Tag: winter

a photo of a snowy driveway taken from above Christine does NOT recommend the snow shoveling workout.
fitness · functional fitness · nature · winter

Christine does NOT recommend the snow shoveling workout.

Christine Hennebury2 Comments

Sooooo, we’ve been having a bit of snow here in Newfoundland and Labrador.

Well, I can’t speak for the whole province, just for the Easterly island bit where I live but there is A LOT of here.

a photo of the railing from my front steps peeking out of deep snow.
This was the view from my front steps near the end of the storm that plagued us from Saturday afternoon until late Sunday evening. Image description: a nighttime photo of the rails of my front step with snow drifted so high that it covers most of the uprights. there is a piece of a tree sticking sideways of the the snowbank at the based of the steps and in the background the handle of my snow scoop is sticking out of the snow lump that hides my husband’s car. Even more snow, my snow covered truck, and my snowy street can be seen a bit further out.

According to official measurements at St. John’s International Airport, 166.1cm of snow has fallen since February 1, 2026 but different areas in the metro region have probably had more.

Over the course of the month I have had to incorporate snow shoveling into my workout routine pretty regularly – turns out that an hour of snow shoveling is the equivalent of 8kms in my 2026 walking challenge!

Then, last week, things went up a notch when the snowbanks on the side of my driveway got so high that I could no longer shovel snow up there.

NOTE: We only have one ‘side’ of our driveway because our driveway and our neighbour-on-the-left’s driveway is connected and I’m not going to just start dumping snow on their part of our joint driveway.

Then, on the weekend, the day after my husband left on a trip to visit his brother, we had a storm that lasted from Saturday afternoon to Sunday night and dropped a ridiculous amount of snow on us – over 60 cms.

Here’s what my driveway looked like (from my upstairs window) when the storm stopped:

a photo of a snowy driveway taken from above
This was a scary sight on Sunday night. Image description: a top-down photo of my driveway taken from my bedroom window. You can see that in our half of the driveway there are two vehicles. One is mostly covered with a lot of snow on it, next to it and between it and the road. The other is completely covered and the space next to the car and the snowbank is filled almost to the level of the car’s roof. The photo was taken at night and, in the light from the streetlight, you can see all the snow in the middle of my cul-de-sac and in other people’s driveways.

Normally, I am ok with shoveling and I sometimes even like it.

However, I do not enjoy shoveling when there is nowhere to put the snow.

I really tried to throw some up on the bank but half of it would tumble down.

I threw some of it closer to the house.

And I used my scoop to add to the pile of snow in the middle of my cul-de-sac.

After he finished his own driveway, a neighbour used his snowblower to clear along one side of my truck and to clear some of my neighbour-on-the-left’s driveway.

It took over three hours, even with my oldest son’s help (and my neighbour’s help), and every part of it was an exercise in frustration.

There was no satisfying rhythm of shoveling.

There was no sense of accomplishment – I mean, we obviously accomplished something…

A photo of two vehicles in a snowy driveway, one partially excavated and one cleared.
This is my driveway cleared enough for me to get out. You can see that a lot more work is needed though. Image description: a top down view of two vehicles in a driveway. One is cleared off and the other is mostly snow covered. There is a narrow path on the bottom right that goes between the snowbank and the car and there is a shovel and a snow scoop visible in the narrow path. The street beyond is snow covered and there are high snowbanks everywhere including a mound of snow in the middle of the cul-de-sac.

But it wasn’t possible to clear a wide path to the house (see the lower part of the photo, it’s like a roofless tunnel) and, in fact, the path has packed snow at the bottom from us walking on it while trying to shovel so it feels even more annoying.

It wasn’t possible to completely clear or widen the end of the driveway and it is really challenging to back my truck in.

But, clearing all that snow has been a good workout – if you define good as ‘Uses muscles I wasn’t even aware of and leaves me really, really, really tired’ but I do NOT recommend it.

In fact, if you can get away with just doing fun stuff in the snow (skiing, snowshoeing, building forts), I think that would be the best workout plan.

