From the Weather Book

February 8
- snow!

February 9
- bright, cold, sunny day

February15
- snowy then sunny
- lovely

February 16
- gorgeous sunrise, cold morning

February 19
- lots of snow!
- mild

February 20
 - clear
- cooler, temperature drop late afternoon

February 21
- cold
- clear day

The Giant

Just like our enormous icicles of last year, we have a new crop growing.

 

I haven't measured this one yet, but I estimate it at around six feet.  Just a few more inches and it will touch the snow on the deck.

This Morning's Sunrise

A Letter to Winter

Hey Winter -

I've really enjoyed you this year.  More than ever before.  You continue to be beautiful, and for that I am grateful.

I am growing weary however, of ice, of my husband having to plow, and of more grey days than not.  I also think that I may have a slight case of the February blahs.  Totally not your fault, you're still doing a fantastic job.  Snowstorms, frigid temps, sparking snow, impressive icicles.  I'm just putting it out there.

I long for fresh breezes, melting snow, running water washing away winter grit.

While you're still here I'll admire you, enjoy you and feel nostalgic about you (my son was born in a March snowstorm), but consider yourself served. 

 This is your eviction notice.

We are officially waiting for Spring.

From the Weather Book

January 20
- -27C in morning
- overcast and gloomy all day

January 21
- snow in the morning
- sunny, clear in afternoon

January 23
- mild - 0C
- rainy most of the day

January 24
- mild again
- windy!
- my icicle is melllting!
- fluffy snow

January 28
- mild
- snow, snow, snow
- windy & wild night

January 29
 - snowed in!
- thick snow in afternoon

From the Weather Book

January 16
- 2 ft icicles on the back deck

January 17
- 0C in the morning
- snow, snow and more snow

January 18
- -20C in the morning
- 5 1/2 ft icicles on the back deck
- brilliant sunny day

January 19
- -10C in the moring
- brisk wind all day
- fantastic sunrise
- turkeys in the trees!
- snow allll day
- the icicle endures...

Icicles

I've always been fascinated by icicles. 

When I was young I thought of them as some sort of winter status symbol.  Look how wintry it is here.

I remember seeing huge arm thick, kid sized icicles on a neighbouring cottage at my grandparent's old place on Ahmic Lake.  "Whoa, impressive", my eight year old self thought.  "Now that is wintry".

That image has stuck with me through the years.  The epitome of winter.  Human habitation meets Mother nature.

Imagine my dismay when I learned that icicles forming along the eaves of a building actually signal problems with the structure.  Poorly insulated roof, heat loss, potential ice dams, the list goes on.

My winter dreams shattered as they met my practical side.  My child-like love of icicles and my type A adult self aren't seeing eye to eye on this winter status symbol.

Here on Maple Lake we have the same icicles I remember from my childhood.  And the icicles certainly are impressive.  Huge, beyond kid-sized, some 5' 6" at last measure.  They are beautiful, catching the light and colour of each sunrise over the lake.  Reflecting each perfect day.

The behemoth.  The largest icicle in this photo is 5' 6" at least.

The part of me where winter magic lives is thrilled.

The grown-up wants a new roof.