Springtails anyone?

The snow is starting to melt, the days are getting warmer and with that comes our new found friends, the Springtails, or snow fleas.  I bet you never heard of those before....neither had we until yesterday.  You see, we have noticed a pattern in the past few weeks:  on cold days, the snow is pure white and all is good.  On warm days, the snow gets speckled with tiny little black things, and if we move the snow around, I start having a real bad case of allergies.  This has happened a few times in the past few weeks and we thought nothing of it until yesterday:  Russell was out and took a close look at those little black things and he saw them hop.  That's when we knew we were dealing with something more than dust, soot or debris from the trees.  After a lot of Googling, we found out that those are called Springtails, or snow fleas.

Snow fleas are not fleas as we know them, they don't bite and don't harm humans and pets. They are so tiny as you can see from the picture.  You have to really look closely to see them move.They hop around the surface of the snow which is why they are called snow fleas.  They are decomposers, feeding primarily on decaying leaves and, although they are apparently active in the Winter, they become more active on warm days and that is when they move to the top of the snow's crust. This explains why we have started seeing them as the days are getting warmer.  How is this related to allergies?  Well, snow fleas mixed with snow mould, which can happen at this time of year, is the perfect recipe for allergies, or so it seems.  So, here I am suffering from really bad allergies, first time in a long time. I started taking an antihistamine today which should make me feel better in a day or two.  

Having said all this about our little critters, Spring seems to be here, finally.  Today is a beautiful, sunny and balmy day....+8 celsius.  Despite not feeling too good, we went for a nice, leisurely walk at Arrowhead Park.  When we got home, I wanted to sit on the deck but thought I would wait for my allergy pills to kick in.  The last thing I want is for the Springtails to get the better of me!

Not much else is going on.  We are going to Montreal at the end of this week to visit my parents.  We look forward to seeing them and to hearing more about their preparations for their big move.  

I wish you all a great week.  April will make its entrance on Tuesday and let's hope that it brings consistent warm weather.  Hope you enjoy this picture that we took of the snow fleas.....as well as a picture that Russell took of the Stubbs Falls today, original picture and the same picture "painted".  Russell is getting very creative and is having fun with his new software.

Springtails.....looks like pepper on the snow.

Stubb's Falls original photo.

Stubb's Falls photo-painted.

How do you spell Spring? WINTER!

Today is the fourth day of Spring and it sure doesn't feel like it.  We woke up to -18 C this morning.  We went for a walk this afternoon and, although the sun was nice and warm, there was a wind chill which made it feel like -17C.  I had to wear my winter coat, and I had vowed not to wear it again as of last Thursday.  I keep saying just a few more days of this but Winter just doesn't want to go away. I thought I would post pictures of the snow that we have just for the fun of it.....funny isn't it?  These pictures were taken today, after another small dump of snow received yesterday.  Having said all this, this time of year is the best time to take fabulous pictures during the Blue Hour, which is one hour after sunset and one hour before sunrise.  I include two pictures that Russell took last week during the Blue Hour, at night.  I also include one that he took of the moon at 7:30 am this morning.

Enough writing about the weather, it is what it is.  This past week was very good.  We went to Toronto for a few days and it was fun.  We both had our hair cut, did a bit of shopping, went to Canada Blooms and ate at some good restaurants.  We were amazed by the fact that Toronto has no snow to speak of, at least in the downtown / uptown core.  The sidewalks were dry and I was able to wear shoes outdoors.  Now, that is something that I haven't done in ages.

While we were away, Cooper was flirting with the gals at Camp Talemaker.  We are told that he is truly in love with Adele.  Sweet!

My parents are doing well and getting ready for the big move.  They seem quite excited about it.  They should be.  We will be going to Montreal in two weeks and I hope to get a chance to see their new condo. Russell will get to visit with his aunt and the two of us will go to the cemetery and perhaps drop off a nice Spring bouquet for his parents.

Not much else is going on for us.  It is hard to believe that we are coming up to the last week of March, I think because of the lingering Winter.  I read today that despite the late Spring, Parks Canada had its first sighting of a grizzly bear coming out of hibernation somewhere in Banff.  I also heard that the same could be happening in Northern Ontario.  Despite the snow, the days are longer and the sun is warmer, so the animals that hibernate will soon get confused.

This coming week will be busy for us.  We have a few appointments, dentist, and such, and are hoping to start a bit of Spring cleaning....hahaha! Oh, and tonight, we are having a Spring dinner:  Lemon baked chicken with asparagus and mediterranean orzo salad.  Ha!  I wish you all a great week ahead!

Fresh snow on the ground.....love it..NOT!

Cooper navigating his snow maze....he wonders if it will ever leave.

Cooper likes the vantage points on top of snow piles.

Yes, this is the driveway, freshly plowed.

Moon rise on the back deck...in the Blue Hour.

Anne and Cooper on the front porch in the Blue Hour.

The moon setting at 7:30 AM.....

Happy St-Patrick's Day...and some news

Tomorrow is St-Patrick's Day.  Irish or not, many people around the world take advantage of this special day to have fun and celebrate life.  We are no different and we particularly like to use that celebration as yet another opportunity to put Cooper through a photo session.  He is such a good sport at it.  He just sits there and lets us take pictures....and he does so without being lured with a treat.  That is the best part!  Of course, we always give him a treat when we're done because he deserves it.  Hope you enjoy his St-Paddy's Day picture.  I know we are.