The cursing while you try to shovel snow higher than your head routine is like something an evil fitness influencer would devise to sell to unsuspecting followers.

The only difference between this workout and the one an evil influencer would be trying to sell me on is the fact that I didn’t have to dress up or smile while doing it.

a selfie of me looking grumpy out in the snow
This morning, I went to my Mom’s place (see below) to dig a path to the street for her. Another day, another annoying workout. Image description: a selfie of me in a beige sweater and green toque and glasses, looking disgruntled. In the background there’s a mountain of snow that plows dumped on Mom’s lawn -it’s almost as high as the streetlights.
a photo of a bungalow with a lot of snow in front of it
There was so much snow at Mom’s that it was hard to see her house. Image description: a photo of my Mom’s house taken from across the street. She lives in a blue bungalow and there is a huge mountain of snow on her lawn (put there by a plow) that is higher than her roof. And on the other side you can only see the tops of her windows and door and the peak of her porch roof.
fitness · skiing · winter

Sam’s winter weekend triathalon: Ski, Skate, and Snowshoe ❤️

Sam BLeave a comment

I wrote recently about why the snow makes me smile and I smiled a lot this weekend. So much snow.  So much smiling.

Sarah and I missed winter last year while we spent my research leave in New Zealand.  I loved our time there but I did miss the snow.

❄️ Who came along: Sarah,  Mallory,  and me

❄️ Where we stayed: Tally Ho Cottages outside Huntsville

❄️ Where we played: Arrowhead Provincial Park and Limberlost Forest and Wildlife Reservation

Walk

Mallory and I started the day off with a walk around the cottages while Sarah finished off some work stuff. That was our warm up for our weekend of outdoor activity.

Mallory and me walking around the cottages

Ski

After breakfast the three of us headed over to Arrowhead Provincial Park. We have a provincial park season pass so it was free but we still had to book for day use,  since the park limits the number of people who can visit. I’d read about weekend crowds and it’s true the parking lot and lodge were busy but the trails weren’t crowded at all.

I was very nervous.  Old me,  before my knees went bad,  loved cross country skiing. I was frightened I wouldn’t be able to do it.  But do you know what? It was fine.  Except we accidentally took the long trail, 5 km, instead of 3 km. They were my favorite kind of ski trails,  mostly flat and winding through the trees. It was warm,  -1, and snowing pretty heavily at times.  It all felt kind of magical.

What we’ll do differently next time– bring snacks on the trail,  bring water, and wear less clothes, or least different clothes, technical clothes you can sweat in. I remember all this from my old cross country skiing days. It’s been awhile.

The best news? I remembered how to cross country ski! My new knees did a great job.  I’m looking forward to more cross country skiing in the future.

Skate

Arrowhead also hosts Fire and Ice nights where they light their 1.3 km skating trail for evening skating.  I was excited to go– even got my skates sharpened for the occasion.  And Sarah taped up the skate tongue that the shed mice had chewed off. I can’t believe they made a nest in my skates.

After dinner we headed back into the park for skating.  Mallory and Sarah did great but I haven’t skated since before knee surgery.  It turns out skating isn’t like bike riding, or even cross country skiing. Maybe you do forget how to do it. I didn’t manage much actual skating, though I did move around on the ice for a little bit. Advanced wobbling.

Now the ice was pretty rough and it was very crowded so maybe that was part of it.  I’m not ready to give up and declare skating a thing I just don’t do anymore. Sarah and I have decided to keep at it and try skating again.  Wish me luck.

Here’s me in my helmet just in case I took a tumble on the ice.

We ended the day with cards,  Wizard as usual. Mallory and I tied.

Our fitness trackers, Mallory’s fitbit and my Garmin,  started letting us know we’d done a bit too much. Mallory’s wasn’t happy even with the first bit of skiing since she’d already been skating that week and playing volleyball with her queer volleyball league.

Probably we should have stretched,  but we did not. Instead we all crashed and slept really well. Zzzzz.

