Friday, December 28, 2012

Snowpocalypse


Let's get this out of the way: I LOVE winter. I LOVE a good snowstorm. I LOVE to be outside in the winter, snowshoeing, cross-country skiing, walking, whatever (but I make sure I am properly dressed for the cold!) My fellow winter-lovers understand, but the rest of the world thinks I'm insane.

Maybe it's because I was born in January in Toronto (back when Toronto still had a real winter.) I dunno. But I LOVE winter. So when we got hammered with a big bad snowstorm yesterday (after it swept across the USA), I was HAPPY.

Things were already piling up on my kitchen window in the morning...



The picnic table slowly disappeared as the day went on...




The birds were ravenous! I went out a couple of times to fill feeders and spread seed. Emily was thrilled.



When I looked out yesterday morning and couldn't see the fields beyond the white spruce, I knew a good storm was revving up.



We had so many birds in our yard, including lots and lots of hungry Redpolls...



Things were pretty deep behind the barn at midday.



Not so deep behind the garage, but the bees were safe and warm...



Tristan was not impressed...



But Emily and Naomi spent just about the entire day in my office, birdwatching. Nothing like Bird TV...


Yes, I switched the plants on the windowsill. Emily wanted to eat the buds on my orchids, which are going to bloom soon, so I took them away.



A beautiful pair of Cardinals have been hanging around. It was hard to get a good shot through the snowy window, but here's the lovely male:



The cats continued to birdwatch...




And it continued to snow well into the evening. The picnic table is still disappearing...





We went out to tuck in the ducks and chickens, who were locked in the barn all day and were quite content.



Then our knight in shining tractor showed up. Bernie is a farmer on our road. We pay him to blow the snow out of our laneway. The amazing thing is, he does this backwards...


Here's a video of the expert in action:






All clear!



By my measurements, we got about a foot of snow yesterday.





The lump next to the tree is a little boxwood shrub.


Gordon had to shovel out in front of the garage doors.



And still the snow kept falling!


This morning...


...it's sunny and crisp. But I don't think the cats will be using their cage anytime soon!


And here are two photos for comparison...


Yesterday morning.


This morning!

A fine start to winter.

55 comments:

  1. I LOVE winter, too! I wish we got some snow (well, we were lucky this year as we got 15 cm overnight) but it rarely snows on the Mediterranean coast. Maybe if we did get more snow I might not like it that much. I love the silence it brings, the brighntess and the peacefulness. I love a cold and bright day. My only concern are the stray animals and that kind of ruins it for me.

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    1. I do worry about the animals. ANy stray cats could find shelter in our barn and granary; that's where I found Emily the kitten last January! But it is so much harder for them in winter.

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  2. Reminds me of my childhood in upstate New York. We always had some major snow before Christmas. We rarely had schools close, and never failed to get in the car and go somewhere if that's what our intentions had been before the storm.

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    1. We are of course very close to upstate NY! They are great about clearing the roads here.

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  3. This is starting out to be a very snowy winter. Two-thirds of the US is covered with snow already. I used to love winter back in the days when our family went snowmobiling but now the fear of slipping and falling takes all the fun out of getting outdoors.

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    1. Yes, that's definitely a concern. I still bounce... I think yoga helps. I hate ice though. Snow I can get traction on. I have some of those studded things you put on your boots for when it's icy.

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  4. So much for my town getting the worst of it - you got twice as much as we did!

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    1. They said Cornwall got 50cm! We didn't get quite that but it was close. You notice it more in the nearby town, because it drifts so much on the farm that it's hard to know how much fell.

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  5. Wow, and I'm happy with the couple of inches we've got! I love the two bird watching cats!

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    1. They are having a blast every day with that!

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  6. Wow! Here is so hot!!! Awesome!

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  7. A good snowstorm is great - as long as you don't have to drive anywhere in it, or wait in an airport because everything is delayed by it (which is what happened to me yesterday). It is so nice to walk around watching the world turn white, or view the transformation of your yard from the warmth and safety inside your house - as your wonderful photos show.

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    1. This is true. I love storms, but I definitely don't want to have to leave the house in one!!!

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  8. I tell ya, Knatolee, you make me wish I were there to enjoy that gorgeous snow! So glad you got your lovely white winter. I do believe with all the bird thrills, your cats aren't much missing their outside cage. Especially when they have a cozy cap to watch bird tv in. LOOOVE those night scenes!!

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    1. They seem quite content with their indoor bird-watching. :) It's so pretty outside right now, and we are supposed to get a little more snow today.

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  9. Lots snow here, too. The only part I didn't like was shovelling my way into the chicken coop.

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    1. Ugh, I hear ya sister. I was shovelling behind the barn so that I could open the doors.

