Truly Winter

We are experiencing a blast of arctic air to start this week.  From Ontario to the Maritimes we are cranking up the heat and donning extra sweaters.  I'm sure some of you south of the border are probably feeling a little numb in your toes as well.  Yesterday morning I was cruelly awoke at 6am, shivering.  We use wood heat in this house and if there's no fire, there's no heat.  My nice cozy bedroom suddenly felt like a walk in freezer.  When I turned on the television I found out why.  The temperature had dropped to minus 20 degrees celcius overnight and the wind was blowing at 70 kilometers per hour.  Add the wind chill and we were looking at minus 32 degrees.  Winter has arrived. 

While we're still in the depths of a freeze, today has been downright balmy compared to yesterday.  A mere minus 14 degrees and little wind meant I could venture out of doors without worrying whether my extremities might fall off.  So I decided to take advantage of a little afternoon sunshine and walk about the yard.  The garden looks so different in this winter landscape.

Looking at the apple orchard I noticed how closely the trees are growing together.  Their branches intermingle even when devoid of leaves.  More pruning will need to take place in the coming month.

The young trees that we planted last spring are the only plants to remain standing under the fallen snow.

Some are only able to just poke their heads out from under their cover.

The flower bed at the front door is barely discernable under the carpet of white.  I will need to mark its borders when it's complete so that I can avoid walking right through it in the coming winters.



The hedgerow that is so imposing in summer, standing as high as me and full of goldenrod, is battered in winter.  Only a few dried stalks remain.

Some time in the future I would love to see more shrubs planted in this hedge so that we have a year round break between us and the field behind.  It would help with the drifting snow and wind.

Gino, our sometimes house cat has become so frustrated and bored with the indoors that he begged to come out with me today.  He made it all the way out onto the porch where Priscilla came to greet him.

 

But life as a snow cat is not to be.  After less than 5 minutes he was whining at the door and is now safely tucked up on my bed fast asleep.  The ferals, Priscilla and FunnyFace, soldier on despite the cold.  They warmed themselves in the afternoon sunshine and then retreated to their lodgings in the garage.  There, in a bed of straw, they are safe from the chilling winds.  I too have retreated indoors to my warm fire. 

Waiting for spring.