So I've learned that I should never underestimate the power of cashmere. My new hat managed to convince Jack Frost to stay a while longer. We've had no shortage of snow around here, and I have to say, I'm in heaven.
If my love of winter makes you doubt my sanity, you should know that I live 20 minutes from here:
Gatineau Park has one of the world's largest network of groomed cross-country ski trails.
Cozy cabins dot the forest. This one is called Shilly Shally.
It's the perfect place to warm up by the fire, sip some hot chocolate, and nosh on some grilled cheese sandwiches (toasted on the stove, yum!)
Every cabin has a bird feeder. This little guy was also fueling up to stay warm.
My Rikke kept me nice and warm.
Perhaps now you understand my obsession with the white stuff? Actually, these trails are wonderful all year round. This is where I hike once the snow melts. You should see the colours in autumn!
I have been so blessed lately with gifts, snow and well-wishes. I thought it was high time to spread the luck and love, so I'm having a little give away:
2 skeins of Madelintosh Eire Light, in a limited edition colour called Wildwood. The beautiful shades of brown, grey and white remind me of the soft colours of my beloved winter forest.
3 back issues of Selvedge, my favourite magazine.
If you'd like to be entered into the draw, please leave me a comment and tell me which is your favourite season, and why. I'll randomly pick a winner, this time next Sunday. And bonus: I'll enter you in twice if you correctly identify the bird pictured above.
Good luck, and have a sweet week.
Although the snowy scenes look lovely, I'm thrilled that our snow is melting away. I'm ready for spring!pro
ReplyDeleteI think I have to admit, I love a snowy day. Winter would probably be my favorite, followed closely by summertime. I guess I like to be bundled up inside or lying out in the sun! Thanks for such a great giveaway!
ReplyDeleteAlthough I love all the seasons... fall is by far my favorite.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful giveaway!
Sam
I have always loved Spring. Winter in Vancouver is wet and dark, and for me Spring means warm air and new beginnings.
ReplyDeleteI've always wanted to try Madelintosh! Thanks for the giveaway. And I assume the bird is some form of finch, but really I have no idea. Looking forward to hearing the answer.
I love Autumn for the colors, and for meaning that summer is over.
ReplyDeleteI love gatineau park so much and can't wait to go for a walk or snowshoe next time I am in town. The thing that I love most about living in central canada is that we really get to experience fully all four seasons. I love them all almost equally but I would have to say early autumn is my favorite.
ReplyDeleteI don't know sparrow varietals, but I do know that fall is my favorite season. Other people see warmer weather as a sign of hope and new life, but I feel that way about fall - I link it to new notebooks and a new semester at school. I love the first time you pull on a sweat(er) after months of sweat(ing). It energizes me and feels like a fresh start every year.
ReplyDeleteOKay, I went on a sparrow hunt. American Tree Sparrow?
ReplyDeletefall is definitely my favourite... I love the changing colours and the not-too-hot, not-too-cold weather. Perfect for little accessories, like my fave wrist warmers and scarves.
ReplyDeleteI think fall is my favorite season. I no longer live there, but you can't beat a crisp and clear fall day in New England when you can kick through the leaves as you walk. Is it a Redpoll?
ReplyDeleteWhat great ski trails! And I love the cabins--so picturesque and rustic. Winter is probably my favorite season, but I haven't had a chance to do any skiing this year.
ReplyDeleteAutumn.
ReplyDeleteNot too hot; not too cold. Just right!
That sparrow is a Red-Capped Feather Fluffer.
No really... I'm sure it is....
I am not a winter person. I have spent time in the Ottawa/Gatineau region in winter, and the winds and snow there can be wicked! I live in the Soo, and it can get nasty here, but I think it was worse there. That said, winter is a GORGEOUS season visually.
ReplyDeleteMy favorite will always be autumn, with the warm days, crisp nights, and bright, crunchy leaves.
I think that bird is a female Common Redpoll which is a cute lil featherball common to the capitol region.
hugs,
Heidi
heidig@gmail.com
Autumn! I love all the fall colors.
ReplyDeleteThose trails look wonderful, you'll have to show us pics on your next hike!
ReplyDeleteMoose said he'd like to live in the Shilly Shally :)
As for the bird, I'm going with a Song Sparrow?
Enjoy your snow, we are getting rain rain rain today and tomorrow and losing much of our massive snow piles.
Ooh, Autumn. So much color and chilly enough to wear wool!
ReplyDeleteAutumn. Always Autumn. But the others always try to tempt me.
