Well, good morning everyone on this very cold wintry day!  When I went out to feed the birds this morning I couldn’t believe how cold it was.  It’s winter.  For the next 5 months or so.

I’m hoping for an early spring.  I do that every year.  And it seems to get later every year.  Sigh.  Gone are the days I could just walk outside and feed the birds.  Now it takes 15 minutes to get dressed before venturing outdoors.  And I still get cold.  Sigh.  But that’s not what I’m talking about today.  My apologies to those who tried the link to Muffin’s Beginnings and just got an error message.  It’s fixed now and ready to enjoy.  Sigh.  Time to wrap up that hike.  After our COFFEE break we headed down the tracks looking for that old town site.  Just a little bit past that curve, I said to Dad.  He never replied.  I don’t think he believed me.  Odd.  Past that curve there was no sign of the town site.  We kept going.  Should only be about a quarter mile from where we had our COFFEE, I remarked.  Dad just looked at me.  Then he said, we’ve gone at least a mile already.  Really, doesn’t seem like it, I answered, but time always goes by fast when having fun.  We’re having fun?, asked Dad.  I certainly have been, I said and started laughing again as I remembered Dad falling into that mud.  Ha, ha, said Dad.  See, you’re having fun too, said I.  That was sarcasm, he said.  Odd.  Finally we came to a very long stretch of swamp.  We’re not going any farther, said Dad.  I agreed.  Very odd we couldn’t find the place, I remarked, maybe it’s just too overgrown with trees so we missed it.  Not likely, said Dad.  I agreed again.  These places are never that overgrown.  Back we went.  As we neared the place where we had our COFFEE I said that perhaps we should go the other direction.  Dad looked at me.  I could tell he didn’t like that idea.  It’s too late in the day now, he said, we’ll try again another time.  Sigh.  Now you’re getting me doing that sighing, said I.  Back down the trail we went.  Seemed to go a little faster on the way back, that’s the way it usually is though, unless we have a lot of insulators to carry back.  We didn’t even find any of those this trip.  Amazing really, someone must have been there ahead of us.  But considering the location that would seem unlikely.  Oh well.  We had just gone a little ways down the trail when we spotted a nice spruce grouse.

He just sat on a branch quite low even as we walked past him.  A little further and there was a couple ruffed grouse.  They hurried off quite quickly as we approached.  On the other side of the road was a flicker rummaging around on the ground looking for a meal.  He’s staying kind of late, I said.  Dad didn’t even look, he was determined to get back to the car.  At the creek we looked around for a better tree to use as a bridge.  None appeared safe to use.  Hey, why not go over to the dam and walk across that way, it should be easy to jump across that little gap in the dam, I said.  Dad looked and then actually agreed that might be a good idea.  You lead the way, he said.  Naturally.  Off we went.  It was a bit tough walking along the dam but the gap where the creek flowed through was quite narrow and both Dad and I jumped across easily.  Amazing really.  Then it happened.  Dad stepped on a loose stick and lost his balance.  He grabbed me to steady himself.  That wasn’t a good idea.  Dad was quite a bit bigger than me.  Weight wise.  I imagine the look on both our faces was priceless.  Down we went landing among some willows.  And water.  We were both soaked this time.  You’re not laughing, said Dad.  Ha, ha, I said.  That was enough for Dad.  He burst into laughter.  That got me too.  And I joined the laughter.  Good thing no one was around.  They would have thought we were crazy.  Of course, we were.  Sigh.  We made our way around and back onto the trail.  On we went following that trail, leaves once again crunching beneath our feet.  Two flocks of geese flew overhead, snow geese again.  Combined there was over 200 of them.  In a couple minutes another flock of snow geese, this flock was at least 200 or more.  As we passed some spruce trees there was several boreal chickadees searching among the branches for food.  Beautiful little birds, don’t get to see them too often.  We made it back to the car without any other mishaps.  I’m still soaked, said Dad.  That got us both laughing again.  We did make it back to that spot and found the town site, the opposite direction.  Naturally.  But it was the next year before that happened.  Maybe I will write about that trip some day.  Right now it is just cold.  Very cold.  I like summer.  Sigh.  I hope everyone enjoys their week!  God bless!

Steve and Muffin.