Not exactly a beach

Greetings from cold and snowy Edmonton! I know, I know, not everyone’s idea of a brilliant holiday, but it sure is ours. We like the beach just fine, and there’s not a lot wrong with warmth (she says, pulling on her boots to go outside) but this is lovely too.  Joe and I have been out to Elk Island National Park – Joe has a vague life goal of visiting all the national parks in Canada,  and it was beautiful. Absolutely worth the stomping around in the snow.  (For the record, Albertans, can we just put out there that while that place is filthy with bison, there were no elk, and also, it’s not an island. Just saying.)  We got unbelievably lucky, and it wasn’t very cold at all while we were there.  A perfect day to go looking for bison.

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Not too much snow either, and we made out fine with boots instead of snowshoes.  We saw the biggest beaver lodges ever, and I saw a coyote, walking along with his winter clothes on and the bison? To be out and about and just see bison? Standing there? Doing what they do? (We could have gotten a lot closer, but that’s stupid. Bison can go from standing still to 50km/hr in a few strides if they want to, and they’re freakin’ huge.  We play on their terms in their home. Slow and easy, and from a nice distance.)

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We also went to a rager of a New Year’s Eve rock’n roll party that I swear has left a white streak in my hair that wasn’t there before, and wait! I took a few pictures of another Christmas present I finished this year.  Mittens for Joe.

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Warm and cozy, knit out of Briggs and little wool – and roughly based on the Shetland Ladders Mittens from Ultimate Mittens. They’re ridiculously warm and lovely. Now all he needs is a new hat, and I’m on it.