Snowshoe

Sunday morning Mallory had to head back to London to sing in the church choir so Sarah and I went to Limberlost for a snowshoe hike.  Limberlost is free and there were only a half dozen cars there,  very quiet.

We did a short snowshoe hike on the sculpture trail before heading home.

We’re back home now,  tired and happy. It’s the sign of good weekend that we’re already planning to do it again next year.

But of course, on the way home we listened to the news.  The world is still falling apart.  I don’t know whether to be more worried about civil war in the United States or world war breaking out over Greenland.  Trump’s presidency terrifies me.

Whenever I look at the blog’s stats I’m reminded that although we’re a mostly Canadian blog,  most of our readers are in the United States. Last week the blog’s Catherine,  who is an American based in the Boston area,  wrote about taking part in civic action there.  Me, I’m thinking of Minneapolis especially and our readers there and sending you love and support.

Nat on winter weather, walking and taking it “kneesy”
Sat with Nat · walking · winter

Nat on winter weather, walking and taking it “kneesy”

natalieh (she/her)Leave a comment

The weather in Southwestern Ontario has been mercurial. One day rain and 12C, the next freezing rain, then snow, then rain. You get the idea. It’s what we call in these parts a “wintery mix”.

With the barometer fluctuating any joint I’ve injured starts a conversation with me. My right knee gets cranky when it rains. My right hip reminds me of a fall in December. Lots of biomechanical feedback. So much so I didn’t walk in the worst weather. This is very out of character for me. I’m the one who wrote Nat decides she’ll weather the weather, whatever the weather, whether she likes it or not.

I do take advantage of opportunities to walk to physiotherapy, the chiropractor and work.

My commuter bike is tucked behind construction supplies awaiting me to adjust the shifting. I’ve been getting a lift. It’s been so gross out!

I’ve enjoyed the days where there is good footing and I have my little spikes for my shoes on me at all times. They are not great on my knees when the ice gives way to solid footing.

All of that to say, overall, I’m still averaging 9,500 steps a day, even taking it “kneesy”.

So here’s to navigating the rest of the season with self compassion and some stick-to-it-ive-ness

Nat smiled at the camera in a light jacket, a grey knit toque and a mustard yellow cowl.
climate change · stretching

Melting

Diane Harper

A social media friend does a class called MELT in the UK. I knew she used foam rollers but that was about it. So I did what everyone does these days and Googled it.

Apparently it’s a self-massage treatment that is designed to increase fluid flow through the fascia and reduce pain and tension. And apparently it’s available in several countries and there are courses available on line.

Cool. What’s not cool is our current weather. I am melting in this heat and won’t be exploring MELT until things cool off. In fact, this is a very good time to have a rest day or two. And hydrate.

Eating ice cream totally counts towards hydration!
Snow Choice In The Matter
cardio · fitness · winter

Snow Choice In The Matter

Christine Hennebury1 Comment

Sometimes you get to choose how you’ll exercise on a given day and other times your decision is made for you.

Today, after 38cm of snow arrived in blizzard conditions overnight, I had ‘snow’ other option – part of my exercise plan was definitely going to involve shoveling.

For the record, I didn’t have to shovel the whole driveway by myself – everyone chipped in to get it done.

deep snow on front steps and into a driveway where a car and a truck are parked
Yes, I *do* still have holiday lights on my front steps. These things happen. Oh, and yeah, that’s a fair bit of snow down. Image description: a photo looking down my front steps and into my driveway. The snow completely covers the actual risers of my steps and it has drifted halfway up the doors of my grey Mazda 3 and is part way up the tires of my husband’s white truck. The pile of snow plowed into the end of my driveway is level with the truck’s taillights.

From a physical, exercise perspective, I don’t mind shoveling all that much (it’s not a party or anything but it’s not a bad way to get moving) but I do sometimes find it boring.

Usually I will listen to a podcast or something to keep my mind busy while my body works but today I wasn’t really in a podcast-y mood so I relied on my other tricks to make shoveling a little less dull.

