Tag: Winter

Frigid beauty

taken and posted with the PlayBook

Faye and I took a quick anniversary getaway to the sunny, warm south . . . all the way to Leamington, Ontario.  *grin* We stayed in a very good B&B, stopped at a winery, treated ourselves to an excellent dinner out.

We also did a little walking at Point Pelee National Park, walking to the southernmost point of mainland Canada. The Point, where this photo was taken, was jacketed in ice and snow. We did not linger, given the ~50 kph wind and ~minus 25C wind chill. Yet there is a stark, austere beauty here. A soltary, lonely beauty. We were there at about 3pm and saw only two sets of tracks left by people similarly hardy and adventurous.

image

Art, underfoot

Snow, collecting on the deck boards.

It’s bitterly cold. About minus 13 Celsius, wind chill minus 25. Winter brings different rhythms, different harmonies, different melodies to the ear and eye. Difficult though it may be, and is, to appreciate the music, it’s important to be open, to accept, the different tune.

DSCF5315 - Copy

Art, overhead

Snow, collecting on the roof of our shed.

DSCF5317 - Copy

Memory and anticipation

Although our first snow has melted, the memory remains. The anticipation of more hangs in my mind. More snow is coming, winter is coming, and I will do my best to embrace both.

DSCF5145 - Copy

Suspended, Lambton County

Suspended, Lambton County

Suspended between the deep sleep, the rest period of winter and the animation, the activity of spring, this field awaits the planter.

Burst of energy

Burst of energy

Wild creatures endured, survived, a long, snowy, arduous winter. It felt good to be able to help a few of them. Now that spring is here they are bursting with energy and activity. There are nests to build, breeding partners to find and mate with, eggs to lay, hatchlings to nurture. The nyger seed feeder is visited throughout the day as the Goldfinches fuel themselves for this time.

Another harbinger

Another harbinger

We live on (under) the Tundra Swans’ flyway between their wintering grounds on the US East Coast and their summer home in Canadian North. We eagerly anticipate seeing them every year, and our first sighting was almost two weeks ago. Beautiful, majestic birds, bringing inspiration and hope after a long and hard winter.

Eek! It’s leeks!

Eek! It's leeks!

Faye started leek seeds a while ago, in anticipation of spring. Once they became too large to remain in their seed starting pods, she transplanted them into these milk bags, which she had saved for this purpose. Of course spring is not here yet, though when it does arrive these seedlings will be ready to go outside. In fact they are already – Faye put them in our portable greenhouse, where it’s about 10C even though the ambient temperature is about -6C.

We also have two Tiny Tim tomato seedlings, which we will pot and put outside hoping for an early harvest – perhaps in late June.

All are flanked by our African Violets, which have added colour and cheer to this long, cold, snowy winter.

Waiting

Waiting

This Mourning Dove waited for the right time to flutter to the ground and feed. It’s been a tough winter for songbirds and for all wildlife. I’m gratified to have been able to provide a little help for them. Like the birds, we wait for the snow to melt, wait for plants to begin greening, wait for spring.

Not done yet

Not done yet

It’s about 6C today, sun is out now. A pleasant day.

Winter will remind us tomorrow that it’s not done, not gone yet. Snow begins overnight, perhaps 15cm by tomorrow night, strong north winds, temperature dropping throughout the day. We mewling humans cannot change this by one jot or iota. What we can do is to prepare physically, mentally, spiritually, and to accept what is coming. We don’t have to like it, we can grumble. We don’t have to prepare or even accept. I think it’s best to do so.

It’s good to be reminded that we are not all-powerful, to accept with grace our insignificance, to be humbled.