The Path Goes On and On

All week long I've been looking forward to spending some time outside this weekend. Even though it is still clearly winter, I feel a spark of spring and I'm itching to get some fresh air. This morning, after the hubby left for work, my little shadow of a dog and I hopped in the car and drove to the river. Every year the city grooms a skating and walking trail on the Red River. There are benches along the way and they line it with leftover Christmas trees, it's quite lovely. 

I didn't really have a plan, I just figured we would walk for a while and then turn back. The weather was warm (-5°c), so despite the grey skies it was a lovely day to be out.  A good walk for me has a lot of 'head time', time to think and sort things out. Today's walk didn't disappoint. 

I began to look at our walk as a metaphor for life. We headed out with no clear plan and encountered a slippery slope, a detour sign, a flash of colour, even the restabilization of the river bank seemed allegorical. Walking into the wind was the hardest part, but I knew that I would have the wind at my back the whole way home. I didn't know when we would turn around and then, as we came around another bend in the river, I saw the warming huts in the distance. Finally a destination!

The huts are all different. There is a design competition every year and then the huts are placed in locations closer to the city centre. The first one we came to was unbelievably beautiful. Hand crafted and covered in pine boughs, with curved benches inside, the kind of structure I'd like to create out at our lake property.  The second one we came to was too modern for my taste, but stunning to see - especially on such a grey day. 

Having reached our destination, my little dog and I took a break in the pine hut. I'd walked much further than anticipated (4.5 km) but I felt good and Georgie still had a spring in her step, so we headed for home. And when we arrived we were greeted by the hubs and the his dog and a steaming mug of coffee.

I can't think of a nicer way to spend my morning. 

Just starting out and already a detour.

 

An abandoned skating chair.

My little buddy, Georgie.

The first hut we came upon.

How beautiful, a mini cathedral of pine.

A modernist take.

Up close and personal.

Finally a break.

Looking back at the way we came.

The briefest glimpse of sun.