ReplyDeleteI don't have a favorite season. I find I am always ready for the new one when it comes along. But I love to hike, so any season that lets me hike is great.
ReplyDeleteAutumn, autumn, autumn. By the time it comes around, all I want to do is walk around in a tee and jeans, drinking some coffee and admiring the changing color of the leaves. I swear that I spend all year waiting the finery of September and October.
ReplyDeleteI do however experience a thrill with every changing of the seasons. The feel of spring coming on is making me want to pull out all my brightest most colorful brights.
Fall is by far my favorite time of year due to the colors and cool, but not cold temperatures...and I tend to feel exhilarated in the fall for some reason. Thanks for such a great giveaway.
ReplyDeleteSo I'm going a different direction than everybody else and saying the beak says finch...what kind I'm not sure but Cassin's looks to be the closest and more likely for higher elevation/mountain zones than the House Finch.
My favorite season would have to be spring. To me it represents renewal and new beginnings and I love the fresh smell in the air. My guess for the bird would be a Common Redpoll.
ReplyDeleteAutumn is my favorite season. I love the warm colors, cool air, and having an excuse to test bake goodies for the coming holidays. The yarn is beautiful and I have never heard of Selvedge magazine before. Thank you for this giveaway.
ReplyDeleteYou make winter look so nice! I have to say spring is my favorite. I just can't be unhappy when the trees and flowers are blossoming and sending sweet scents on the breeze....Even if they stuff me up!
ReplyDeleteYour pictures really make me want to play in the snow as well and then relax in a cozy cabin.
ReplyDeleteI think that little birdie is a Common Redpoll, that little red patch is pretty distinctive.
What a wonderful and generous giveaway! I'm a huge Madtosh fan and especially love that colorway. I believe that sweet little bird is a finch - a Common Redpoll?
ReplyDeleteYour skiing trails look so lovely - and you look simply great in that charming Rikke. Happy Snow Days!
Looks like you had a lovely trip. I have no idea about the bird though.
ReplyDeleteI love the way the color of the M. Tosh yarn looks so nice with the plumage of the Redpoll.
ReplyDeleteThis looks just delightful! Plus what better way to use a beautiful new handknit?
ReplyDeleteI love winter -- how the snow sparkles in the sunlight, the coziness of curling up at home, the bracing fresh air, wearing woolly sweaters...
That said, I miss the MN winters of my childhood -- much nicer than Chicago winters.
Is it a common redpoll? I love summer, heat, swimming in a creek.
ReplyDeleteLaine
I love looking at pictures of snow but honestly I hate being in it.
ReplyDeleteYou take beautiful pictures & the hat looks great.
I love Summer one because my birthday & also due to the the holidays most of the b-days are in the Summer so its great to see family members.
The yarn is gorgeous. I have never heard of Selvedge magazine. Thanks for the great giveaway.
My favourite season is autumn because of the melancholic feeling, the crisp first-frost-mornings perfect for starting layering up in cozy knitwear and of course the blackberry and apple crumbles:)
ReplyDeleteI think the little bird-fella is a common redpoll.
My favourite season is winter, It holds such bittersweet memories of me. Some of my happiest times where last winter and the one before, unfortunatly this winter wasnt the same.
ReplyDeleteI think the bird is a redpoll too.
I am a huge fan of autumn - changing leaves, crisp air, and pick-your-own apples at the orchard (or, let's be serious, apple donuts at the orchard).
ReplyDeleterachelehorn[at]gmail[dot]com
What a lovely giveaway. I love autumn. There's something about the way the air smells in late September/early October that I can't get enough of.
ReplyDeleteAnd that's a redpoll! It pays to be the daughter of a "bird brain!"
Gosh, those winter pictures actually look really lovely, especially with that Rikke!
ReplyDeleteHere in the city, we don't get such pretty winters - it just turns to slush. So my favorite season is fall, when the weather in New York is all clear blue skies and the air has just enough nip for great knitwear, but the precipitation is hiding for a bit.
I think the bird is a common redpoll.
Spring is my favourite season - I love the feeling of new beginnings!
ReplyDeleteI think the bird is a common redpoll.
I love the winter and the snow!! The grays and browns (fav colors) stand out so beautifully against the white of the snow. Love everything about winter landscapes!
ReplyDeletemy favorite season is the next one. i always think it's fall, but turns out it's whatever's coming up next. what a lovely giveaway!
