Saturday, March 15, 2014

The Longest Winter Ever

I wouldn't be surprised if you thought I had simply given up and run away.  I have been seriously thinking about that.  Packing up my bags and heading somewhere tropical where there is no work, no school and no snow.


Scenes like this are no longer slightly amusing, they are simply disheartening.  I feel like we're been on a winter roller coaster for months now with no end in sight.  Temperatures drop to bone chilling minus double digits for a week, then rise and a snow storm blows in, then drop again and repeat.  Fires must be stocked, paths must be shoveled, even the garbage cans must be routinely dug out of the snow.  This is officially the worst winter we have had since moving to PEI. 

Today is a good day though.  The temperature has risen from -12 degree celsius overnight to a balmy +4 degrees. 

there's a compost bin at the end of this path
On days like this I feel like there is some hope.  Spring is around the corner so they tell me.  The sun certainly feels warmer this past week.  Almost warm enough to melt the ice off the trees.


I will concede that the island has never looked prettier when it lit up like a jewel in the morning sun after an ice storm.

Ice covered trees are beautiful
It helped to ease my frustration when I realized that my gas cap was frozen solid under a sheet of ice and I was out of gas.

Ice covered cars are NOT beautiful.
To help with the cabin fever I am focusing on spring.  Seeds arrived in the post this week.  Lovely packets full of dreams of green things.  I am taking the spring semester off from school this year. A break from the stress and time to work in my garden.  I am longing for the day when I finally see grass and can get out my shovel.

In the meantime Rick Mercer helps bring a little levity to the situation and helps keep me sane.  Enjoy.



35 comments:

elaine said...

Wow - when you get snow you certainly get snow. I can understand it getting you down - but spring will come eventually and the seed sowing season will lift your spirits.

Gardeningbren said...

It is the longest winter ever...sigh..sigh...sigh. But, under the coldframe the other day, with the sun beating down, it was positively steaming. Incredible. Next week..it will be better.

WWSn.

Lisa at Greenbow said...

This is the longest winter. Your winter is so much more severe than ours and I am sick of this. ha... Hang in there. It is bound to get better. Here today it is 60F. Whooo hooo... I cleaned the car. I laughed when I saw the video. So true. Of course tomorrow they are predicting 2 inches of snow. Winter isn't giving up easily.

Marguerite said...

Elaine, the irony of the snowfall that buried our cars was that they had only predicted 10cm or 3 inches. Instead we got around 30cm, which is about a foot of snow. No one was prepared for that. Spring can't come soon enough.

Marguerite said...

Brenda, the sun really is getting stronger, I'm sure of it! Those coldframes are such a blessing to you right now. I'm sure I'll be drooling over your greens in short order.

Marguerite said...

Lisa, I laughed way way too hard at that video. it was one of those moments where I realized I have been doing this exact thing every week.... +1 degrees YAH!!! it's spring..... only to have another foot of snow dumped on us.

Rose said...

I feel your pain:( We've had a beautiful day today, and I even got outside and cut down my ornamental grasses. But what's in the forecast for tomorrow but below freezing temps and--worse than that four-letter word that starts with an "S"--"wintry mix"! The video was hilarious; for the past month our local weatherman has been apologetic every time he gives a forecast:)

Anonymous said...

I've started to think of this as "the winter that refused to leave." Except for the longer days, it seems more like January than March. The snow isn't as deep where I am as it is for you, but it's still far from being gone. Actually, when i went out to walk around the garden yesterday, I discovered that it isn't snow at all, but 18" thick pack ice! I can walk around on top of it without sinking in. The big hopeful sign for me is that, even on days when the temperature doesn't get above freezing, the sun is still warm enough to melt some of the snow off the roof. Snow is also receding from around the foundation of the house. Spring should be extra sweet this year with all this extra anticipation. -Jean

Melanie J Watts said...

Ha Ha ha, Rick Mercer is great. We had a snowstorm yesterday, it is not helping our accumulated 3 feet to melt. At least it is not minus 30 anymore. Love your photos of the frozen trees.

Jane said...

I hear that it's going to be +1c by Friday :) Today is a brilliantly sunny day but it's -11c, up from -18c when I got up - woo hoo! The strong wind we've had for the past 3-4 days has died down though - I've learned to be grateful for small things! Hope you get your car all thawed out in time for work tomorrow!

Diana Studer said...

I can remember soon after we went to Switzerland the first time, when my husband was still truck driving - how he battled one morning to unfreeze the door lock enough to open it. But nothing like your sheets of ice. How DO you get into that car?

