So it would appear that February got missed from the blog. I am going to remedy this and although it is March I am posting photos from last month and so not to confuse you, I can assure you that yes in deed it does snow in both! months. Which is what happened this morning, or rather last night into this morning. I know we live in Canada, it is only to be expected and yet somehow we are caught of and added to that don't like it. Yes, that's right we don't like snow. And yes I have heard that others would simply "love to live where it snowed" "Really? " I reply. I am amazed that this is even uttered out loud the snow bit and then I look at the uninformed face and wonder, do I shatter their illusions and tell them how horrible it is and that there are a million differing forms of the snowy situation and that really it's another added struggle to your day.
Take today, Monday the bin/garbage emptying day, that's the blue box, for paper and plastic, the blue box for plastic clams, tins and glass, the compost bin, for bagged compost (from the house) and then every other week the big black bin for rubbish\garbage. Then every other week of collection of the garbage and no that doesn't include every week collection you have to work out 'big pick up' (not as exciting as it sounds!) and you can put out anything from a sofa to dishwasher to be collected. You should be exhausted by now, I normally am after breaking down the cardboard (they have to have it flat pack and thanks to cardboard from dreaded amazon! there is always a pile in the house) for the recycling and then it snows!
First you have to ascertain blower or shovel, getting help or can you quickly clear on your own. For the record you can never clear on your own and I normally realise that halfway through shoveling the drive and then there is the pavement/sidewalk and the path to the front door for the mailman/ postie. I have to clear the snow before I take the bins out and can't walk on it! because if you do that you have snow like cement freeze into handy ice pads on the drive of where you walked. Yes thoroughly exhausting and that is all before you get your breakfast......Yes it's devine living in a place with snow. But today the sun shone and the birds sang and a little helper came out to lend a hand and all was good in the world today in the place where it snows and by the end of the March only snowdrops have dared to show themselves.
And on with the photos from February.......
February is the time of some melt and we get ice. Me personally I got an ice jam on my roof and had a front door having water seeping and dripping in and around that. What that means is that we could hardly open the door! Luckily we have another door to enter the house. #love snow!
But the ice on the plants can be most beautiful
This is taken from the window in Lily's office next to our shop. We were assessing the drive home that night and we looked at the snow and the reduced visibility and decided to take it slowly. But there is something wonderfully dreary about this mundane picture. Those tower blocks more often than not are in a sky of blue with pigeons wheeling around them.
That's the front garden taken from a clever angle to make it look like It is a park! You wouldn't think there was a road 4 lanes on it on the other side!
And Freedom Convoy arrives in Waterloo and the clever people at city hall use their snowplows to block the road off so they can't annoy us
They gathered but as you can see not that many
They even blocked a side street where the freight train comes through. Yes! that's right, a freight train comes through here
Snowy streets
and abandoned mittens
Squirrels Nest!
and more melted situation
Hard to think this is a main thoroughfare
The icicles are a bit fab
I love the juxtaposition of this, the summery porch curtains, in the hope of summer then that and the ice curtain that formed
This is ice blobs on a tree
Don't stand under this icicle!
Oh and more dumps of snow, that was definitely a snow blower day and Mr Dames operating it
Just incredible formations on the houses that get some sun in the day
Yes that's hats on fence posts and a drift that is pretty darn high
Lovely clouds
and the sun resting for another day
It is true, Squirrels bark and this is what this one was doing!
Flowers do actually get you through winter, we just buy them!
I love this Ranunculus, just wowow!!! The layers and these beauties kept on giving for a couple of weeks.
Argh it snowed and this time it is much deeper....
Just so much of the stuff! That would be the four lane road that is always plowed....not being done as it was such a big dump to clear. I've never known that living here
and Mr Squirrel foraging under the bird feeder
Beautiful Junco. That is definitely a huge plus with snowiness, we get Juncos in Winter (and yes they haven't left yet a month later)
I sort of love the orange blocks of colour they really are quite lovely to see in Winter and that sun obscured by the snow clouds. There is a lot to see in this little picture and as you walk past the tree has a host of sparrows in it and they chatter.
As are the leaves that stay with us
Winding streets in snow and lovely Narnia Lamp
I decided that it was such an amazing evening that Isaac and I had to walk around the block. Which we did but the wind was so strong and it was blowing the snow in this amazing way as the sun went down. That's what the fuzziness is
It was like a white desert
and as the sun disappeared all was calm again
I just love this colour, it is my favorite and weeping willows do this splendid show in winter of it. I often see it but normally as I am driving and can't take a picture of it. So this time a special trip to Stratford to see the river frozen and the beginnings of melt and was treated to the weeping willows show
and of course the pavements were covered in water puddles but it gave this lovely reflective surface
Those bits of colour are really rather lovely
And then it rained and didn't snow and the water out of this down spout shows it was a lot of rain!!!!
Another moment to pause and enjoy the beautiful orchid I was given
Lovely Blue Jay visiting the feeder. The back of the Blue Jay has perfect markings and all shaded of blue
And little Junco contemplating food.
But sunset can be astounding at this time of the year
They say February is a short month, I didn't notice but it is lovely to see the birds and hear them and that we can be warm inside and know that the snow will eventually melt! and yes buying flowers and finding joy! in all those little things.