Trip home and a walk in the park

Greetings and salutations from what has been, until a few days ago, cold and windy Manitoba.  We are finally getting seasonal temperatures however since our arrival on March 23 the weather has not been our friend.  Guess its just as well given that we went through 14 days of self quarantine and then with pretty much everything closed due to Covid 19 there was no where to go anyway.  Today its actually in the mid 20'sC (75F).  A beautiful day to sit on the deck, consume a few cold ones while the the Traeger does its job and cooks up a nice juicy pork shoulder roast.    

When last I posted it was about mid-March and we were debating whether to cut our stay short and head home or to stay put until mid-April.  Given that the borders were closing we figured it would be a good idea to pack up and head north even though the weather was still cold with snow everywhere. If one is going to get sick its probably better to be at home dealing with our healthcare system rather than an Insurance company.  Those guys always seem to find a way not to cover you when you most need coverage.  

So north we headed.  We left on Friday, March 20 and made record time, arriving at the border on Monday, March 23.  We had loaded up with food before we left Gold Canyon so no problem having enough food to eat.  We parked the trailer out on the street just outside our development and then packed everything into the truck and hauled it to the house.  The next morning we took the trailer for a short drive to put it in storage and other than for a few short walks for Charli we were house bound.  

The time just flew by.  Well not really but thank goodness for Internet and Netflix.  I figured I would have all sorts of time to get some stuff done but true to form procrastination and afternoon naps took a firm hold and I ended up accomplishing much less than I had hoped.  About 3 weeks after we were home Lori's mom started to have some health problems so she drove up to Swan River to self isolate with her while Charli and I stayed at home.  A few days after Lori got there her mom ended up in the hospital and she is still there awaiting results of tests and a firm diagnosis.  Since Lori couldn't visit her in the hospital she drove back to Oakbank.  

During our isolation I have become a firm believer in Fake News.  Its called the Weather Forecast.  I mentioned that the weather has been lousy but the 7 day forecast kept showing a marked improvement in 4-5 days.  Unfortunately after 3 days the forecast would change and show it was still another 4-5 days before better weather.  Been going through that for 7 weeks now.  I remember when we used to have nice weather in April.  Perhaps spending a few winters in Arizona has made me soft.  

A few days ago we actually started to see better weather without the usual accompaniment of gale force winds.  A perfect day for a walk in the park especially since restrictions are starting to lift and we are able to get out a bit now.  Actually Manitoba has been pretty fortunate with only 289 cases of Covid and 7 deaths to date.  No new cases in the last 6 days with 2 in hospital as we speak with one of those in ICU.  Much better than a lot of places.  Why?  A relatively sparse population, a culture prone to adhere to rules, dumb luck.  Who knows.  I'll take it. 

Earlier this week Lori, Charli and I took a short drive over to Birds Hill Park for a 6km walk and this time I took my camera gear.  Had to find it as since we got home I hadn't looked at my camera or the 1,000 or so pictures I still have to edit.  Well, not strictly true as Peak Design did have a big sale on photo accessories and I ordered a couple of bags, straps, etc that I just couldn't live without.  20-40% off.  I just couldn't resist.  Not to be outdone Lori found a buffet on Wayfair that we also apparently can't live without and that is somewhere in New Jersey as we speak.  

Here are some shots from BHP.  Given the cold weather so far there are no attractive grand vistas as grass and trees are just starting to get some colour but that presents a great opportunity to use the macro lens and get some intimate shots.  

Spring has sprung.

Pussy Willows just a bit past the white fluffy stage.
Never tried the Digital Frame filter in Topaz before but it does create a nice effect.
Getting the colour combinations right takes a bit of practice.

Showy Aspens

Gnarly tree bark up close and personal

Not sure what this is but almost ready to unfurl

Bull rushes in their golden glow

Q-Tip???

So many colours

Seed pods against a beautiful blue sky

Dogwood

A little swim and the fresh aroma of goose poop.
Just what a dog needs. 

Just peeking out to see if its safe

Red on green 

looks like a blue velvet background

Almost ready to drop

Ready for a walk in the park

As mentioned above I still have a bunch of shots to edit and post from our winter travels.  Hopefully I will get to that in short order and be able to get out a few more posts.  Till then stay safe and healthy and lets beat this Covid thing.  I do not want to spend the winter in sunny, but frozen, Manitoba.  

Later.