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  10. That was fun! It was like watching that snow happen all over again! Weee! My lady was wondering how people with snow blowers on their tractors work...now she knows! Backwards! I was kind of grumpy with that cold and snow but my lady gives us extra to eat...YUMMY!

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    1. It amazes me how good they are at snowblowing backwards!

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  11. I'm with Ms. Sparrow. Going down is the problem. It's not the bones I worry about, it's getting up again. Ain't that awful! That said, it is beautiful, and you just enjoy away!

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    1. If there's enough snow, your fall will be cushioned! ;)

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  12. Now that's what I call snow! If we had a quarter of that much over here the whole country would be at a standstill.

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    1. I can believe it! But we are so prepared for this stuff. We ended up with a good foot of snow by Thursday night. Friday morning, all the roads were cleared and I was out driving, no problem. We have lots of snowploughs and road salt and everyone knows what to do. It's taking them a bit longer to clear the snow in Montreal, though. They got 45 cm! It's harder to clear when you're manoeuvring around parked cars and such.

      http://www.montrealgazette.com/news/montreal/Snowstorm+wasn+police/7752584/story.html

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  13. There's something so comforting about snowstorms (as long as you're home safe and not traveling!). We've hardly had any snow since our big storm in February of 2011. But the little snow we've had recently I've actually enjoyed. I can't believe I typed that! Me enjoying snow is...odd. Must be a phase.

    Great pics Natalie!

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    1. Glad you're enjoying the snow! I wouldn't want to be stuck in an airport when stuff like this hits...

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  14. Beautiful photos. I was born in June. No need to say more.

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  15. Beautiful pictures with a lot of snow. The cats are so cute when they are birdwatching.

    Hugs

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  16. It reminds me of the morning (in the 60s) we had 1/2 inch of snow in Houston, Texas. The highway and the whole city closed!

    Great video. Just think of both of you having to shovel that lane!

    Love the round back of the cats watching birds eating. They probably think you're fattening their future food.

    I miss the winters of my Montreal youth. Toronto is so dull and gray. thank you for sharing this wonderful storm.

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    1. I loved winters in Montreal (I lived there for three years.) It was magical!

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  17. I'd prefer to look at pretty pictures of snow than be living in it.
    Chris is putting the snowblower on our tractor right now...I think I'll be snowblowing tomorrow.
    Jane x

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  18. Anonymous6:02 pm

    I am so jealous! We are still parched here in central Texas. I would gladly take 0.0001% of the snow you received. (I think...I'm bad at math, so that probably wouldn't amount to much. But, whatever.) Love your photos, especially the one of the house all lit up at night with the snow falling. Would make a great Christmas card.

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    1. You had such a dry summer. :( Hope you get some precipitation soon!

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  19. Great photos, especially the ones at night!

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    1. They turned out better than I thought they would!

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  20. I wanted a cup of hot cocoa just looking at your photos! Brrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr! Stay warm and I wish I could send some muffins your way, my little snow bunny friend, XOXO

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    1. Mmmm, muffins!! And Gordon made me cocoa last night. :)

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  21. This will be making up for winter's absence last year. You had a lot of fun taking snow shots at night. You make it sound funny but there are moments when it gets to be too much.

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    1. I'm just glad we have someone reliable to clear out our laneway, otherwise we'd be stuck!

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  22. My worst nightmare. Still none here.... fingers crossed!

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    1. There there, you're far away from this mess! Me, I'm going snowshoeing!

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  23. I'm soooooooo envious! I LOVE big snow!!!!!!! very magestic!
    Those poor little birds! I'm glad you're feeding them.

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    1. It is SO pretty right now! Sparkly sparkly sparkly!

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  24. Oh, my goodness! That is WAY too much snow for me! I was born in January too - and that's why I hate snow - it always found a way to ruin my birthday parties!!

    Lovely snow pics, tho and the cardinal is lovely! T.

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    1. I figured my January theory was totally bogus... hahahaha!

      I just LOVE cardinals, especially when they stand out against the white snow. A beautiful spot of colour in a grey winter...

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  25. I love being cozy inside on wintery day =)
    Love the cardinals
    and your kitties watching bird TV!

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  26. I just love those shots of the cats 'bird-watching'. Looks like they would have forgone an actual meal just to continue imagining the one outside their window! You have such a lovely property! Oh and it appears that the backward snowplow is the way they do it here too. We watch our neighbour's lane way get ploughed out that way every other day.

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    1. It's hard to tear them away from that window. THey are obsessed.

      I can't imagine snowplowing backwards... he makes it look so easy.

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  27. Anonymous7:14 am

    That's amazing! Living in South Africa we just don't get to see snow like that!

    I love you kitties watching Bird TV, we also have a kitty TV in the form of a fishtank!

    Happy New Year!

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Thank you for all your comments, which I love to read!