“Ottawa braces for the first snowstorm of the year”. I must have read this headline—or some clever variant—a thousand of times before “D-Day”, yet I refused to believe it. Snow? Not already! It’s still fall, people!
I emailed my relatives in France. “We are expecting 25 centimeters of snow!” I complained. “But… aren’t you used to it? 25 centimeters isn’t that much, is it?”
Ah ah. It’s like telling French people: “Oh, a major demonstration is planned in Paris and public transportation is on strike? I mean, aren’t you used to it?” Yeah, sure they are. It’s still a pain and it still requires some planning if you want to make it to work.
See, Canadians expect snowy winters and extreme weather. Yet, the first snowstorm of the year is somehow a shock for all of us. Maybe it’s denial (“Fuck… I guess global warming spared Canada…”). Maybe it’s wishful thinking (“The Weather Channel gets it wrong all the time! I bet it’s gonna be around 20°C with a light breeze!”).
Well, it ain’t happening. Or rather, it did.
It started snowing Tuesday night and we woke up to a shitload of snow on Wednesday. It’s beautiful, for sure—the scenery changed dramatically overnight. It has that perfect “Hollywood Christmas” feel. No wind, snow artistically stuck to trees, branches and poles, a picture-perfect white landscape.
But damn, it’s cold. And slippery.
Mark discovered snow. Well, technically he saw it last winter but he was too young. This time, bundled up in his “body bag” (that’s my nickname for snowsuits and I stand by it!), he walked in the snow, ate it and got the full experience. He didn’t seem to mind… he is a true Canadian!
You can see the complete set of pictures in Mark’s set and in the Ottawa – Fall set on Flickr.
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Je crois que c’est foutu malheureusement pour une game de basket! 😀
Mouais, ça me paraît compromis! 😆
Haha body bag. That is good.
It never ceases to amaze me how people freak out every year when it snows and forget how to drive and be normal. Don’t worry guys, we got this. We’ll get through this winter just like all the other ones before.
I will be going back to Winnipeg for Christmas and I just can’t wait for a glimpse of all that snow. Apparently we got a lot the last few days as well. The slop of southern Ontario doesn’t cut it for me.
I know, eh? It amazes me too, people completely freak out when winter weather is on its way and media hype it up!
“the first snowstorm of the year is somehow a shock for all of us.”
What do you mean?! I was jumping up and down behind the windows while the snow was coming down, cursing it because it was not ENOUGH 😀 It’s my third winter here and I just can’t get enough of it.
Ok, -16°C at night is slightly cold. But snow is beauuuutiful! Isn’t it?! uhuh!
By the way, the little Smurf is adorable 😉
Ah… that’s because you don’t have a Smurf dying to go out at home! 😆 Seriously, I can take the snow but the cold… I miss hanging out outside for hours already!
Awww Mark is so cute in his snowsuit 🙂
A little Smurf! 😆
The first snowfall of the year is always the most beautiful, isn’t it? And year after year…
Yes indeed, the white, fluffy snow clings to the bushes like girlands to a christmas tree, the firs covered by a heavy winter coat, the rather dark winter days brightened up by the reflection of light through all that white, now everything covered in that virgin white coat… Winds are whispering, singing, howling and swirling around a billion of crystals, forming drifts and forms of wonderful artwork. And oh, these little cold flakes, don’t they just say “Hello” to us? And wake us up… Maybe even bring some lovely greeting from some beloved from far away…? Oh, the first snowfall of the year: Never do I want to miss it! But even better, there’s more to come. Beloved snow, oh, I kiss it…
Beautiful winter allegory! I agree, the first snowfall is unique. The twenty or so snowstorms after that… not so much! 😆