These don’t exactly make it exciting but they do break up the monotony a little.

Here’s what I do:

1. Lift with my legs

Yes, that’s standard snow-shoveling advice but in this case I am reeeeeaaaaaalllllly concentrating on it. I am VERY focused on using my leg muscles, pushing down with my feet, drawing strength through my quads…you get the idea.

2. Count shovelfuls

This involves me trying to guess how many shovelfuls of snow are between me and some specific point. ‘I think it will take me 20 shovelfuls to clear my way to the tree.’ There’s no reward except for the fun of being right but it divides the work into a series of tasks instead of the all-or-nothing of the whole driveway.

3. Switch sides

Don’t worry, I’m not siding with evil here! I noticed years ago that, unless I pay attention, I default to shoveling in one particular way and throwing the snow to one particular side. (Perhaps everyone does this? I don’t know, I’ve only ever been me.)

This results in my muscles getting tired in uneven ways and it sometimes makes my back cranky.

So for part of my shoveling process, I will do ten shovelfuls with my right hand on the handle and my left hand closer to the scoop of the shovel, throwing to my right. Then I will move to another position and switch to my left hand on the handle, right hand near the scoop, and start throwing to the left for ten shovelfuls.

This makes me pay attention to which muscles I am using, helps keep me from pushing myself too hard in one direction, and it also helps to make the project feel more manageable.

*****

Even though I had ‘snow’ choice in the matter, as exercise goes, there’s a lot to be said for shoveling.

There’s an external motivator (for safety’s sake, you need at least a path to the street), it really works a lot of muscles, it gets me out into the fresh air, and there is actual tangible evidence of the work that I did.

Sure, it can be monotonous but I can counter that by either listening to a podcast or by working my way through the techniques described above.

Those practices even make the shoveling process a bit more mindful, which is never a bad thing.

I’m still glad that I don’t have to do the whole rigamarole every day though.

PS – Since I didn’t want to get out of my snow clothes while taking a shoveling break, I invited Khalee out in the back yard to goof around for a while. Check out this photo of her in full frolic mode:

a dog frolicking in the snow
Khalee did not get involved in the shoveling process but she *did* zoom around the yard at a ridiculous speed sending snow flying everywhere so her contribution to the process was making me laugh while I took a break. Image description: Khalee, a light-haired dog, zipping along in the deep snow in our yard. She is in the upper left part of the image and the rest of the shot is snow that has been churned up with footprints and her antics. She is mid-gallop here so her front paws are curled and her body is curved and we can mostly see the right side of her face. She looks like she is having fun.
a photo of a small river that is partially visible through the snow. There are tall, yellowed grasses coming through the snow on the left and some evergreen trees and bare tree branches on both sides of the river. Low Key Winter Walk With Christine & Khalee
dogs · fitness · walking · winter

Low Key Winter Walk With Christine & Khalee

Christine Hennebury

Between December 1, 2024 and January 31, 2025, I has lots of fun writing 71 posts (and drawing 31 stars!) for Fit is a Feminist Issue. Just to do something different, today, I have decided to write very few words and to let some photos do the heavy lifting.

My knee has been giving me a little trouble, and Khalee’s ear has been a bit sore, and the weather has extremely cold, so we haven’t been out for a walk for a few days

But on Monday, it was time to get out and amble a bit even though it was still awfully cold.

a photo of a birch tree in snowy ground surrounded by evergreens
A photo of a single birch tree with a few evergreens and deciduous trees a little distance away. The ground is snow-covered and there is a little bit of snow on the branches of the surrounding trees.

I think we both needed that time outside, walking on the path, checking out the snow and the trees, and just letting our minds wander, too.

A winter photo of a snow covered river with patches of tall yellowed grass poking through the snow. There are evergreen trees on both sides.
A photo of a mostly snow-covered river with patches of tall, yellowed grass poking through the snow. There is a path on the left side of the river and there are evergreen trees on both sides.

