Hat trick

So. The new hat.

Bad to worse? Ha!

It's awesome warm, though I can't hear my iPod because of the ear flaps and shrieking crunchy snow.

Don't worry, only ugly polyester animals were harmed in the making of this creation.

I bought it at Mark's Work Warehouse on New Year's Eve day. I love that store and my nephew used to work for their head office so I think that this was probably an honest mistake:

On clearance for $28.99 regular $26.99. It was so funny cause the sales lady said "Wow that's a good deal!" So I couldn't wait to look under the sale sticker to find the regular price.

Who cares, it's toasty warm.

A few pictures from my New Year's Day walk:

The rose sisters made 2014!

Jan 2nd there was too little snow covering the black ice on the sidewalk so I treadmilled. Two sets of 7 minute and one 6. New record.

Today it was just so beautiful and sunny and there seemed to be a thicker, even cover of very loud squeaky snow on the sidewalk so I went for it. Pushing a rollator through a few inches of snow is good upper body too.

Most creatures were tucked warmly in their nests but lots of evidence of New Year's Eve partying.

I used to wonder (when I thought I wanted to be Davey Crockett when I grew up) how trackers could tell when an animal was walking or hopping or running.

Love these little long toed feet:

Some bright colour to take pictures of till the Robins return and tuck in. Feels like we have a ways to go before that happens.

Pie crust pricked tree trunk.

I thought I saw a squirrel but it didn't move as I got closer:

I thought "Oh no it's frozen!"

No idea.

I'll have to do a retrospective of these ladies sometime.

Like I've said, sometimes I want to pluck them and take them safely home to press but then I get a grip and I let them be.

Insert your own "You can't hoard beauty" or "Life is fragile" line here.

Harrison was game for a porch walk.

But it truly was too cold for a city cat's toe pads. He meowed at me like "Do something!"

When we got inside he didn't care about his treat, he stared at my chair till I sat down and when I sat down he stood on me, warming up all four feet at once. It's still good practice for spring walking I think, for him to go out for a minute when he can but I'll never force him and I'll watch his toe beans.

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