Looking back in February to musings from September when I said...
Oh barf and whine! I cannot believe the leaves are already turning colour and it's only mid September. Somehow, it seems to have happened earlier this year. I guess it's because the summer was so short and things never really got seriously warmed up until July....What? We're down to three month summers now? Last year, I think it snowed to stay in October so with no real reprieve from the cold, we gave winter the lion's share of the year (like more than nine months). I for one am feeling gypped.
We wonder why some folks in other parts of the world think we live in igloos. It's getting to the point that they aren't far off! And no, we don't live in igloos or have polar bears roaming around in my part of the world. I suppose if you set your cap as the crow flies and started walking true North, you would eventually hit the barren tundra with all that entails. But I for one have no intention of going to that extreme any time soon.
This year, it's been a pretty good winter in Saskatchewan...didn't snow til mid November and we've only had a handful of bitter cold....not too much to shovel, but even so...we're getting antsy for Spring...whine, whine and snivel! In two days it went from -32 C with a 20 mph wind to today where it was -1 with a wind. No wonder people have colds and flu...just when you're dressed for the Arctic, you start to sweat and vice versa! It wasn't such a picnic for those who live in the Maritimes though. They had so much snow in some cases, they couldn't find their cars or open their front doors for snow piled high. On the West coast, in some parts of B.C., it's been such a dry winter, there's no snow, and they're already worrying about fire season.
Oh well, such is life and it could be worse. Don't you hate those Canadian phrases? We could live where they have earthquakes, tsunamies, cyclones, hurricanes, and tornados. So! We do have tornados, but they aren't nearly as widespread or as devastating as some places. Our severest weather tends to dip past either end of the thermometer. In summer, it can get brutally hot and drum up a wild rain storm with thunder and lightning in no time flat. In the midst of everything, it can cool right down, go deathly still, then come around with vengeful, damaging winds and hail. Plow winds are pretty common in this part of the world and they play havoc with uprooting trees and throwing anything around that isn't nailed down. Steel bins, trampolines, dog houses and you-name-it are found all over creation when it's all said and done. In the winter, snow storms can turn into blinding blizzards, but worse yet is the frigid, relentless deep freeze enhanced by a wind chill...I'm told that if you're considering whether to plug your vehicle in, you don't have to factor in the wind chill. Hmmm....does that make sense to anybody?
Back to September it would seem...and a reminder of how it was...
I noticed for the first time this morning on my drive to work that suddenly there are certain trees that shivered overnight and dropped their leaves. The bright yellow colours contrast beautifully against the sharp green carpet of grass laying below. It's not yet cold enough to see your breath at that time of day, so those frosty fingers of cold must creep in long after dark to coax the leaves off and to do their dirty work. They are like chameleons as they make like a tree and leave... as quickly as they came. The days are warm this week, with temperatures hitting the mid twenties. We used to call this Indian Summer, but that's not likely politically correct anymore. Driving downhill on Ravine Drive you get to see the river basin in all its glory and head on. The view is breathtaking all year long, but best in the Fall, with the tapestry of fire-like colours -crimsons, oranges and yellows. Every day I want to stop and take a picture and every day I say, "tomorrow".
What a fool....now in February, I could stop and take pictures of the blanket of white snow and the beautiful frozen landscape with trees that glitter and tinkle in the sun and wind. But soon, I might be able to catch the tiny little window of opportunity when on the river the ice starts to break up and in chunks it drops, drops, drops over the weir....That is one of the most mesmerzing natural events to witness. I hope you get a chance to be taken in and held spellbound too come about March or April...
My uncle passed away on Valentine's Day. I think he planned it as a day nobody would forget! He was 79 and had been ill and hospitalized for several months. Those who knew him wouldn't be able to help remembering him in his prime. As someone said, if you ever met him, you would never forget him. My son and I had driven to Regina for his funeral. It had rained overnight and left the highway a complete sheet of ice between Davidson and Lumsden. I expect nearer the two big cities, they had salted the roads, but in-between, no. Luckily we were in his gigantic black Chev Silverado truck with enormous tires and 4x4 and all the other bells and whistles. Not that those things will stop you from sliding if you're going to, but they did seem to help. Not to mention my son was an awesome driver. :-)
We drove past vehicle after vehicle in the ditch...some on their rooftops and with police tape wrapped around the entire vehicle....more than one I'm afraid. Some still had the driver sitting there...one was a semi trailer unit pulling extra trailers and unable to get up a mere approach...To the rescue came a big, big loader with a bucket full of sand to help with traction. We also saw a huge yellow snowplow dump truck sitting there, obviously slid off the edge of the road and stuck in a snowbank. We didn't see any graders in that sense of the word, I expect the trucks with the ability to haul something and having a big blade are a smarter way to go.
