Cabin fever sets in

It's the middle of winter, and enjoying the Canadian outdoors means cold temperatures, gloomy weather and a lack of active wildlife. The splendour of freshly fallen snow -- followed by the aching muscles of clearing the driveway -- is missing in action. Instead, we're stuck with the cold, the wind and even rain. There's an element of regret that I didn't take better advantage of the outdoors during the summer months of 2009, but already I'm making plans to explore the out of doors much more this year.

It's almost cliché to say that the Canadian outdoors offers a lot -- particularly here in Ontario where we have those "Ontario, Yours To Discover" advertisements that have been trying for years to convince Ontarians to get out and experience all the province has to offer.

Like many others, I grew up outside. That doesn't mean I was outdoors every hour of every day, but it does mean I was camping almost from the time I was born and fishing from the time I could barely hold a rod. I built snowmen, had snowball fights, soaked the neighbourhood with water guns and stopped to watch squirrels playing or raccoons duck for cover in the early morning. As a budding amateur photographer, some of my favourite subjects were wild animals (one of my favourite photos my parents took of me is a very young me feeding a chipmunk peanuts from my outstretched hand).

Many factors have led to this cabin fever I'm now experiencing, including a successful September camping trip in the Parry Sound area, a continually-growing friendship with a fellow gamer and outdoorsman, learning about foraging, becoming more familiar with modern (lightweight) camping gear, and some creative non-fiction for a potential job.

And now here I am, stuck indoors without proper winter outdoors attire wishing the spring would hurry up and get here so I can go face the mosquitoes and blackflies.