WINTER

It was -30 degrees celsius outside this morning when I got up.  I had almost forgotten what that felt like... almost.
I was reminded of the year my in-laws came and spent an entire winter with us.  Being from New Zealand, they had no idea what they were in for.  There were a few good laughs over the course of the winter.  So to all my kiwi friends, here are some facts about a northern Canadian winter.

Just because there's snow, doesn't mean we can build snowmen or throw snowballs.  If it's too cold outside the snow just plain won't stick together. In fact the temperature has to be right around the freezing mark, anything below -10 degrees celsius makes the snow too dry and powdery.

As long as you have enough snow you can ski...

go tobogganing...

or go snowmobiling.

For some people  (not me) this is a fun recreational activity.  These girls are doing it the good old fashioned way...

Most men do it this way...

wimps! (there are wood stoves in those huts)

The ice on the lake gets thick enough to drive a car on but you need to check first.

We can have weeks on end when the temperature never goes above the freezing mark even during the day!

But that is okay, we have central heating in our well insulated homes.  That means we can go from one room to another without freezing our buns off... don't lie Kiwis, you know what I'm talking about.

We drive on snow packed roads most of the winter and think nothing of it,

and just about every Canadian  has rolled in the snow in their bathing suit at some point in their life.

So armed with these facts, you can imagine how funny I thought it was when my wonderful mother-in-law was afraid to go for a walk on the frozen lake with me, (I did manage to convince her finally) and when she pointed out to me the fact that it hadn't rained once in the entire two months that she had been there already, (I pointed out to her that the snow that was falling from the sky was basically winter rain) and then the night she asked upon seeing a beautiful pink sunset, if I thought there would be a frost that night.  I observed that seeing as how it was already -25 degrees out, it was safe to assume that yes, there would be a frost.

Winter is not my favourite season but I do appreciate its beauty.

I love snow that sparkles like diamonds,

and hoar frosts,

and snow laden trees.

My only problem with winter is that it lasts too long.    Oh well, only another 10 or so weeks until spring.   (happy dance)

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