Moods and Walks- Ponderings and Meanderings in Alberta

[cohan]

Gardening is not even a thought really at this time of year! Bare roads are preferable for sure- luckily our highways are clear the vast majority of the time, backroads have not been bad-- our snow tends to stay, but the amount has not been high, and we have had none really for a couple of weeks- just a cm or less the other day. Happy to have a break from shovelling, and I've been able to get ahead on wood cutting. The warm weather is on its way out now (we were as high as 12/13C for a couple of days, nights always below freezing)- we will have -18C daytime by Sunday.

As I expected to happen sooner or later, though, we have had a couple of episodes of freezing rain (or rain followed immediately by freezing) this year, though not major- as the climate continues to warm, this seems likely to continue. One thing in our favour is that our warmest winter weather is usually dry, and it typically is cold enough to snow when there is precipitation.

[cohan]

I recently had one of those afternoons in the woods where you keep thinking you see movement, or shapes (other than stumps and logs!) sort of kind of seen.. it inspired this blog post,

https://cohanmagazine.blogspot.com/2020/12/bird-headed-dogs-in-bush-thoughts-on.html

and the first two photos, which were altered to give the effect I was 'seeing'/sensing/imagining. (1- shadowy figure- Bird Goddess? Someone, something else? 2- Valravn, Cynogriffin, Chamrosh? )The rest of the photos are other views going to/ coming from/ in the areas on the farm (just outside the acreage) where I have been harvesting firewood in the last couple of weeks.

[Hoy]

I don't hope you meet Hufsa in the forest!



https://lifebyalise.wordpress.com/2011/11/26/jeg-kommer-tilbakeeeee/

[cohan]

No so far, I think I'd remember that one! The other day was a more ordinary sighting-- moose! I'll post that in wildlife thread..

[cohan]

An advantage, I find, of paying attention to the Equinoxes and Solstices, is that the seasons seem to roll along-- winter does not seem endless when in December we reach the Winter Solstice and we know the days are already going to be getting longer!

All the best to all forumists in this holiday season for many-- mid-winter in the North is a time of celebration and/or introspection for many cultures, and mid-summer in the south is well worth celebrating I'm more drawn to Solstice celebrations now than traditional Christmas ideas-- but I still enjoy lights, someone here decorates, and days off are more likely to be right at Christmas than at Solstice, so that's when the cooking happens (no meat here, generally a coconut milk veg curry, slightly candied sweet potatoes, 'stuffing', mashed potatoes etc... and of course, some chocolate

Today a poem for Solstice, some pics of the decorations yet to come.

We cherish the Flame and
celebrate Saule's slow return, but
while we wait let us look inside
our homes and hearts and
appreciate the deep Dark
of Blood, of Night, of Soil, of
the places where Life is born
nurtured, sleeps and waits for
the spark of Light, to blossom again.

[cohan]

Some recent  road views-- nothing too special, just out the car window shots...

New housing development on the edge of Sylvan Lake; this was farmland just a few years ago.



Just a little farther up the hill from the last view- another area slated for construction, or someone hoping to sell land for that purpose- meantime they have to cut down the poplar suckers periodically...



Continuing out of town, a golf course, which explains the odd plantings...



A little farther but sitll very close to town-- I think that row of trees looks like 'Manitoba Maples' Acer negundo, which I *think* is only in this area where planted, fairly common in the town of Sylvan Lake, not seen much farther from town.



Sylvan Lake is only around 40km from home, but the biome is already shifted toward Aspen Parkland from the Boreal Mixedwoods we have here.. snowmobile tracks on a field..

[Hoy]

We have gotten winter here also but the days are steadily becoming longer so it isn't that bad. We have also had a lot of sun although it has been a bit too cold for me (here at the coast - at the mountain cabin the same temperature had been mild!).

[cohan]

We have gotten winter here also but the days are steadily becoming longer so it isn't that bad. We have also had a lot of sun although it has been a bit too cold for me (here at the coast - at the mountain cabin the same temperature had been mild!).

We are heading into some colder weather in the next few days- daytime -11 to -17, nights -14 to -23 -- chilly, and the coldest we've seen in a  long time, but as far as a winter cold spell, it is not very cold. We still have not even had -30c this winter..

[cohan]

A few views from an afternoon out cutting firewood on the farm Jan 11; since I am outside more or less up to sunset, several days a week, I am very aware of the lengthening days- amazing how fast it changes. Ironically, winter has never seemed so short as now that I am paying more attention, and noting solstices, equinoxes etc! (Or maybe it's just because I'm getting old??)

[Robert]

I am enjoying your wintertime scenes. 

We could use more of that in the Sierra Nevada Mountains, minus what would be extreme cold even for the Sierra Nevada.

[cohan]

I am enjoying your wintertime scenes. 

We could use more of that in the Sierra Nevada Mountains, minus what would be extreme cold even for the Sierra Nevada.

By our standards it has been very mild overall, with still nothing lower than -25C, I don't recall ever having an entire winter without a few nights below mid -30's( so far, there are still a couple of months left where we could have real cold). Even our current 'cold' spell is not reaching anything respectably cold for a January/Feb cold snap...lol

[Hoy]

I am out cutting firewoods myself these days but I don't bring my camera. I bring my chain saw! And I mostly cut fresh wood so it has to dry for a year before I can use it. Have to fill up the woodstore as we have burnt more this winter than we normally do. No end in sight either.

[cohan]

I am out cutting firewoods myself these days but I don't bring my camera. I bring my chain saw! And I mostly cut fresh wood so it has to dry for a year before I can use it. Have to fill up the woodstore as we have burnt more this winter than we normally do. No end in sight either.

I take my camera everywhere when I am outside..lol Recently my big 18-200mm zoom lens became jammed, and I can't afford to do anything about it currently--- the bad thing is no telephoto shots- bad for birds and mountains . the plus side, is the shorter lens I have on the camera means I can do most of my work outside  with the camera inside my coat..lol I never know when a moose may cross my path, or the light/clouds may be extra nice!

We are expecting a couple of nights -31C or so.. it will be the coldest of this winter, but considering we could have nights below -40C. this is still not bad, yet! I have more extra wood stockpiled than ever at this time of year, but 2-4 months of burning left!

[Robert]

When I checked the 6Z 300mb map this morning I noticed that arctic air was directed in your vicinity. How cold is it getting? I hope that you have plenty of wood cut and ready to burn if it is indeed bitter cold.

[Hoy]

I can't change lens on my camera so telephoto is out of question. Before the digital "revolution" I had a very good camera (Nikormat) and several lenses. I still have it and I also have a few films in a drawer. Had to think a little more before I took a picture at that time!

I am soon running out of dry wood! So maybe I have to buy some. The long cold spell seems to continue at least one more week, possibly longer. Although it is not cold for you, it is cold for me! Inland they have had temperatures between -30C and - 40C. The monthly mean is 6C below normal and where I live it is 3 weeks since we were above zero. The spring is delayed by at least a month.