At the funeral, we were late, but were able to be there for the last half hour of the service plus join the slow trek to the cemetery. The sun had come out by this time, even though it was still snowing very lightly. While standing at the graveside with bowed heads, we could feel the snow pelting down the backs of our necks. It was a short, but wet and cold reminder that the elments generally win given half a chance.. Or was it Uncle Lionel? He used to play the most awful pranks on me....like putting an ice cube down the back of my neck to wake me up if I was sleeping in....that is exactly what it felt like! Regardless, Uncle Lionel had a lovely service and we were glad to be able to attend.
That reminds me of a story about Uncle Lionel. He was a great outdoorsman, fisherman, hunter, etc. When I was a teenager, I would go and live with their family in the summers to help work in their confectionary. I remember him spending hour after hour diligently sewing a canvas-type tent trailer to fit on the back of their truck. The family was going camping and those tent trailers were becoming popular in our part of the world it seemed. It was the late 1960's I guess. The day came and he meticulously erected the camper tent on the back of the truck...loaded up the family and off they went for points unknown, at least by me. I was left to watch the store and my other uncle was bringing my cousin to stay with me. It wasn't an hour later that the little group was back. Lo and behold, the tent had blown off the back of the truck when they started down the highway....
I tried not to smile and my aunt tried not to laugh or say I told you so... That did not stop my uncle....he went back to the sewing machine....made the necessary repairs and soon they were gone again. I never did know if he folded the tent and laid it in the back of the truck or what, but I can imagine. I was too busy trying the Tipped Old Port Cigarellos...drinking pop and eating chocolate bars...
One thing about going to the other side, at least for Uncle Lionel he will be received into the company of a great number of his old hunting and fishing buddies. My dad, uncle Jerry, grandpa, Merton and Donald to name a few. He and dad used to argue about the best way to cook eggs in the hunting shack if you can imagine...Now they will be able to sort that out, I'm sure!
Oh barf and whine! I cannot believe the leaves are already turning colour and it's only mid September. Somehow, it seems to have happened earlier this year. I guess it's because the summer was so short and things never really got seriously warmed up until July....What? We're down to three month summers now? Last year, I think it snowed to stay in October so with no real reprieve from the cold, we gave winter the lion's share of the year (like more than nine months). I for one am feeling gypped.
We wonder why some folks in other parts of the world think we live in igloos. It's getting to the point that they aren't far off! And no, we don't live in igloos or have polar bears roaming around in my part of the world. I suppose if you set your cap as the crow flies and started walking true North, you would eventually hit the barren tundra with all that entails. But I for one have no intention of going to that extreme any time soon.
This year, it's been a pretty good winter in Saskatchewan...didn't snow til mid November and we've only had a handful of bitter cold....not too much to shovel, but even so...we're getting antsy for Spring...whine, whine and snivel! In two days it went from -32 C with a 20 mph wind to today where it was -1 with a wind. No wonder people have colds and flu...just when you're dressed for the Arctic, you start to sweat and vice versa! It wasn't such a picnic for those who live in the Maritimes though. They had so much snow in some cases, they couldn't find their cars or open their front doors for snow piled high. On the West coast, in some parts of B.C., it's been such a dry winter, there's no snow, and they're already worrying about fire season.
Oh well, such is life and it could be worse. Don't you hate those Canadian phrases? We could live where they have earthquakes, tsunamies, cyclones, hurricanes, and tornados. So! We do have tornados, but they aren't nearly as widespread or as devastating as some places. Our severest weather tends to dip past either end of the thermometer. In summer, it can get brutally hot and drum up a wild rain storm with thunder and lightning in no time flat. In the midst of everything, it can cool right down, go deathly still, then come around with vengeful, damaging winds and hail. Plow winds are pretty common in this part of the world and they play havoc with uprooting trees and throwing anything around that isn't nailed down. Steel bins, trampolines, dog houses and you-name-it are found all over creation when it's all said and done. In the winter, snow storms can turn into blinding blizzards, but worse yet is the frigid, relentless deep freeze enhanced by a wind chill...I'm told that if you're considering whether to plug your vehicle in, you don't have to factor in the wind chill. Hmmm....does that make sense to anybody?