ReplyDeleteFemale Common Redpoll. Seen in North American primarily only in the winter. My Calfifornia friends and relatives think I'm crazy for this, but winter is my favorite season and moved to Minnesota for that and many other reasons. I'd love to visit Gatineau Park someday and go cross country skiing.
ReplyDeleteMerci! Aussi, j'aime Tosh yarns!
autumn .. for its colour, wind, rain ..
ReplyDeleteOooh, what lovely colors in that yarn! My favorite season is spring. The sun starts to make a comeback and all kinds of growing things start popping out! All the trees here are fat with buds and my spring bulbs are sprouting.
ReplyDeleteAs for the bird, it looks like a common redpoll. What a great shot! I don't get a chance to see those at my feeder.
I think that is probably the most beautiful yarn I've ever seen.
ReplyDeleteMy favourite season is autumn. I love the cooling weather and the turning leaves and the gingerbread and warm soups. And because I'm in a university town I love September the most; just after the tourists leave and before the students arrive when the place is so quiet and empty and beautiful.
I'm torn... I *feel* like fall used to be my favorite season, but I do love the snow, growing up in Wyoming does that to you. However, now I live in San Diego and its been so long since I experienced anything other than sun or 'rain' I can't really give a true answer. :ducks from all the Northerners above: At least we still get delicious local fall veggies and such??
ReplyDeleteAutumn is my favorite. Sweater-weather, fall foods, beautiful leaves.
ReplyDeleteIn my dream perfect world I am a cross country skier! So envious of your beautiful trails! The bird is a Common Redpoll I believe. Love the hat.
ReplyDeleteI love the hope and rebirth of Spring. It is illusive and tantalizing after the long, cold Winter months. Thanks for the opportunity to win this great giveaway!
ReplyDeleteMy favourite season is Autumn. We've got Polish Gold Autumn in here, when trees are beautifully coloured in gold and orange hues, weather is very nice and I'm able to wear my knits!
ReplyDeleteI don't know this bird sadly.
Cheers!
how sweet of you! and i love your smiling hat pic. my favorite season is spring, just for the heartbursting feeling I get when I see tiny green things and blossoms rise and stretch open. :)
ReplyDeleteFor me, my favourite season is the fall. I think it's because I'm a perma-student and so the fall is always a time of new things.. and the air starts turning crisper and the campus is covered in leaves. It's gorgeous.
ReplyDeleteI loved all your pictures in this post. They're simply gorgeous.
that yarn looks oh so luscious - thank you for offering it up! My favorite season is autumn - when the leaves start to turn and crunch up underfoot and the apples get sweeter! I believe the bird to be a "redpoll" - again a sweet note in the snowy landscape. Love your blog by the way!
ReplyDeleteCheers!
Oooh I've been in love with that very color ever since I first saw it on Ravelry! My favorite season is definitely autumn. And according to the RSPB website, the bird is a lesser redpoll. Fingers crossed!
ReplyDeleteK x
Nothing compares to the light and beauty of a Summer in Denmark. Though I have a soft spot for fall in California, too :-)
ReplyDeleteI love springtime! Early spring when it is still chilly but the sun is bright. You have so much snow again!
ReplyDeleteI do doubt your sanity, but only because my favourite season is summer! I love the sun and the heat and the fresh red tomatoes. I will admit that your hat is adorable and has inspired me to search out the perfect yarn to make one for myself. Thanks for the inspiration!
ReplyDeleteAnneh
I thought I would be original by saying autumn - until I read some of the other comments! I love the warm/cool days, the colours, and the dusting off of my favourite knits.
ReplyDeleteThat bird looks like a redpoll to me.
Is the bird a Common Redpoll? Of the female sort? (S)he's beautiful!
ReplyDeleteThe older I get the more I enjoy every single season... yes, even winter, because it is such a joy to anticipate the first signs of spring! My heart sings when I see the snowdrops come up. But it is true that the three other seasons are all much easier to love.
Thank you for the lovely pictures and for the contest.
What a sweet little give-away.
ReplyDeleteI'm very happy for you that you not only got your wish, but that you had time to get out and enjoy it like you wanted.
I really do love the hat too. I added it to my queue after you posted about it last week.
Hi Nicole, I snowshoed last week just before the big snow fall and really liked it so winter must be charming me. My favourite season though is spring, I just like to dig in the garden and set up new plants.
ReplyDeleteSo glad you had a wonderful time in the Gatineau hills.
ohhh, how does one deciede??? When it is winter, I love winter. The snowboarding, the brightness of the snow, and the long quiet silences. But at this time of year, I'm definatley looking forward to spring. Planning my garden and wishing for longer days and fresh vegetables.
