a purple parka day

It was -35c with windchill when I left for my walk with Musti and Tassu this morning at 8:30 a.m. Midnight last night was a balmy -7c. About 3 a.m. the temperature started dropping rapidly. The creek has frozen over completely now, except for a rare small opening where you still can hear the water gurgling. This spot is under the Algoma St. bridge.
Past the breakwall, the lake is open, not frozen. A laker sat shrouded in the mist over Lake Superior. For the last two weeks the air has been colder than the water so we see the heat leaving. The heavy cloud running along the horizon just below the morning sun, is not a cloud; it's pollution from the mill. When it gets this cold, the pollution hangs down low, rolling toxins right over the Sleeping Giant.

The dogs are much friskier the colder it gets. Their fur is dense and their paws are like boots, so they don't feel the chill at all. The three of us ran up the overpass. I had dragged my purple parka out of the basement; it was a purple parka day. I put small gloves on under big mitts and light socks under wool ones; it was a double mittens and socks day. I wore my winter niqab look, that is, with my scarf wrapped way high up my cheeks and my hat pulled way low downb my forehead, there is only a thin sliver where my eyes peek out. In fact, coming back up the overpass straight into the North wind, I had only one eye exposed. Unless you know that I wear a purple parka on freezing cold days, you might not know it was me. But whatever I wear, the dogs always do.It's actually enjoyable walking in the cold. But you have to learn to dress for it.