Canadian Welcome

It seems there is cold weather everywhere these days, but that doesn’t make it any easier for us here in Ontario. No matter how many winters I’ve lived through, I still don’t like it. Although I do like the snow and when it isn’t too cold I enjoy how fresh the air feels. So how can we deal with the cold other than fly south every winter or stay in the house for months until it warms up?

Here are some coping tips I’ve found, please comment and I can add yours to the list:

• dress in layers – a t-shirt, then a long sleeve sweater, then your coat. I also wear long johns or tights under my jeans on really cold days.
• warm, thick socks and boots that are warm and not too tight
• if the boots are a bit higher, the snow can’t get inside them
• a warm hat to cover your ears and keep the body warmth inside
• a nice thick scarf that you can pull over your face if needed
• snowpants over regular jeans if you will be outside for a long time
• warm mittens or gloves. I find that mitts keep my hands warmer but are clumsy for driving. And wool mittens are best if you can get them.
• a coat that’s long enough to keep you warm but doesn’t restrict your movements
• a wool coat keeps you warmest. One year I paid a lot of money for one that was a nylony material with fur inside and it was terrible. The cloth didn’t breathe, so it was either too hot or too cold.
• Have a lot of warm, nutritious soups and hot, comforting foods

Now I’m off for some homemade soup. How do you survive the cold?

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Yesterday, I took my three year old grandson to see the CPR Holiday Train. There were loads of people at the station since there were some local entertainers on board who performed during the stopover.

We were encouraged to bring donations of canned goods for the food bank (an organization that gives free food to people in need). There were also hot apple cider and hot dogs available for a small donation of money.

The atmosphere was quite festive and I tried to take a video, but it was so cold my fingers weren’t pushing the camera controls very well. I ended up with a lot of clips of the ground and people’s feet. But I did manage to find a video online that shows the holiday train in motion, decorated with hundreds of lights.

CPR holiday train

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Fall, otherwise known as autumn, has come to southern Ontario. The leaves on many of the trees are turning beautiful shades of red and orange. Standing beside the evergreens, they create an amazing canvas of colour. Imagine a forest of red, orange, and green stretching across the landscape. People love to drive in the country this time of year, just to see the changing colours. It’s a photographer’s dream.

The air is cool and crisp both mornings and evenings – jacket weather for sure. Then in the afternoon, the sun often makes it feel almost like a summer day. It’s best to dress in layers when going outside this time of year. Then you can be prepared for those changes in temperature.

Fall even smells different. It’s a smell I can’t describe and always reminds me of our camping trips. Maybe it’s the odor of fireplaces and the crisp, clean air that bring images of campfires and tents in the woods.

I complain about the heat during the summer and the cold in the winter. But autumn in Ontario is just about perfect.

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It may still look like winter here, but I am definitely seeing some signs of spring.

First, the usual signs: the snow is beginning to melt, creating little rivers all over the roads and sidewalks and flooding some basements. The Canada Geese are flying back, after a long vacation in the south.

Then there is also the sound of music. Loud music, blasting from the speakers of cars. Cars driving by on the road, with windows rolled down so everyone can listen, whether they want to or not. Cars parked in driveways, with their owners fixing them or washing them, also with windows rolled down.

As you can tell, this is the sign of spring I am less fond of. I prefer to listen to my own style of music.

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lots of snow

For those of you who didn’t believe me, this is a picture of the snow outside my house. Here is is, the second week of March, and no relief from the cold and snow in sight. It’s been snowing steady since yesterday and the weatherman is predicting up to 50 centimeters in some areas.

Spring will be very welcome this year.

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