Monday, March 19, 2012

A Requiem For Winter


Try as I might to deny it, spring's coming. Tomorrow's the first day of the season, and with it, the winter is at an end. It's been warmer here in recent days, and beyond that, other sure signs of spring have cropped up. The ice is gone or going on the rivers, the ice on the Rideau Canal is breaking up, and the first shoots of new growth are coming up in the gardens here. Oh, and a few days back, the first of the Canada geese started their return into the area.


As much as I'd like to hope for the Great March Blizzard of 2012, it doesn't look like it's going to happen.


It's been a less then average sort of year. Down in Toronto, they barely had a winter. Of course, the media forecasters down in the City that Thinks It's The Center Of The Universe panic when there's ten centimetres of snow coming, and if there's twenty five centimetres coming, they'll cry out that it's the end of the world, oh my god, eat your dead if you have to, we're all going to die, blah blah blah.

Spineless cowards, the lot of them. (Global Television, I'm looking squarely at you yellow-bellied prats when I say that)

We didn't get the usual amount here in Eastern Ontario, and it wasn't as cold as it could have been. Mind you, I would have preferred minus thirty and, oh... four or five metres of snow over the winter. I know, I'm silly that way. It also costs me money. For those coming in late, I have to toss quarters in the cuss jar when I mention such lovely words as snow, blizzard, winter, cold, wind chill, frost, ice storm... The cuss jar's gotten filled up quite a bit. Of course, I've then used the contents to go for chocolate, which I would have been doing regardless, so...


Well, there's still hope. I remember one April day at the National Gallery here in Ottawa, looking out through the glass tower towards Parliament Hill, which was out of sight, hidden by a blinding snowstorm. Who knows? We could get lucky and have the Great April Blizzard of 2012, which hits all of North America...


And so, since winter seems to be on its way out, I thought I'd play around with one more image blog of winter today. Snow tends to be a good medium for sculptors to use, as you can see among this pack:



Here in Canada we tend to find our own ways to get through the winter. In Algonquin Park, there's a lake called Canoe Lake (I highly recommend a visit; it's a gorgeous spot). This time of year, it's still frozen over and quiet, but it's the subject of a betting pool of sorts (no, no money involved, just bragging rights). The question is what day the lake will be deemed free of ice and ready for going out on (you guessed it) the canoe. I've been putting in my own selection the last few years, though I have yet to pick the right one. Here's the Ice Out home page, in case you were wondering if I was pulling your leg. Yes, I know, it seems silly....

Canoe Lake, Algonquin

Now this is a proper winter....


There are, of course, plenty of pics out there featuring animals and winter...


Especially dogs...


And the feline overlords and masters of the universe....


And so it seems winter is at an end. More's the pity. Oh, well. I can take solace in the fact that here, snow has been recorded in pretty much every month but July, and there are still chances that we'll get some more snow in the weeks to come. And I can also look forward to the inevitable early winter we'll get come the fall. I'm thinking September 13th would be a nice time for the first snowfall of the latter half of the year, wouldn't you?


To those of you who think I'm nuts for loving winter, no doubt you're pleased now that spring has come. I'll be grieving my lost winter for awhile though. And dreaming of snowdrifts and blizzards and temperatures so cold that it cuts into the throat. Ah, lovely. Lovely!



20 comments:

  1. Love the Moses cat!

    You have to be the only person I know who's going to actually mourn the loss of winter.

    But just think about what your have to look forward to at the theater in May....

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  2. Ha ha!! Oh, those cat pics are so funny. I am so bummed. We didn't even get enough snow to play in this year. It's been so warm this month, I think we're skipping spring and going straight to summer. But it is easier to go sight seeing in the warmer weather.

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  3. Oh, it's been so lovely to eat our supper out on the deck, with the birds chirping and the sun shining down on us!! I've missed those times...and, thank goodness they're back! Albeit a little early, but I think it's great!

    You know, if global warming is wrong, then I don't want to be right!!

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  4. Yes, darn the luck, it was a whimpy winter this year. I'm grieving with you. But we must keep our chins up, William. Better luck next year!

    Love the abominable sheepdogs!

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  5. Sir Wills, I'm going to miss winter, too. Florida winters are great. No humidity. No real heat. Nice cool air with lots of sunshine.

    I dread spring. It means pollen everywhere and sinus problems. Humidity, too.

    Summer means barometric migraines, bad hair days, and burning my tookus on the seat of my car after its sat all day in the broiling heat.

    Yup. I'm going to miss winter, too.

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  6. Better eat that chocolate before it melts!

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  7. You better put lots of money in the swear jar today, here in Waterloo it's been 20+ for the past week and glorious. Winter barely showed its ugly head and I hope it is gone until well into November. ;)

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  8. I wish I had your problem. We got snow today, and like you said, tomorrow is the first official day of spring. I can't wait for some sun.

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  9. William, William, William... how many times do I have to tell you to keep your Canadian doors and windows closed... we here in Tucson, Arizona are having YOUR Canadian winter today.
    You have let your very cold weather escape.
    Sunday it was 80 and now it is 44 and dropping to 30 tonight. With snow in the mountains and hail at my home... argh ! my few remaining citrus trees where just staring to recover !
    Bad Canada ! Bad William.

    cheers, parsnip

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  10. It's been shirt sleeve weather around here. Just think, soon you'll be hanging off the face of some vertical drop

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  11. Well, William, you're not alone in lamenting this dismal winter. I've missed sitting in the kitchen with a cup of coffee and watching the snow falls. I've missed looking forward to a lovely cup of soup to warm the innards. I've looked at the sweaters in my closet and missed not wearing them. But you know what I'm going to miss most of all? Water. Without the spring melts, I fear trouble brews. Anyway, loved your pics. Saw an ice sculptor at work once. That's not easy to do.

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  12. That's what I've thought, Kittie. You need a proper snowpack to insulate the ground, or you'll be getting problems in the spring. Dry spells, low water levels, brush fires much too early...

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  13. I never really minded winter that much until I moved to Ottawa. Heck, never owned a hat until I moved to Ottawa! After the first week of winter weather (in the beginning of November, I might add) I had more layers on than I ever thought possible. It's a wonder I could move! Once I got into snowboarding at Camp Fortune, I didn't mind the snow so much. But still . . . summers in Ottawa are great, though! So many cool outdoors things to do.

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  14. Love all your pictures--especially the kitties! But after looking at all that snow, I know I could never live in Canada. I loved the mild winter and this week we're having 80 degree temps in southern Ohio--YAY! I just can't function in the cold:(.

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  15. So sorry your winter's a no-show! Glad for me, though!

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  16. Wow that last pic is unbelievable. I love winter too... tho my winters are nothing like yours. I think it was mild for everyone this year.
    Those sculptures are astonishing.

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  17. I'm loving La Nina. I don't miss freezing to death and shoveling snow! This is one of the best winter's ever! Why do you like winter so much?

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  18. I love the cold, Deb! I love the crisp, clean freshness of cold on a winter's day, when you're out cross country skiing and the temperature just keeps dropping. Makes me feel alive!

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  19. Will, you can keep the cold! I can't handle very cold weather; I have gotten to used to living in hotter climates (Africa and Florida. I agree with Shelly, Florida winters are great in many ways.

    I enjoyed your pics; great snow sculptures. Also, love the Darth Vader pic. Take care!

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  20. My dad had an aunt in Michigan who passed away a year or two ago, and she couldn't handle the winters. When thanksgiving was past, she'd head to Florida and wouldn't come back until the end of March, at least.

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