Welcoming Winter!

Winter officially arrived, yet it looks and feels like a winter I have not experienced in many decades!  This week each time when I stepped out my door to head off being "out & about", I dressed for spring-early-autumn-like weather.  Local conditions made for being able to cover kilometres quickly and easily. With that being said, today I reached my goal of covering 2023 kilometres in the year 2023.  I needed 10.56 kms, I did 10.6 kms for good measure.  

In my mind, I went where I could find snow and that was where I created it on paper with white watercolour paint, negative space and white gouache.  My references for this painting were of photos I took last week while on a get-away to Banff.  I used a photo of my new "HOPE" Christmas decoration that I hung on a tree while hiking to the Ink Pots and the other photos were two I took off the Red Fox I saw on the same trail.  I combined the muses into one painting making it my own original idea with a tweak or two here and there.  This painting evokes a sense of wonderment as the Red Fox eyes the Squirrel which is part of the decoration! 

After three test urban hikes wearing my new winter hiking/snowshoeing boots, I declare they are keepers!  Although the real test should come when I try them in snow.  These boots are hard to come by, only being sold directly by the manufacturer or at the odd store.  I was lucky to find them in Banff last week and the only pair they had were in the size I needed and on sale as a final sale.  They have great grip, the loop for the gaiter attachment, the bar at the back for the snowshoe strap to rest upon and the most important makings for warmth to the degrees I need them to be.  

The sunrises this week have been beautiful!  

On this day, the sun shone brightly creating long shadows on the shortest day of the year!

On this day, I arrived at Split Rock as the sun began to peek around the sharp edge!  

This is what we are in for locally!  There is a blip for early tomorrow morning for a few hours. 

We will see what transpires as it could make or break us having a white Christmas.   

Two of my blogging friends are unknowingly "influencers"!  Both "Walking with Friends Down Under" in Australia, and "Coastal Ripples" on the island of Jersey crocheted/knitted blankets.  Their recent postings about these blankets grabbed my attention.  I have time, capacity and interest in continuing to learn so I jumped on through this new door that opened with wide open arms.  My goal is a blanket!  I purchased needles, a bunch of yarn, googled how to get started and this is my progress!  It will be many squares that will eventually all be attached together.   So far each square has mistakes some with many. I have lots more balls of yarn sitting to the side of this photo.  There is no deadline for completion, I just know knitting the basic stitch over and over and over again is bringing me joy!  

Virtually this is where I hiked today in Brazil.  I have 32.6 kms left to reach the finish line of the Estrada Real Virtual Challenge.  My goal is to complete it before the end of the year and I am pretty positive that will not be a problem to do.  The Conqueror People have presented four more new challenges this week, three of which appeal to me.  I will begin the new year tackling one of them.   

My skates still sit at the front door.  There may be a miracle in the next few days or so and I will get to skate for the first time this season!  All it takes is for winter to truly feel and look like winter and for ice to be ready!