Monday 7 December 2009

Soft snow falls

What a shock! It has snowed for days around here. It's not like we didn't expect it. But November was so dark brown and bare. That wonderful Lake Effect snow: winds gleefully picking up tons of moisture from the Great Lakes, hunkering down for a big dance across the water, tucking a ton of snow in its arms and dumping it on us. All Friday afternoon, and more this weekend.

This is what the radar shows us (right)!

The squirrels are active and sitting in the bird feeder eating their fill. You can tell they are hungry if they don't run away to store it. We knew winter was arriving soon.
And the hilarious warnings...very understated.


And we had it dumped on us!
There must be 20 cm from Friday night, and another 20 cm on Sunday. It is difficult to find accurate data of snowfall.



I shovelled the deck three times. I went into the cottage to work, and by the time I came back out I had to shovel again.

The poor angel, a gift for my mother a log time ago, is quite buried. Can you see her?
Beside her the black cedar bends and appears to have gained weight. A jolly old fat bush, arms open wide. Having lived 10 days without power in Ice Storm '98, I cannot bear to leave the snow on the branches. My neighbour laughs as I run around shaking branches, getting covered and looking like a snowwoman.

I put a cap on the feeder. The seed was soaked. Yes, it looks funny. The birds are madly feeding, chickadees, blue jays, nuthatches are flitting about. I won't be baking much with the pan on top. No matter, bad for the diet plan!  Frosty kept laughing at me, as I tried to clear the snow all off. It was all good exercise.
The bench beside the lake is a bit wet and snow covered, even sheltered under the trees. The trees groan with the weight of the snow, arms bending not breaking. (We can learn from this lesson!) The lake, very cold, has a layer of snow on top of it. Soon it will freeze! The frog pond is buried with amphibians burying themselves in the cold mud.

 

But, yet again, the Universe sent us a gift of a beautiful sunset.


11 comments:

Jain said...

So pretty, Jenn! I especially love the photo in your banner. It's two weeks away but I'll go ahead and say Happy Winter!

Bonnie Zieman, M.Ed. said...

Jenn: You are buried! Whatever you get is surely headed down the transcanada towards us. Can't wait . . . love the first big snowfall.
It's beginning to look a lot like . . .

Jenn Jilks said...

CHRISTMAS!!!!!

♪♫•*¨*•.¸¸❤¸¸.•*¨*•♫♪♪♫

Grizz………… said...

Lovely snow…winter or not.

Judy said...

Jenn, I KNOW you want to share all that white stuff, but as far as I am concerned, you can keep it! You can send the sunsets, though!!!

Carolyn said...

Your photos are so lovely Jenn and I am so looking forward to spending the winter in Ottawa with all that snow(that's what happens when you live in a land of rain for too long!). I leave tomorrow (if the seas are quiet)on the ferry and then travel by train/bus to Ottawa.
Smiles

Gaelyn said...

It is gorgeous Jenn! I think the first big fall is always the prettiest. But I have to agree with you keeping it. Love your ingenious idea of a cover for the feeder. Who needs to bake anyway. ;-)

Unknown said...

I think the snow is beautiful. I usually LOVE it until late March, then I begin longing for spring. :)

Yogi♪♪♪ said...

The snow is very lovely. Please keep it up there. We don't need any of it.

George said...

You've had a very beautiful snowfall. I like the way new snow makes everything look clean and beautiful.

Mary said...

I love the photo of the bird feeder with the angle food cake pan over it and the chickadee :-) So cute and seems to do the job. The last two photos are beautiful!