weather whiplash

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Even though it was a Monday, I ventured down the Deerfoot 500 to the Inglewood Bird Sanctuary. We were being presented with a wonderful weather window which I wanted to wander around in before being hit with a weather whiplash.  Even though it was a Monday morning, I took the chance then breathed a sign of relief after driving for 45 minutes in rush hour traffic to cover only 12 kilometres. Whew!  Sigh!  Just breathe! Listen..... to the Robin singing a welcoming tune!  This was my first Robin sighting of the season!   

a Male Hairy Woodpecker

the red means male

a beak the same length as the head means Hairy and not Downy

A sure sign of spring, the Canada Geese couple are standing guard.  

They watched me and hissed at me as I walked across the bridge.

spring is in the air

he ruffled her feathers

Birders reported on eBird their sightings of a Pileated Woodpecker at the Sanctuary.  As I wandered around, I heard very loud pecking which I only ever heard once before a few years back.  Could it be? Yes it could!  

White-Breasted Nuthutch

The drive home was smooth!  No need to breathe a sigh of relief when I arrived home but did breathe in the fresh air on my deck with my bare feet up.  Spring is in the air!   

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Tuesday was to be the transition day so it was best to get my fill of nature earlier rather that later.  This was the view of the Bow River from the beginning of the trail leading down hill to Dale Hodges Park.  The river is running low and there is not much ice left to melt.  The reports are that we are still at drought level 4 out of 5 and being asked to lessen our water use, with possible extreme water restrictions coming into place in May.

The storm ponds have a thin slice of ice over top.  

The last time I was here, the ponds were dry.

This large pond was mostly ice although it looks like open water.  Inside that black ring and to the right where the ripples are, were the only sections of open water where the ducks could swim. I like the early morning light.

the clouds give that look like something is brewing

The transition started Tuesday evening!  Brace yourself!  

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Wednesday wooooh what a whiplash!  The city woke to being walloped by snow!  I was prepared and put project plans in place while enjoying being inside all day.  One of my projects was to learn how to do macrame.  I tried my hand at it many many decades ago but could not remember much.  My goal is to eventually make a boho handbag.  I searched for an easy project and found leaves which I liked a lot.  A few days prior, I purchased the macrame cord.  I learned I need a better quality of cord than what I purchased.

This is the outcome of my first leaf!  Mid way through the leaf, I dismantled it and began from the start again.  I was not getting the hang of the tightness and placement of the knots.  As I was nearing the end, I could tell it was not going to look like it should, but I carried on to completion.  

This is what my leaf is supposed to look like. I have lots to learn! 

I will make more leaves as practice projects using the cord I already have.

Another project was to update my Wanderlust Map!  This was a perfect day to get lost in wanderlusitng.  Here is a zoomed in shot showing a section of Europe.  White is where I have been and Green means Go!  What needs to be booked and paid for is booked and paid for.  I am looking forward to visiting The Netherlands and Austria in June.

I began reading this book many months ago.  For a long stretch after starting it, it then sat untouched. It is such a good book and I am enjoying it but I have a hard time settling down to read.  I can only manage about ten to twenty pages at a time and then I get restless.  Another project for today was to make an extra effort to get lost in the story.  I had success doing that over two reading sessions.  There are just short of 100 pages left to reach the end and find out the outcome. This could take me eight to ten days!  I enjoy reading but it does take effort to make the time to settle in, relax and get lost in a book!

The snow is forecasted to continuing falling until Sunday.  Tomorrow I plan to get "out & about" enjoying this winter wonderland on an official spring day!