Ok, maybe my mind was the only one wandering, I am pretty sure Khalee was VERY focused on sniffing every single thing she encountered.

A dog standing on a snowy path
Ok, she’s not actually sniffing anything here, it was a brief pause in her sniffvestigations. Image description: Khalee, a light brown dog in a green hoodie stands on a snowy path facing away from the camera.

Either way, it was good to be outdoors.

a snowy photo of a narrow river.
A snowy photo of a narrow river. There’s a wooden fence and tall yellow grass sticking out of the snow all the way along. A leafless tree is in the foreground on the right and there are evergreens in the distance.
A photo of a dog in a hoodie standing on a snowy path
Khalee was just finished shaking her head when I snapped this, hence the strange look on her face. Image description: a photo of Khalee, a light brown dog in a green hoodie, standing on a snowy path. She is looking towards the camera and looks like she is a bit fed up with the viewer.
An outdoor selfie of a middle aged woman in winter clothes
This photo is really just to show off my hat that my beloved Mother-in-law made for me this year. Image description: a slightly smirky selfie of me (a middle aged white woman with a round face and light brown hair) I’m standing in front of my fence with a large leafless tree visible behind me. I’m wearing an off-white knitted toque with some bits of grey and gold in the mix, a dark green scarf and a black coat that is sprinkled with snow. My hat is pulled right down to my eyebrows and I look more than a little goofy…which tracks.
fitness

It’s #FrostBike Season – at Last!

Diane Harper1 Comment

I started biking year-round in Ottawa last year and fell in love with cycling in a whole new way. I have previously written about it here.

Since then, I did acquire those pogies, coloured lights for my wheels, and a new ski jacket and snow pants which have really helped on the coldest days. I have even been experimenting with ski goggles and a ski helmet for greater warmth.

A bicycle parked in a snowy yard. You can’t see much except orange and green lights on the wheels, white fairy lights along the frame, a red rear light and a white front light that highlights the front basket.

What is less joyful is my actual route to work. Like much of Ottawa’s cycling network, it disappears under mounds of snow and ice pushed off the roads and stored in bike lanes. The same is true of our city’s sidewalks, despite promises to prioritize the people most vulnerable to injury in winter: the elderly, those with disabilities, the people pushing strollers, and the folks who rely on transit, whether by choice or because they can’t afford a car (often single parents, indigenous, people of colour and new immigrants).

In that sense, I’m relatively privileged. I have the flexibility to avoid traveling during peak rush hours, and I am able-bodied and fearless enough to ride a bicycle in traffic, so get to take advantage of the streets that are bare and dry, rather than struggling on icy sidewalks and clambering over windrows left when street ploughs fill in what the sidewalk ploughs just cleared.

If we are serious about addressing climate change, reducing pollution, access to jobs, improving our physical and mental health, and reducing injuries and deaths caused by collisions, we need more access to separated bike lanes. A large study of European cities showed huge increases in bike use when cycling lanes were added.

Sure, we’re not Europe, but take a look at what Montreal has done. The city has been making major investments in bike lanes, and prioritizing them for snow clearance in winter. The result has been massive growth in winter cycling by all sorts of people.

I talk mostly about bike lanes, but pedestrians benefit from many of the things cyclists want – narrower streets, raised crosswalks, safer intersections, improved and accessible public transit, cleared routes, more green spaces and places to rest, have a drink, and enjoy being outdoors.

I can’t fix all those things on my own, but I have discovered a host of allies from Halifax to Victoria, San Diego to Utrecht, who are all working to make cycling and walking safer in their communities. And I have been encouraging colleagues to give cycling a try, at least some of the time – every ride that replaces a car trip helps the environment. There is strength in numbers too, as we are more visible so drivers tend to be more aware.

A mid-January start to #FrostBike season is very late for Ottawa, but maybe – just maybe – my choice of transportation mode will help turn the tide towards cooler temperatures and longer seasons in future, and help make my city a more equitable place to live.