Well, I have to say that this past week was not an ordinary week for us, and particularly for my parents.  After talking about right-sizing for many years, my mom and dad decided that it was now time to bite the bullet and look for a smaller place to live.  So, they bought a condo located just a few minutes from where they currently live, in Sainte-Anne-de Bellevue,  in the old Harpell Press Building. As fate would have it, they will be living in the same building where their very first neighbours from 50 + years ago currently live. They have been good friends for all those years. Needless to say that it was a very emotional week for my parents, and for me and my siblings, as this is such a huge decision to make.  And it all happened so fast.  Russell and I were on pins and needles while they were waiting for their offer to be accepted.  The whole family is so happy for them. I cannot say it enough, it is such the right thing to do.  They have been living in that house since 1961.  Without divulging my age, I will say that I was not born in that house, neither was my sister, but my brother was (well, he was born in the hospital but you know what I mean).  So, lots of memories to be had for all of us.

My parents are now going through the various stages that come with buying a new house and of course they have to prepare to sell their current house.  We will be there to support them every step of the way.  So, the next few months will be hectic for them but in the end, it will bring a new beginning.

All is well for Russell and I.  The weather has been a bit cold but we did not get any snow this past week, unlike Toronto and Montreal.  The snow is melting and we can now totally see our barbecue and our smoker. Progress!  We keep going for our daily walk with the Coop.  I attach two pictures that Russell took today at Arrowhead Park.  I must say that it was very cold today but we walked for about 50 minutes and it felt good.

This coming week will be busy for us.  We are off to Toronto later in the week for a few days of R&R.  We will get our hair cuts, a bit of shopping and we will go to the Canada Blooms exhibition.  Cooper will be at Camp Talemaker having his usual fun.

That's about it for this week's blog.  I wish you all a great week and a fun St-Patrick Day celebration.  I leave you with this Irish quote :

For each petal on the shamrock
This brings a wish your way -
Good health, good luck, and happiness
For today and every day.
~Author Unknown

Cooper wishes everyone a Happy St Paddy's Day...woof...woof!

Anne and the Coop on a cold trail in Arrowhead Park.

A photo-painting of birch trees and a cold winter sky.

Lots of daylight coming our way!

One of the things I like best about this time of year is the amount of daylight that we get, more and more every day.  Today is no exception.  It is sunny in Huntsville and this means that the time change will be even more noticeable towards the end of the day.  We are really noticing how strong the sun is in our Muskoka room, which faces West.  With all the windows, the sun beams right in and it makes for a very hot room especially in the afternoon.  In the Winter, it is particularly nice and toasty. Yesterday, it was 76 F.  In the Summer, we open the windows as it can get too hot....having said this, I will welcome Summer any time now.

This past week was very good. I made it to the gym four times, and one of those times was for a spin class yesterday morning.  It was a good workout and a good way to start the day.  Then we went for a nice walk with Cooper in the afternoon.  The sun was bright and warm, so we ditched the hats and gloves.  Cooper is still wearing his booties as the snow is starting to get wet and wet snow means snow balls on his feet.  He doesn't mind the boots so we might as well keep them on a while longer.

The snow is definitely starting to melt, bit by bit.  It is hard to tell because we have so much of it but we are noticing that it is starting to evaporate.  I truly think that we have seen the worst of the Winter.  I also think that Spring will bring a lot of flooding in many areas and Huntsville will not be spared.  We are lucky to have our house so high up on a hill but I know that many people are very concerned about what Spring will bring in terms of meltdown and floods.  Let's hope that it is not as bad as some fear it might become.

Today is a quiet day.  We went for a walk after lunch.  Cooper is now having a nap, I have a beef brisket in the oven and Russell is having fun with his various photography software programs. I include two photos that he turned into paintings. Pretty cool stuff!  That's about it for this week's blog.  I hope you all have a great week and that those of you on March break have fun.

Cross country ski trail...Arrowhead Park....photo to  painting.

Cooper on the deck.....in this photo turned painting.

March is here...it's about time!

I start this blog by officially declaring that I've had it with Winter.  Enough is enough.  More cold temperatures and windchill warnings in the forecast for the next few days, not just for Huntsville but for many parts of Canada, which at least makes me feel like we're not alone. There is just no sign that Spring is around the corner, even though I keep saying that it is.

Having said all this about being tired of Winter, it is not stopping us from braving the cold elements and going for walks.  We walked every day this past week.  It just feels good to be outside no matter what.  This morning, we went to Arrowhead Park and it was a lot colder than I thought it would be.  But we walked for 45 minutes just the same and it felt good.  Russell took a few pictures which I include in this blog.

This past week was good.  I went back to the gym....only once.  The Barbados incentive is gone....but I will get back into it this week.  I just needed a bit of a break.  As for Russell, he went three times.  Very impressive.

Cooper went back to doggy daycare last Thursday after a three week absence.  Brenna was happy to see him again.  She missed him a lot.  I thought it would be nice to include a picture of her in my blog.  She is a 9 year old doodle, a very sweet dog.  She loves Cooper to pieces!

Last night, we had dinner at John & Terri's house, our neighbours.  We had a wonderful, fun filled evening.  Great food, wine and lots of good laughs.  By this time next year, we should have four more neighbours living on our private road.

I've been cooking up a storm today.  I have baked beans in the oven, I made my famous 52 garlic clove soup and I have chicken pot pie ready for dinner tonight.  Yummy!

That's about it for this week's blog.  This coming week will be quiet, nothing special going on.  I wish you all a great week leading up to March break.  Off to watching a movie now:  Gravity.  Yesterday, we watched Captain Phillips.  We were on the edge of our seats during the whole movie.  Tonight, we will watch the Oscars....I hear Rob Ford might make an appearance.

Brenna....Cooper's Huntsville BFF!

Anne and the Coop on the trail in Arrowhead.

Beautiful blue skies...in Arrowhead.

Another Arrowhead trail...