A white Christmas

Last year this part of Ontario had a green Christmas. There was snow before Christmas, but rain and higher temperatures melted it. This year was threatening to be a repeat of last year. Early last week he had plenty of snow, but warmer temperatures (anything above 0 is counted as warm) with lots of wind and some rain melted much of the snow. Thankfully mr. sub zero returned late Sunday, stopping the melt and brought some snow pellets making the countryside white again.

YAY for a white Christmas

Christmas blessings to you all as you celebrate the birth of our Saviour Jesus.

Adrian XO

Hit the slopes

Yesterday i put my season pass to Blue Mountain Resort to the test. I went with two mates skiing for the first time since the season started and my first ski in about 8 years. I didn't fall over, but today my legs are a little tired from using muscles that have not seen action for a some time. It was fun; the chilling wind on my face, the beautiful view over southern Georgian Bay from the top of the mountain and the gut wrenching terror of flying down the mountain side, legs ready to cramp up, struggling to turn and wondering what is softer, the trees or the snow? Thankfully i did survive and i look forward to mastering the slopes of Blue Mountain.

Next challenge, skating.

Adrian XO

Christmas is coming

Yesterday i went hunting and came home with prey in hand: a Christmas tree. I went out with two families and from a 2 acre block selected my tree, felled it and with help of a friends trailer took my prize home.

Me and my tree

The afternoon was also the occasion of my first snow ball fight. I came under the fire of the wily Pastor Dunlop who has a no-holes-barred approach to snow ball fighting. His sneakiness is faultless and his younger days playing baseball has given him an accurate arm. Pastors children have inherited a fare share of their fathers passion for snow warfare. When hit with canon fire from the hand of Adrian Dunlop i found that snow can indeed go up ones nose. At the end of the afternoon i had a fine Christmas tree, wet jeans, pockets full of snow and a sweat up that rendered the sub zero temperatures harmless.

The Dunlop's and their tree

Dogs love snow and the resident tree farm dog, Tucker, is a snow nut continually whining for us to throw our valuable ammunition his way so he could launch himself skyward and capture the frosty missile.

Tucker in action

Christmas is getting close and the snow is getting deeper. The famous Christmas song that talks of dreaming of a white Christmas will son be my reality. YAY for snow.

Blessings,

Adrian XO

The continued joys of snow

New experiences abound in a land where ice falls from the sky in fluffy little bits. My days starts with starting my car before scraping any ice off the windscreen and brushing the snow off the windows .

Last night i had to give my screen door handle a bang with my windscreen ice scrapper because the mechanism was frozen. Last week i felt a new record low, -13. It didn't feel so cold, the sun was shining and there was no wind: a beautiful morning. I'm told that it will get alot colder than -13.

Snow buildup on the ground is a bit of a yo yo affair. Last Thursday and Friday we had alot of snow, then on Saturday the temp lifted and it rained melting most of the snow. Then it started snowing again on Sunday and Monday. So at the moment we have about 30cm of snow. But the snow is dry so the wind blows it into piles. Just outside my kitchen window the ground is bare, but 10 metres over behind a tree there is a bank 1 metre high.

Last week i drove through my first 'white out.' The wind was blowing the snow across the road, so much so that at one point for 5 seconds all i could see was white: scary stuff. The key is to keep the steering wheel straight and slowly brake.

You know you are in Canada when you wear a toque to stop your ears from freezing. For the Aussies, that's a beanie.


Earlier on I mentioned the snow blowing roster at church. Well this is Bill Sachs blowing the snow from the church car park. For some reason Sandra chose to walk alongside of the tractor. Youthful exuberance i assume.



Winter blessings to you all,

XO Adrian