Back to September it would seem...and a reminder of how it was...
I noticed for the first time this morning on my drive to work that suddenly there are certain trees that shivered overnight and dropped their leaves. The bright yellow colours contrast beautifully against the sharp green carpet of grass laying below. It's not yet cold enough to see your breath at that time of day, so those frosty fingers of cold must creep in long after dark to coax the leaves off and to do their dirty work. They are like chameleons as they make like a tree and leave... as quickly as they came. The days are warm this week, with temperatures hitting the mid twenties. We used to call this Indian Summer, but that's not likely politically correct anymore. Driving downhill on Ravine Drive you get to see the river basin in all its glory and head on. The view is breathtaking all year long, but best in the Fall, with the tapestry of fire-like colours -crimsons, oranges and yellows. Every day I want to stop and take a picture and every day I say, "tomorrow".
What a fool....now in February, I could stop and take pictures of the blanket of white snow and the beautiful frozen landscape with trees that glitter and tinkle in the sun and wind. But soon, I might be able to catch the tiny little window of opportunity when on the river the ice starts to break up and in chunks it drops, drops, drops over the weir....That is one of the most mesmerzing natural events to witness. I hope you get a chance to be taken in and held spellbound too come about March or April...
My uncle passed away on Valentine's Day. I think he planned it as a day nobody would forget! He was 79 and had been ill and hospitalized for several months. Those who knew him wouldn't be able to help remembering him in his prime. As someone said, if you ever met him, you would never forget him. My son and I had driven to Regina for his funeral. It had rained overnight and left the highway a complete sheet of ice between Davidson and Lumsden. I expect nearer the two big cities, they had salted the roads, but in-between, no. Luckily we were in his gigantic black Chev Silverado truck with enormous tires and 4x4 and all the other bells and whistles. Not that those things will stop you from sliding if you're going to, but they did seem to help. Not to mention my son was an awesome driver. :-)
We drove past vehicle after vehicle in the ditch...some on their rooftops and with police tape wrapped around the entire vehicle....more than one I'm afraid. Some still had the driver sitting there...one was a semi trailer unit pulling extra trailers and unable to get up a mere approach...To the rescue came a big, big loader with a bucket full of sand to help with traction. We also saw a huge yellow snowplow dump truck sitting there, obviously slid off the edge of the road and stuck in a snowbank. We didn't see any graders in that sense of the word, I expect the trucks with the ability to haul something and having a big blade are a smarter way to go.
At the funeral, we were late, but were able to be there for the last half hour of the service plus join the slow trek to the cemetery. The sun had come out by this time, even though it was still snowing very lightly. While standing at the graveside with bowed heads, we could feel the snow pelting down the backs of our necks. It was a short, but wet and cold reminder that the elments generally win given half a chance.. Or was it Uncle Lionel? He used to play the most awful pranks on me....like putting an ice cube down the back of my neck to wake me up if I was sleeping in....that is exactly what it felt like! Regardless, Uncle Lionel had a lovely service and we were glad to be able to attend.
That reminds me of a story about Uncle Lionel. He was a great outdoorsman, fisherman, hunter, etc. When I was a teenager, I would go and live with their family in the summers to help work in their confectionary. I remember him spending hour after hour diligently sewing a canvas-type tent trailer to fit on the back of their truck. The family was going camping and those tent trailers were becoming popular in our part of the world it seemed. It was the late 1960's I guess. The day came and he meticulously erected the camper tent on the back of the truck...loaded up the family and off they went for points unknown, at least by me. I was left to watch the store and my other uncle was bringing my cousin to stay with me. It wasn't an hour later that the little group was back. Lo and behold, the tent had blown off the back of the truck when they started down the highway....
I tried not to smile and my aunt tried not to laugh or say I told you so... That did not stop my uncle....he went back to the sewing machine....made the necessary repairs and soon they were gone again. I never did know if he folded the tent and laid it in the back of the truck or what, but I can imagine. I was too busy trying the Tipped Old Port Cigarellos...drinking pop and eating chocolate bars...
One thing about going to the other side, at least for Uncle Lionel he will be received into the company of a great number of his old hunting and fishing buddies. My dad, uncle Jerry, grandpa, Merton and Donald to name a few. He and dad used to argue about the best way to cook eggs in the hunting shack if you can imagine...Now they will be able to sort that out, I'm sure!
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