Snow days

 A couple of big dumps of snow has changed winter activities.

After the first big storm, Rick and I walked at Backus.

Others had walked and snowshoed before us

but the walking was still pretty tough, sometimes sinking in, always having to look at our foot placement.

It was even more difficult out in the meadow and we cut the walk shorter than we would have normally. I felt as if my step counter should register each step as 2 steps as it was definitely twice as much effort/exercise.

On the way back we stopped to check out the ice fishing. These huts are waiting to be taken out.

Where before there were about 20 tents, now there were 100s of huts scattered across the Inner Bay, from Port Rowan to Turkey Point.

A break in the weather meant that I had no problem getting to my watercolour class at Glenhyrst in Brantford.

It had been cancelled due to the lockdown, in January, but was now back on again.

Taught by Jeanette Obink, (my neighbour in Paris) it will run for 6 weeks and focus on still life painting.

After the 2 and a half hour class.

After another hour of futzing with it at home. This is way out of my comfort zone but I hope it will help me get more comfortable with the medium.

Another snowstorm left snow covered windows,

sculptured drifts around the house

and hanging of the roof and

time for inside projects. I fell in love with some wool at Lens and Brit supplied me with a simple pattern.

Trying to finish up some old projects in my stash, I found this Fraser pansy pattern on rug warp. I have no idea when or where I got it but

am experimenting with "Trapunta" for the flowers, needle felting the centres and some embroidery stitch on the leaves before I hook the background.

The Tree Spirit still needs to be whipped.

Outside, the birds eat voraciously, between snow storms

and inside, forced flowers remind me that spring is not too far away.

This Christmas gift Amaryllis

has 10 flower buds so I should be able to enjoy it for a while.

Rick has been spending his time processing the 100s of shots he takes on clear nights. This is the Orion Nebula, he tells me.

As is this, but the camera also picked up light from his red flashlight on the tree. I like the effect and hope he will play with that more.