ReplyDeleteNo need to enter me into the drawing Lovie but I am BURNING with questions about those cabins. Can anyone just go inside, or do you have to rent them? Are there other skiers there as well. DO TELL because I love cabins:)
ReplyDeleteFall is my favorite season. Beautiful colors, leaves crunching under my feet, cool but not too cold (perfect for a knitted cardigan)...
ReplyDeleteSelkie on Ravelry
Ahh - my favourite season has to be spring and after this winter it will be a joyous occurence!!
ReplyDeleteWow, what a lovely cabin!
ReplyDeleteAs for seasons, it really depends where... In England Spring is my favourite. In Brazil the Summer is too much so my season of choice there is the Autumn with its beautiful light. I haven't been in Canada for too long and though I'm enjoying my first full Winter here I think I like the Summer better!
Would the bird be a redpoll?
Thanks for the generous giveaway, I've been dying to peek into Selvedge. I hope I'm lucky!
Luciana
No idea about the bird, but please enter me into the drawing. Fall is my favorite over here, it's beautiful with all trees changing color and air crisp and still relatively dry. It is beautiful.
ReplyDeleteIs it a house finch?
ReplyDeleteI love spring. And summer. And autumn. And even winter (though I'm not a huge fan of late winter. Bring on Spring, already!!)
my goodness, that is such a generous giveaway, nicole! you are a sweetheart.
ReplyDeleteyour ski trails and huts look amazing (and so exotic!) to me. and your new hat is beautiful- you've inspired me to knit one too. :)
Great photos! I am jealous of all your cross-country ski trails. There is a nice loop that is groomed near my house but it is so crowded and my dogs have been so naughty lately that I have quit going this year.
ReplyDeleteAs for my favorite season I have to admit that my favorite season is whatever the current season is. I love to be outside whatever the weather and I am lucky enough to live in a beautiful place with loads of fun outdoor opportunities all year long. I think this is actually rather annoying to people so I usually try to keep in under wraps. I was explaining to my boss how wonderful winter is today and how I wish it would go on forever... She was not impressed.
I must love winter as well since we're heading to Big White for March break. My favourite season is spring - time for growth and renewal, which is what i feel i need after winter. Unfortunately i can't name the bird - red headed finch? is my best guess.
ReplyDeleteBogna
Well, I live in the SF Bay area now, and I always lament the lack of seasons as I know them here. My favorite season is a tie -- I love autumn in the northeast and midwest, especially October, when the sky is the bluest of blues and everything else is all aflame. But I also really love May in Michigan, when it's like everything suddenly gets a veil of misty green baby leaves and fragrant white flowers.
ReplyDeleteAlso, that bird is totally a finch of some sort, but I'm not sure which specific variety. Is that close enough for a second entry? :-)
I am a summer person. I like the warm weather. I hope this winter is over soon.
ReplyDeleteAutumn is my very favorite. The atmosphere and the colors are amazing.
ReplyDeleteCommon Redpoll?
I miss birdwatching now that I live in a city.
Spring is my favorite. The days get longer, trees leaf out, flowers bloom -- it's like a reward for getting through winter.
ReplyDeleteI love Autumn- kicking leaves, snuggling in, knitting season, great squashes and other such produce and the satisfaction of looking back over Summer.
ReplyDeleteI think possibly a Redpoll. Although I'm rubbish at spotting birds- my grandfather used to point out the differences between 2 finches on our hikes when I was child. I NEVER saw the difference. Obviously, I nodded profusely each time and pretended I did!
Winter is not much fun in Philadelphia.... The spring here is lovely. I love winter in more winterish places though!
ReplyDeleteI have never read Selvedge, that would be a treat!
Spring is by far my favorite. I just love when the grass starts to green and the crocus and tulips begin to peak out of the ground! The days begin to get longer and the smell of the fresh air is so invigorating!
ReplyDeleteI think the bird maybe a Common Redpoll???
Thank you for the giveaway!
buckets19@hotmail.com
I love spring...the way the earth starts to warm up and every thing is smells new again.
ReplyDeleteCommon redpoll? Whichever bird he is, he's cute!
ReplyDeleteMy favorite season is winter too. Although, living in the plains in Kansas, we don't have the beautiful mountain views that you do!!
The yarn is gorgeous. Thanks for the generous giveway.
My favorite season would be fall. I live in New England and the fall here is absolutely beautiful. Thank you so much for the great giveaway!! Very generous of you!
ReplyDeleteHello Nicole, the lovely bird is a Redpoll.