Diane kitted out in a colourful snow jacket, wearing a bike helmet and blue ski goggles. Only her serious mouth and a bit of her nose are visible.

Now I’m feeling less grumpy than when I first drafted this post. It was -23C with the wind chill, and the ski helmet adds considerably to my warmth. It was a great ride especially compared to the snowy conditions going home last night. But honestly? Even a tough ride is better than no ride at all.

Person in a colourful jacket, grey ski helmet, goggles and a black cloth over her face so only her nose is exposed. You can’t see it, but she is smiling.
fitness

My Nature Dose is Dropping

Diane Harper

Welcome to almost winter. A few months ago I wrote about how I use various health and fitness tracking apps. One of them is Nature Dose. At the time, I was easily hitting 800-900 minutes per week; the goal was 90.

Now, I’m averaging 100-200 minutes, and one week I only managed 50 (I had a huge cooking project and didn’t make it out of the house for three days in a row).

Some of that might because I’m leaving work after dark. Or maybe my phone doesn’t pick up the light while tucked in a pocket under multiple layers of clothing. It’s definitely because I’m not spending hours in the garden or camping or swimming outdoors.

My Nature Dose eexceeds the minimum, but it doesn’t feel like enough to me. The fresh air and natural light (even on a grey rainy day) make me feel more energetic yet calm. My brain slows down to enjoy the scenery and I arrive at my destination refreshed.

I’m almost looking forward to colder weather and snow so I can do a bit of cross country skiing or skating, instead of just biking everywhere – even though that is still tons of fun.

Six people of various ages ride their bikes down a snowy groomed path in Edmonton. Photo: WinterCity Edmonton.ca

Spring(ish) Walks for Christine and Khalee
dogs · fitness · season transitions · walking · winter

Spring(ish) Walks for Christine and Khalee

Christine Hennebury

You may not have realized it but Thursday, March 30 was a big day.

What was so big about it?

It was the first day since last Fall that I could wear sneakers on my daily walk with Khalee.

A top down view of my legs in black leggings and my feet in pink sneakers standing on the road.
Photo evidence! Well, evidence is a strong work, it probably wouldn’t hold up in a court of law. It’s just a photo of my sneakers feet on the pavement, it doesn’t prove that I haven’t worn my sneakers on a walk in months but please cut me some slack here, Your Honour. Image description: a top down photo of my pink sneakers and black leggings as I stand on the salt-speckled asphalt street. The sun is behind me to the right so legs are caring a shadow toward the upper left of the image. The angle of the sun is creating one big shadow out of both of legs so, shadow-wise, it looks like I was hopping on my one giant leg.

And it was one of the first days I could just wear regular pants on my walk instead of adding an extra layer.

It still isn’t *warm* here, only a few degrees below zero but those few degrees make a huge difference for me.

Being able to just throw on a jacket (hat and gloves, too, of course) and put on my sneakers feels way smoother and quicker than adding another pair of pants and lacing up my boots.

It reduces the friction for getting out through the door, it feels like I could drop everything and head out at any time.

(I can always do that, of course, but now it actually *feels* that way, too.)

It just feels EASIER to get out there.

And Khalee is much less impatient with me in the porch. She simply cannot believe how long it takes me to get ready sometimes. (Humans are very weird, apparently.)

A light haired medium sized dog stands on a road looking back toward the camera. There are snowbanks in the background.
Speaking of me being weird, Khalee also can’t believe that I would waste valuable snow-sniffing time by stopping to take her picture. Image description: a n outdoor photo of Khalee, a light-haired, medium-sized dog, is on a neon yellow leash and black/aqua harness. She is standing on the side of the road with snowbanks to her right and she is looking back toward the camera. My shadow, the shadow of the leash and the dog-walking paraphernalia can be seen on the left side of the photo.

So, it’s still cold.

We still have lots of snow.

