Tag Archives: winter

The Baked Goods Test

Posted on March 1, 2015 | 1 comment

winter-baked-goods“It may look like I’m in deep thought, but 99% of the time I’m just thinking about what food I’m going to eat later.” – Bill Murray

What’s the easiest way to tell how great a particular place will be for outdoor fun? The baked goods test.

Sure there may be some information that describes the trails themselves. Anyone can boast about great trails, but homemade treats are a pretty strong indication of a place that is in fact welcoming, with beautiful trails.

When I arrive, I check out the brownies, cookies and muffins – and before hitting the trails, I just might try one. Why not? Makes one of the best second breakfasts ever.

 

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Are You Sure You Want to Wear Those Socks Skating?

Posted on February 17, 2015 | 1 comment

Ice texture background. Vector

Had the rink to myself. I guess the cold kept people away – but with the sun, and no wind, the conditions were perfect.

Afterwards, when I was changing out of my skates, a family arrived. As they were getting ready, a little boy wandered towards me, staring at my socks. I wondered what he was staring at, so I looked down at my foot, and noticed, for the first time that my socks had writing on them.

They had been in my Christmas stocking, and I’m quite certain Santa hadn’t noticed the writing either. There was a cartoon picture of two dogs having a tug of war with a sock, and underneath, two words – sock whore.

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Wolves and Otters Showing Us How It’s Done

Posted on January 26, 2014 | 1 comment

wolves2We heard them long before we saw them – three wolves howling –  a sound that is beautiful and haunting at the same time. I wondered why they were howling, but figured they must have been calling their pal, since they stopped when a fourth wolf showed up.

Winter is my favorite time to go to the zoo because:

  • There aren’t any crowds.
  • It makes for a really interesting walk when you see so many different animals.
  • You get more opportunities to ask zoo keepers questions.

We met a keeper yesterday who is a vet technician, having started his career as a youth volunteer at the zoo. He said he finds the work so rewarding, because he loves caring for the animals, getting to know their distinct personalities, and he enjoys educating the public about these wonderful creatures.

A lot of people have been complaining about the winter this season, but an otter I saw yesterday could not have been happier – making snowballs, tossing them, running and sliding on the snow on his belly.

These ambassador animals not only teach us something about wildlife and their habitats but also about having fun.

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What’s Your Favorite Thing to Make out of Snow?

Posted on January 12, 2014 | 1 comment

alice

I have to admit , I wasn’t as enthusiastic as usual about a weekend away to enjoy the outdoors, considering the holiday season, without power (due to the ice storm), had been a bit like winter camping.

The arrival was promising – lots of snow. But the first day also brought rain. Still, it ends up that the rain created great packing snow, which is perfect for making:

  • forts
  • sculptures
  • winter treats – make a snowball and drizzle it with Bailey’s Irish Cream

So I make this little rabbit – and then I sat back in the snow and enjoyed a snowball with a little Bailey’s on top.

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Holiday Lessons From a Superhero

Posted on January 3, 2013 | Leave a comment

spider button

Ever had a laugh with a Superhero?

Yesterday was the first time I’d tried a saucer toboggan. Initially, I was completely out of control, but  I found if I leaned to one side, it was possible to steer a certain amount. Just as I thought I had this figured out, BAMM, I am blind-sided and tumble to a stop.

The cause? A kid in Spiderman getup.

Once I caught my breath, I said ‘Dude, are you OK?’ He was, and we both started laughing.

Before then, I had been feeling guilty about falling behind on various things I meant to tackle over the holidays.  I realized then, if Spiderman was kicking back and taking time off from crime fighting, I might as well get a few more runs in – we just might want to both do a better job of watching where we’re going.

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What Not to Wear This Winter

Posted on December 16, 2012 | 1 comment

Resting feet on bench with mountain view

We’ve all done this – made the mistake of wearing cotton socks, which left us with cold feet in otherwise warm boots.  Are you always cold? Here are some things not to wear, so that playing outside this winter is all about fun instead of freezing:

  • Cotton. Save this material for the summer gin and tonic weather. Cotton keeps moisture trapped against the skin which cools us down. Make sure that first layer is something else – merino wool is a good choice (natural, soft, and itch-free).
  • Gloves. If you always have cold hands then wear mitts instead. Concerned about appearing like a wimp? Have you ever taken a look at boxing gloves? They’re mitts.
  • Ear muffs. Self-explanatory. A hood or hat will do a better job of keeping both the cold and fashion police at bay.

Have you had any winter mishaps that have left you chilly?

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