ReplyDeleteI love autumn, the colours, the gentle hint of cold, the looking forward to the holidays.
The summer, and it being warm enough to sit out in the garden until midnight!
ReplyDeleteWell, I live in Ottawa too and it's so hard to pick a favourite season! I'd normally say summer because I love canoeing, but I haven't found such great places to canoe around here..I have, however, been to Shilly Shally several times this winter and it's pretty hard to beat. Pair that with regular skates on the canal...and perhaps I need to conclude that in Ottawa (at least) winter is my favourite season!
ReplyDeleteI'm so happy to see your blog revived. I've kept it bookmarked and kept checking. Your woods are lovely, and so are your prizes. Thanks so much for the chance to win! Colleen
ReplyDeleteSo lovely! I have such a difficult time choosing just one season, since each has it's own appeal: the delicate buds and flowers of Spring, the lazy days at the beach in the Summer, foliage (and my birthday) in the Fall, and holidays with the family and pulling out the woolies in the Winter. No idea what the adorable bird is, and I won't cheat by looking at the comments :)
ReplyDeleteI love fall for the colors and the sweet, crisp, autumn air, but my favorite bit of fall is Indian Summer, which feels like the last warm kiss of summer!
ReplyDeleteI am ready for Spring so right now spring but I am lucky to live in a place with four seasons because I enjoy them all!
ReplyDeleteMy favourite season is fall - not too hot or too cold, and fewer mosquitoes than spring.
ReplyDeleteI think the bird is a common redpoll (I had to look at a bird book, though).
ikkinlala AT yahoo DOT ca
oh wow, I can't believe you live near such an amazing place. I used to go cross-country skiing when I was little with my parents. I love it. Haven't been for sooooo long.
ReplyDeleteAutumn is my favourite. Early Autumn when the colours start to change and the late afternoon light is golden. When the air has a little chill in the air and it promises of cozy nights indoors...
(ruby crowned kinglet?... fingers crossed! I never knitted with such a gorgeous yarn!!!)
Ah, Winter! My heart aches when the snow melts.
ReplyDeleteFall. Sigh. I love Fall. Especially the beginning of Fall when the leaves start to turn to amazing shades of red, orange and yellow. It's especially lovely to see when we are up in the mountains or during through the pass.
ReplyDeleteI love winter - knitting is inspired and you can always get warm. Summer is nice, but it harder to get cool if you don't like ac!
ReplyDeleteWonderful giveaway! I have a special fondness for autumn - something about the first moment when you're standing out in the backyard and get a sense that the light is a little slanted, the air a little cooler. That might be my favorite moment of the year!
ReplyDeleteMy guess is a redpoll - such a sweet little fella!
Could this pretty little bird be a redpoll?
ReplyDeleteAs for what my favorite season is, it varies through the year but tends to always be the one that is to come. I like summer but get bored of being hot all the time, I like autumn but eventually want the rain to stop and be able to wear my winter clothes, I like winter but being cold is only fun so long, and I like spring but I end up longing for a weather nice enough to run around with bare legs.
Spring is my favorite. There is something special about spring flowers and tree buds. Birds chirping as they make their nest.
ReplyDeleteEnjoy your blog very much :)
With the beginning of a new season here in Japan I always think about how wonderful it is, even more beautiful than the one before... but you cannot keep on doing this, can you?!
ReplyDeleteRight now I think I would be happy with Japan being peacefully covered with a soft, white blanket. All worries gone.
I really love the Spring flowers!
ReplyDeleteThe bird's a red-headed sparrow!
ReplyDeleteI'm a Spring girl. By the end of winter, NYC is a gray slushy mess so when Spring arrives, it cleans up the streets and the kids are out playing all day.
ReplyDeleteWinter is my absolute favourite season. I think earth is her most beautiful when she is covered in snow and I imagine myself as a character from "The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe" when I walk in the snow. And of course with winter, I can wear my coziest hand knits every day. I think the little bird is a Redpoll.
ReplyDeleteWinter! Yes, it's cold; and yes, shoveling snow is hard work; but it's so darn pretty when everything out there is white. So, wear your woolies, curl up under a blanket and put the tea kettle on. Snow day anyone?
ReplyDeleteI missed your giveaway, but I just wanted to say I can totally relate to your love of winter! Amazing to have such beautiful trails to explore all year.
ReplyDeleteI miss the deadline, but would like to add - I've never seen this magazine before. Will try to find it here in US. Thank you!
ReplyDeleteRav - iris68