We started to hear new noises around here. Birds chirping in the trees, the constant waterfall noise of water flowing in the drains and in the sewers, the “splotch splotch” sound when walking on soaked grass. Snow is melting fast, thanks to warmer temperatures. Nothing to get excited about though, it’s only about 3°C and the Northern wind is still cold. Yet, it’s a beginning. Winter is melting away.
Hard to believe we had a snowstorm just ten days ago. In some places, winter is still here: the Ottawa River is frozen and the locks looked like they did in the dead of the winter. Random snow piles are scattered throughout the city and I’m still wearing boots and a thick scarf. But around the Experimental Farm, the snow has mostly melted and the fields are flooded. I’m always amazed to discover the grass is alive after it’s been covered by snow all winter. In France, bitchy groundskeepers put “keep off the grass” signs and chase little kids from the lawn. In Canada, not only do people walk on lawns but it’s covered by ice and snow five months out of twelve and yet it’s alive and green in the spring. Go figure.
The little park I cross on my way back home is a mix of snow, mud and water. You can spot the asphalt and some grass underneath that mess, and a lot of garbage that accumulated over the winter and was caught in the ice—flyers, cigarette butts, Tim Horton’s cups… It’s time for spring cleaning.
But spring is not there yet. Although rain is more likely than snow, we could very well have a blizzard in the middle of April. I’ve been there long enough to know that the weather is quite unpredictable in Canada. I won’t jinx it. Spring is on its way but it could take a while.
Yay! It’s lovely here today. Yesterday, I went to college and they had a band playing outside, everyboday was chilling out in the sun; I think I can officially stop hibernating!
It’s almost spring here: earlier this week it was quite warm and lovely, except that yesterday we just had another snowstorm. That sucks…
I saw the snowstorm in Toronto on TV and I thought of you, since Buffalo is pretty close. I guess you had some of that snow as well. Yep, it sucks… we are all sick of winter.
Toronto had one of the biggest snow storms of the year YESTERDAY!!
So much snow, wind and ice… so bad considering it’s now SPRINT!
Crazy! We had snow on March 21st, a few days before you guys. Fortunately, it melted fast and turned into rain.
I don’t think I could survive in your climate but then you may not survive in mine when it is 100 or more with high humidity. It was very sunny, in the mid 80s, ten days ago in Nashville, but this last two days we had a period of “cold” weather dipping to the 50s. However, everything is in bloom.
I don’t mind humidity and hot weather, I was just fine in Brazil or SE Asia! But somehow, I got used to the cold in Canada.