A selfie of a woman with a large snowbank behind her
This isn’t my house in the background and not every lawn has this much snow right now but still, there’s a lot of snow around. Image description: a smirky selfie with a snowbank so high that only the peaked roof of the house is visible behind the snow. I am wearing a green winter hat, my oversized cats-eye glasses, and a green coat. My light brown hair is sticking out from under my hat to rest on my shoulder.

But I am feeling Springish because the sun has been out a lot lately and I can wear my sneakers on my walks.

Sure, it’s not green grass, crocuses, and birdsong but life is easier when I adjust my expectations to my reality, right?

An outdoor selfie of a woman and a dog, the dog is sniffing the woman’s face.
Soon, soon, Khalee and I will be able to sit on these front steps enjoying a cup of tea…ok, I’ll be the only one with tea but we’ll both be out there. Image description: a selfie of me and Khalee on my front steps with part of my house and my door in the background. The sun is shining on us and I’m squinting and smiling as she sniffs my face.

Spring(ish) Walks for Christine and Khalee
dogs · fitness · season transitions · walking · winter

Spring(ish) Walks for Christine and Khalee

Christine Hennebury

You may not have realized it but Thursday, March 30 was a big day.

What was so big about it?

It was the first day since last Fall that I could wear sneakers on my daily walk with Khalee.

A top down view of my legs in black leggings and my feet in pink sneakers standing on the road.
Photo evidence! Well, evidence is a strong work, it probably wouldn’t hold up in a court of law. It’s just a photo of my sneakers feet on the pavement, it doesn’t prove that I haven’t worn my sneakers on a walk in months but please cut me some slack here, Your Honour. Image description: a top down photo of my pink sneakers and black leggings as I stand on the salt-speckled asphalt street. The sun is behind me to the right so legs are caring a shadow toward the upper left of the image. The angle of the sun is creating one big shadow out of both of legs so, shadow-wise, it looks like I was hopping on my one giant leg.

And it was one of the first days I could just wear regular pants on my walk instead of adding an extra layer.

It still isn’t *warm* here, only a few degrees below zero but those few degrees make a huge difference for me.

Being able to just throw on a jacket (hat and gloves, too, of course) and put on my sneakers feels way smoother and quicker than adding another pair of pants and lacing up my boots.

It reduces the friction for getting out through the door, it feels like I could drop everything and head out at any time.

(I can always do that, of course, but now it actually *feels* that way, too.)

It just feels EASIER to get out there.

And Khalee is much less impatient with me in the porch. She simply cannot believe how long it takes me to get ready sometimes. (Humans are very weird, apparently.)

A light haired medium sized dog stands on a road looking back toward the camera. There are snowbanks in the background.
Speaking of me being weird, Khalee also can’t believe that I would waste valuable snow-sniffing time by stopping to take her picture. Image description: a n outdoor photo of Khalee, a light-haired, medium-sized dog, is on a neon yellow leash and black/aqua harness. She is standing on the side of the road with snowbanks to her right and she is looking back toward the camera. My shadow, the shadow of the leash and the dog-walking paraphernalia can be seen on the left side of the photo.

So, it’s still cold.

We still have lots of snow.

A selfie of a woman with a large snowbank behind her
This isn’t my house in the background and not every lawn has this much snow right now but still, there’s a lot of snow around. Image description: a smirky selfie with a snowbank so high that only the peaked roof of the house is visible behind the snow. I am wearing a green winter hat, my oversized cats-eye glasses, and a green coat. My light brown hair is sticking out from under my hat to rest on my shoulder.

But I am feeling Springish because the sun has been out a lot lately and I can wear my sneakers on my walks.

Sure, it’s not green grass, crocuses, and birdsong but life is easier when I adjust my expectations to my reality, right?

An outdoor selfie of a woman and a dog, the dog is sniffing the woman’s face.
Soon, soon, Khalee and I will be able to sit on these front steps enjoying a cup of tea…ok, I’ll be the only one with tea but we’ll both be out there. Image description: a selfie of me and Khalee on my front steps with part of my house and my door in the background. The sun is shining on us and I’m squinting and smiling as she sniffs my face.