As I worked indoors doing laundry and such, the first big storm of the winter season and the first of the year began outside. Light snow began about noon and became heavier into the early afternoon, continuing into the evening. Forecasts note that snow fall amounts will lessen through the evening stop into the overnight hours. At present we have 6-8 inches on the porch rails. The wind has increased so some blowing and drifting may occur, leaving challenging areas to clear through tomorrow.
While winter here is about three months long with the worst being January and February, it is still too long for my tastes. On the prairies where I grew up, winter was longer -- five or more months. In the maritime climate I live in now, snow comes in larger amounts than I grew up knowing. Never until moving here, did I have to hire a back hoe or a truck with a plow blade to clear the driveway -- though I could have used that once in Swift Current many years ago. <smile> Snow here is often wetter, so becomes challenging to shovel -- especially when it falls a foot or more at a time. With northeasterly winds snow drifts into huge piles. Then there are the plows -- a sidewalk plow that clears the town walk on my street and the street plows that throw snow into driveways in piles waist deep or so -- all heavy wet stuff to move. Hence, I hire larger equipment to move it. Now just because I want to see winter over does not mean I want to wish my life away. I'd be OK with a rainy winter (living on the wrong coast for that it appears) or one with less precipitation or colder air that makes snow lighter, easier to move and leaves lesser of it. I'd settle for a lengthier spring-like season, I guess.
While watching the accumulation outside the windows today, the colour of the whole world seemed to have changed. A song that dealt with the shades of that colour seemed fitting for today. Stay safe. Enjoy!
A Whiter Shade of Pale -- Procol Harum
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