On the Road Again
Ringo and I took advantage of the nice weather.
January’s weather has been brutal. Bitter cold temps combined with high winds have disrupted all aspects of my routine, from daily runs to the weekly outings with the dogs, and I’ve been planning around the weather all month.
Ringo and I usually follow a rain or shine policy with his training rides, but rain or shine becomes play it by ear in Michigan’s winter months. We started the year off right with a New Year’s Day ride, but have missed a number of rides due to severe weather and a week I lost to illness early in the month.
We finally caught a break today with temperatures in the forties and plenty of sunshine, so Ringo and I headed out for a make up ride. We may be out of practice but Ringo’s posing skills are still sharp. He turned out two great shots in his signature pose peeking out the back window of my 2007 FJ Cruiser. ❤️
Winter Break
Warmer temps provide some relief today.
January has been challenging weather-wise with bitter cold temps and high winds. Today, the temperatures rose into the forties, melting the snow and making it much more tolerable to be outside. My routine has been upended this month because of weather, and today gave me the chance to get back outside and get back on the road with Ringo.
Winter Sunshine
The perfect combination of sun and snow calls me outside today.
A beautiful blanket of snow on the ground and radiant sunshine from above gave me the perfect opportunity to get outside for a Vitamin D fix and some photos. These are perfect photography conditions as the sunlight reflects off the snow covered ground creating gorgeous, soft natural light. It’s been such a great week for photography and beautiful winter portraits.
Change in Plans
A broken strap derails my snowshoeing plans.
Another beautiful snowfall called me outside today. I love the way snow transforms the winter landscape, creating a beautiful backdrop for outdoor activities. Snowshoeing would have been my choice today, but a broken snowshoe strap derailed those plans. I’ll get that sorted out before the next snowfall, and in the meantime, I had a great opportunity to take these winter wonderland photos. I feel like I’m in a snow globe!
Snowy Selfies
Slippery snow ruins my run but the photos save the day.
Today’s slippery conditions turned my snowy run fantasy into a snowy run fail. Rather than admit defeat, I pressed on with a photo session in this gorgeous winter wonderland. While the conditions were awful for running, they were perfect for photography and I’m thrilled with these snowy selfies.
Back in the Game
Fully rested and ready to go.
After a strong start to the New Year, a nasty cold took me down for a full week. I’m back at it this week and so happy to be healthy again. A beautiful snowfall gave me the perfect backdrop for my return and for a snowy selfie.
Quiet as a Moose
Moose rests in the coziest spot in the house.
I couldn’t resist taking these shots of Moose resting quietly in the kitchen, in the warmest spot in the house. There is a heat vent at the base of the cabinets next to him, not visible in the photo, and the dogs frequent this spot for that reason. I felt bad interrupting his nap but he went right back to sleep.
Coffee Break
Ringo and Moose join me for my carbs and coffee break.
Ringo and Moose move in on my carbs and coffee break. I didn’t share my English muffin with them, but I did reward them with a treat for their role in creating today’s fun photos.
A Brisk Walk with Rocky
I got some extra steps in with the Rockstar today.
I took Rocky to Willow Metropark today and we had a nice but brisk walk in the winter weather. The temperatures are dropping and it will continue to get colder each day this week. Warmer and wet weather earlier this week made for muddy trail conditions, but the ground was frozen today which made walking more enjoyable, even with the colder temperatures.
A base layer under my clothes made it doable, but removing my gloves for photos was challenging. I kept the photo session brief and managed to get this lovely shot of the Rockstar posing on the winter landscape.
New Year’s Day Ride with Ringo
A new year begins with Ringo at my side.
I started the year off right with a fun day trip to Willow Metropark with my go-dog. A light snow set the mood for a winter walk, and of course, we took some time at the end for photos. Ringo aced his signature shot peeking out the back window of my 2007 FJ Cruiser. He also turned out a few more fun shots, below.
