December 14th, 2010

Oh, the weather outside is frightful (sing along if you know the words…).  I don’t imagine many people enjoyed the drive to work, or wherever they had to go this morning, but the truth is, the weather is frightfully beautiful.  I love winter.

Like you, I faced a line of idling cars, truck and buses unable to move this morning in the aftermath of the recent snowfall. But on arrival at the Blair OEE Centre it was a winter wonderland. The cedars were cloaked in snow, I followed fresh fox tracks as I trudged through drifts to replenish the bird feeders, and it felt good to have a cold nose and be dressed like the Michelin Man.

I’m not sure how the proportions actually stack up, but I’m guessing there are just as many people who revel in winter weather as those who don’t. My sense is, and the climate scientists suggest, that our winters are becoming warmer overall, and that we are subject to more erratic patterns and catastrophic weather events (witness London and Sarnia, Ontario over the last few days…).

I’ve had Grade 1 classes out at Blair over the past two days with wind chill values in the low -20’s (C). They’ve come well dressed in layers, with scarves and balaclavas, and pretty much oblivious to the cold. With a little more snow, January classes will be able to pack down paths with snowshoes, and we’ll see more signs of winter wildlife – white-tailed deer, fox and coyote, and the sinuous trail of the mink along the stream bank.

Sidewalk shoveling and driving hazards aside, winter can be a sensational season for those willing to dress up against the elements. So – let it snow, let it snow, let it snow…

Vote in this  poll – Do You Like Winter?

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