Friday, January 25, 2008

The Friday Five -- Winter Questions

1. What is the thermometer reading at your house this morning?

Well, hum, it was about five degrees above zero Fahrenheit. General rejoicing. It will be below zero again by Monday.

2. Snow—love it or hate it?

Love to look at it, even, at times, walk in it; but driving...makes it a real cuss.

3. What is winter like where you are?

We have two seasons, winter and road construction...no, that's just our brag. There is often permanent snow on the ground by Hallowe'en. "If your children's costumes are made to fit over snowsuits, you may be a Canadian." We often have at least one serious cold snap before Christmas, although often the worst cold comes in January or even February. I have actually seen snow falling here all 12 months of the year, but not in the same year, thanks be to God. By Christmas it is DARK -- dark when we go to work, dark again by 5 p.m. It is unwise to plant out anything but the hardiest specimens before at least the 24th of May and prudent gardeners await June 1st. Our snowfall varies wildly from winter to winter; some years the ground remains bare most of the season, other years we have had "snowbanks" higher than my head. What snow does fall is most typically light and powdery. Rarely we have a heavy "wet" snowfall of a foot or more.

4. Do you like winter sports? Any good stories?

Winter sports? you mean like cribbage and scrabble? Hey, if God had meant me to go outdoors in the winter, he would never have created the forced-air furnace. All winter sports involve falling down. And that means falling down in the snow, which is cold and wet, or falling down on the ice, which is cold and wet and HARD.

5. What is your favorite season, and why?

I do love summer. HEAT. And sun...and long, long, LONG daylight in this part of the world. And colour! Our winter is very monochromatic, although we get a lot of winter sunshine (in a near-horizontal form mostly).



Bonus: Share a favorite winter pick-me-up. A recipe, an activity, or whatever.

Well, I've often thought that HIBERNATION was an idea whose time was about due. Margaret Atwood says winter is when Canadians watch hockey and eat fat. What I like, though, is tea; or hot chocolate; or ginger tea from James Barber's book (cures early death, believe me)...you bring to the boil a cup of water or a bit more, add to it about an inch of fresh unpeeled ginger root, chopped up, a heaping tablespoonful of brown sugar, and the juice of a lemon. Throw the lemon halves in as well. Simmer it for a while. Strain and drink as hot as you can stand it...

OH and a P.S. -- sometimes we have forty below, with the aurora borealis; but sometimes we have a Chinook (pronounced sh'nook)...which is basically a Santa Ana type strong, strong, wind from the west, coming over the Rockies, warm and dry, which can raise the temperature 20 degrees in no time, erase snow, and generally make it all bearable again!

9 comments:

Unknown said...

Wow, all 12 months?

Crimson Rambler said...

Yep, including July and August (it didn't "lie" more than a few hours at most...but it was snow!)

Terri said...

wow...snow all year, or at least the potential for...I do like a little winter, but I also really like summer - warm temps and long days...

the tea sound delicious!

RevDrKate said...

Not a whole lot of difference between MN and Canada...I think the only month it hasn't snowed here is July. I am seriously going to try that tea, it sounds wonderful and warming. I am so with you on summer, AND winter driving!

Jim said...

The classic Chinook story is of the farmer who was in town when he saw the Chinook coming across the prairie. He took off east for the homestead as hard as he could go.

He managed to keep the front runner of the sleigh on snow, but the back runners were dragging in the mud and the spare horse tied to the tailgate was raising dust at every step.

Or so they say. I wasn't there, myself.

Jan said...

It's good to hear about life way up there. You have continual winter, while we have 9-10 months of summer. I'd like four seasons though. Thanks for sharing.

Rev.Dulce said...

Brrrrr.......I'm hibernating and it's barely at freezing.

Episcopollyanna said...

Yikes, that's a whole lotta snow. (shivers)

I have an award for you on my blog! :)

Diane M. Roth said...

I like your comment about hiberation...