Marguerite said...

Rose, surely spring must be on its way if you are able to start cutting back your dead perennials. :)) I'm taking some comfort that any more snow that falls surely can't last very long as the sun warms up.

Marguerite said...

oh Jean, I know that ice situation well. What's in our yard is layers of snow between layers of ice. The snow and thaw cycle has been a doozy, I agree, spring will be soundly rejoiced when it finally comes.

Marguerite said...

Rick always makes me laugh but this one really had me in stitches. I've definitely fallen prey to the +1 forecast this season.

Marguerite said...

LOL! I keep watching it and I still laugh every time. Must be cabin fever :))

Marguerite said...

With great difficulty ;-) Truth be told one side of the car was worse than the other (you can tell which way the wind was blowing). So I was able to chip away at one side and get in relatively easy. the gas cap though was a problem. I ended up taking the car to the mechanics for an oil change and let them thaw it out!

Northern Beauty Seeker said...

Best Rick Mercer ever!! Hang in there Marguerite, spring really is on its way. :)

HELENE said...

Ooooh I feel for you, I know exactly how you have it, being from one of the coldest parts of Norway we used to have winter until April/May EVERY year. But after 15 years in London I could not even think about going back to that kind of weather. Loved your ‘Plus1’ video – we could have needed something similar here this winter with 3 months of rain, so happy it’s no longer raining here, I even had my hose out last week-end for the first time to water the pots, and I didn’t mind :-)
Hope spring arrives for you soon!

Unknown said...

Hang in there! I enjoyed your photos of all that frigid beauty! I grew up on PEI and spent last winter back in rural PEI. Spring does eventually arrive!

Linda said...

Lovely photos. Greetings from Montreal.

Jennifer said...

It has been the winter from hell. Minus 7 today, but at least it's sunny. That's progress I think.

Aaron said...

That video is *hilarious*.

I definitely could relate vis-a-vis some of the cold snaps we've endured this winter down in Middle Tennessee.

Incidentally, I really enjoy your blog. Would you like trade blogroll links? (Mine is http://www.gardenofaaron.com)

Casa Mariposa said...

Rottenness and despair! :( It's been freakishly cold here, too, but nothing like what you've been through. But here's a thought: you are closer to spring today than you were yesterday. It might even be +1.

Marguerite said...

he always manages to make me laugh but this one really got me. could not stop laughing.

Marguerite said...

Helene, I lived in a warm climate for years and I think the hardest part of living somewhere cold again is just how long it takes for spring to come. The snow I can handle but I really wish it would end come April.

Marguerite said...

Thanks and welcome! Feels like spring just does not want to come round this year. I'm so tired of waiting.

Marguerite said...

Thanks Linda! nice to see you here

Marguerite said...

Just watched the news this evening and the weather experts are saying they haven't had a winter this bad in 40 years. and it's not over yet :( Not sure I can bear much more of this.

Marguerite said...

Hi Aaron, the 'snaps' still aren't done with us yet. This winter is hanging on with all its might. Great blog, happy to trade.

Marguerite said...

I'm hanging onto that thought!! spring can't possibly be too far away now.

Unknown said...

Hi Marguerite, Thanks for stopping by my blog and leaving a message. Yes, all the photography on the blog is my own. PEI is beautiful in the summer but brutal during the long winters. Gardening doesn't happen for awhile yet. I hope your home and your property help keep your spirits up. Stock up on good books to read and a few indoor hobbies. I help pass the long winters by feeding wild birds and although there will be snow for awhile yet, at least the spring songs of the birds and the new spring migrants help brighten each day! Keep smiling, and blogging! :o)

Pam's English Garden said...

Are you STILL snowed under? I hope not, now it is nearly May. P. x

GardenGoddess said...

Marguerite... We had a similar winter here! We measure in Fahrenheit, so instead of "plus one" we were saying "above 0?" It's so funny that when we talk temperatures from November through April people always add either "above or below." I'm glad you're back writing. I've been away, too, so I'm spending the evening catching up on my favorite blogs.

Marguerite said...

Pam, the snow stayed right through most of April. I really do think this was the longest winter ever. Even May has been extremely cold with temperatures half what they should be. Fingers crossed the summer gets better.

Marguerite said...

Winter was just hard all over this year wasn't it? No one seemed to catch much of a break. Hopefully this doesn't repeat anytime soon. I'll be right over to catch up with you too!