing down moose run. That will appear in my next post.