Winter Holiday 2016 - Catch Up

I have not been very good about keep this blog updated for the past year or so. (Sorry Grandmaman) The last post I wrote about our Christmas holiday in 2016 was our ski trip to Vorlage. Whenever we go to Canada for Christmas, we try to get out, explore, and hike in the winter wonderland. The Mer Bleue Bog trail has always been one of our favorite hikes.

Daddy and Boogs stopped for a snowball fight before we even made it to the trail.

Anytime we get a chance to feed the chickadees, we will take it. Boogs loves to wait patiently with a handful (or hat full) of sunflower seeds. Feeling those little tiny bird feed land on your hand never gets old. We probably stood here for half an hour watching and feeding the birds.

Part of the trail is made of raised wooden-plank walkways. They stand about a foot above the peat bog. It is really neat to look out over the bog and see the beaver dams built up above the water and ice.

I love how isolated I feel on this trail. It is a true escape from the hustle and bustle of the city. The only sounds you hear are bird calls, the rattle of dry grass in the wind, and the beating of wings. It is so peaceful.

Well, it is quiet until we start playing around. There are many great spots for a snowball ambush.

Even I got attacked by flying snowballs and then pushed off the edge of the walk way.

I love seeing Boogs' smile and rosy cheeks.

Daddy and Boogs were looking at a spot where the ice had cracked. They were wondering what had walked there or fallen there to make it crack. They had a long conversation about it.

There were several structures that people had built along the trail. Boogs stopped and explored each one.

These squirrels were chatting away under a bird feed. They seemed to be having a disagreement over who the dropped seeds belong to. I have never heard such noisy squirrels.

Near the end of the trail, I lost track of Boogs. It didn't take long to find him. He was silent and motionless with a handful of seeds, waiting for the chickadees to notice him.

We are not planning on going to Canada for Christmas 2017. It will be a long time before we see snow like this again.

Gatineau Park Quebec Hike

We arrived in Canada on December 21st and it finally snowed on December 27th. We were so excited to see the snow. We wanted to get out and enjoy it. On December 28th, Grandpapa took us to the mountains at Gatineau Park in Quebec to go hiking.

Gatineau Park has some very good trails. They are well marked and well maintained.

Daddy and Boogs liked the view from the bridge.

The start of the trail led you into a winter wonderland.

It was only a matter of time before someone picked up a big stick. Daddy tried to use this entire tree for a stick battle.

 Then Daddy and Boogs started a snowball fight.

 Boogs was finding huge clumps of snow to throw.

 There was so much room to run, hide, and play on these trails.

It finally felt like winter. We were all bundled up and still a touch cold. It was only 21 degrees F. (-6 C)

Daddy kept trying to photo bomb Boogs when I wanted a picture of Boogs by this fallen down tree.

Ha, I finally got a pic without part of Daddy's body in it.

We went up a steep little part of the trail to this small cave. I love this 3 generation picture.

 GP and GM posed by themselves.

 Daddy and I had to pose, too. I call that my puffy coat sleeping bag. Yeah, I got teased a bit for my huge puffy parka coat.

 Look how rosy Boogs' cheeks were getting.

 Boogs and Daddy went off trail to tackle some more rugged areas of the park.

 

GM and GP stayed on the trails.

 GM and Boogs

 GP and Daddy

 Hmmm... I think GP and Daddy look a little bit alike.

This little snow covered tree was only as tall as my hand. So cute. Boogs called it a Charlie Brown tree.

I have no idea what these two goofy guys are doing. I think they were singing.

This area of Quebec is so beautiful. I could have stayed out hiking all day long.

Daddy called Boogs over to see something on ground.

When Boogs was trying to find what he was talking about, Daddy shook a snow covered branch right above Boogs' head.

Boogs thought it was hilarious but vowed to get revenge.

So, Daddy kept running ahead and "hiding" on the trial behind various trees.

It is so great that Boogs gets to have these kinds of adventures with his grandparents.

When we got near the parking lot, Daddy picked up Boogs and showed him what a "face wash" is.

 Poor Boogs!

On our way back to GP and GM's house, we stopped to take a look at the Rideau Falls in downtown Ottawa.

The last time I saw the falls, they were mostly frozen. The weather has not been cold enough yet to freeze the Falls or the Rideau Canal.

We had another great day of outdoor fun. We were so happy we got to play in the snow before we headed back to Texas.

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