a story and a photo update

we've had this freakish spring-like weather the last couple of days. the above zero temps are melting all the snow and turning the streets on which i walk to work treacherous with slush, giant puddles and icy patches.
this morning i was running late for work, walking up winnipeg ave in the dark, headphones on, looking down at the ground as i tried to tiptoe my way around the uneven ground when i looked up and came face to face with a moose.
i froze. it froze. looked right at me. babe in tow.
it must have been only 4 feet in front of me. we met gazes.
then a car turned on to the street and the moose began to run. straight (read: right at me).
i tried to run across the street, did the skating-slip-on-ice dance, like a cartoon character.
almost fell, jumped right into a puddle.
the mama moose and her babe run the opposite way, through the park next to the arena.
i turned to watch them go.
i got to work, late, apologizing for my tardiness while explaining why i was dripping in sweat.
the oldies laughed so hard they almost peed, i'm sure.
"oh amanda, you city girl" they say.
i phone jon, tell him, first thing he says "did you take a picture?"
sheesh.

and now, some photos that will hopefully fill the gap of the last post-less 15 days...


quality fam time in ON (me & jacks)


jacks' first sled ride


came back to a spare bedroom/library with no carpet and drywall ceiling


and jon deciding to take the closet down


cross country skiing at the BV Nordic Centre


Sam on the pooch trail




Dr Seuss tree


lookout point coming down the mountain


the drive down the mountain road


sunset from our front porch
(the day before an epic powder day on the hill, from which i have NO pics)

Photo additions

I was reading our blog here, and saw promises of additional photos from me...so here they are. I hope you enjoy them.


Early Sunday morning on my way to work, Main Street looked nice during sunrise:

New Year's Eve hike to the top of the Malkow lookout trail, this is an old cabin on the way:

Breann, Dave, and if you don't know the other two people you probably shouldn't bother reading this blog:

Smithers glowing in the distance (the red snow is from a warning light on a tower behind the camera):

...and photos from our New Year's Day snowshoe trek to Crater Lake, on top of Hudson Bay Mountain:

...and that was the new year. Happy 2011.

here's to 2011

happy new year to our family and friends!

we started ours with a snow shoe hike up crater lake...here are my shots, i'm sure jon can add a few more that will trump mine...








i love this pic of jon. he looks like he's climbing to the end of the world.






that's crater lake behind us




lone cloud


following our tracks back down











our new years eve was spent on a sunset hike with new friends up to malkow lookout (jon's photo to come)...after a warm cider toast we made our way down the trail with headlamps, joined others for a wonderful dinner, rang in the new year at a local pub then back to our place for some mario go karting.

can't wait to see what 2011 has in store!

another day at the mountain

a little back post...from dec 28th, post-boxing day helmet sale at rayz...jon and i both felt that our increasing confidence in tree runs necessitated buckets for the noggins. wouldn't you agree moms?














last run